Moving Towards the Virtual University: A Vision of Technology in Higher Education Copyright 1994 CAUSE. From _CAUSE/EFFECT_ Volume 17, Number 2, Summer 1994. Permission to copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, the CAUSE copyright and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of CAUSE, the association for managing and using information resources in higher education. To disseminate otherwise, or to republish, requires written permission. For further information, contact Julia Rudy at CAUSE, 4840 Pearl East Circle, Suite 302E, Boulder, CO 80301 USA; 303-939-0308; e-mail: jrudy@CAUSE.colorado.edu Moving Towards the Virtual University: A Vision of Technology in Higher Education by Warren J. Baker and Arthur S. Gloster II ABSTRACT: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, is exploring several cost-effective technology solutions aimed at improving learning productivity, reducing labor intensity, and providing new ways to deliver education and better services to students while enhancing the quality of instruction. Strategic planning and partnerships have been key to their progress to date. After decades of promises based on overhead projectors, video distribution, and other instructional technologies, the ability to improve instruction using information technology has now become a reality. By incorporating a wide range of digitized media into the myriad of curriculum-related activities fundamental to teaching and learning, the quality of both can rise. A paradigm shift is taking place in higher education instruction, from a mode of faculty-student interaction occurring in fixed locations at specified times to one in which students can access the same instructional resources in a variety of forms, regardless of location, at their convenience. This is possible because several technologies have matured, supporting major changes in how instruction can be delivered to students on the campus, in their homes, or in their work places. Escalating costs, declining support, increasing demand, and diverse demographics have placed significant pressures on higher education to become more productive. Careful analysis shows that the productivity improvements required cannot be achieved by increasing the workload of the faculty; in fact, any significant movement in this direction will only decrease the quality of instruction. There is simply no room left in the workday of a faculty member to teach more students. Rather, the focus for productivity improvement must be on learning resources that will improve retention and decrease the time needed to earn a degree.[1] It is this realization that is leading to the paradigm shift towards an instructional model in which students gain access to information resources, faculty lectures and demonstrations, library and research materials, and conferencing and tutorials over networks from digital information organized in servers by the faculty. Students and faculty can "talk" electronically whenever they like. Assignments can be given and received electronically. Faculty can hold "virtual" office hours, freeing them from rigid schedules, and enabling students to obtain information with little waste of time and without sacrificing the fundamental, close-knit quality of the student-mentor relationship. In this developing model, faculty can become facilitators and guides for individual learners rather than simple conduits for transmitting information.[2] Productivity gains can occur in greater retention, more efficient use of the student's time, easy access to group study over networks, better feedback to faculty, and organized self-assessment and self-pacing. Faculty and traditional classrooms are not replaced, but another dimension is added that greatly improves the efficiency of learning. Studies have shown that students supported by technology-mediated instruction required about one-third less instructional time than students using traditional lecture/textbook methods. Not only did college students using technology learn faster, six months after completing their studies, they tested better on the subject than their peers who had been taught in traditional settings.[3] Other studies have shown that people reluctant to speak in a group are often less inhibited by electronic communications. By increasing opportunities for interaction and participation, electronic scholarship offers a whole new range of pedagogical techniques with which to reach people who have been left out.[4] As this new process of using technology to improve learning develops, more students at every level, from elementary student to adult learner, will be able to take advantage of this type of instruction. Technological advances to deliver entertainment or "video on demand" are progressing rapidly. The opportunity exists today to take that technology and apply it to education to overcome economic, cultural, and physical barriers to learning facing the nation as a whole, including continuous retraining of the workforce. This will require colleges and universities to mirror business and industry by delivering "just-in-time" rather than "just-in-case" education, and to pursue cooperative efforts with the private sector to achieve this vision. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) is exploring several cost-effective technology solutions aimed at improving learning productivity, reducing labor intensity, and providing new ways to deliver education and better services to students while enhancing the quality of instruction. This article shares Cal Poly's experiences to date in creating a vision and plan to develop the infrastructure needed to transform the way education is delivered, presents steps that have been taken or are about to be taken to implement that vision, and details some of the many partnerships that have contributed to the plan's success thus far. Strategic plans, goals, and issues Since the mid-1980s, when the University decided to upgrade its administrative computing systems, Cal Poly has aggressively pursued the use of information technology to transform educational services. By the early 1990s, strategic plans for an integrated, online administrative system (OASIS), voice-response registration, online library services, improved telephone service, a campus-wide fiber optic data network, and instructional access to UNIX had all been realized.[5] Two years ago, Cal Poly's computing advisory committees embarked on another strategic planning effort to define the future role of technology in support of the University's instructional program. This effort coincided with a campus- wide reassessment of the University mission and academic calendar, adoption of a new strategic plan for the campus, CSU system-wide initiatives for using technology to support instruction (see Project Delta sidebar), and a decision to upgrade the central mainframe. This planning effort was led by the University's Information Resource Management Policy and Planning Committee (IRMPPC) and the Instructional Advisory Committee on Computing (IACC). The IACC includes one faculty member from each of the University's six academic colleges, and representatives from the library, student association, and academic computing services. The IACC chair acts as liaison to the Academic Senate on instructional computing issues and also serves on the IRMPPC along with several faculty members and vice presidents, the library dean, an academic dean, a student representative, and the chair of the Administrative Advisory Committee on Computing. After consulting with their respective college computing committees, academic departments, the Senate, and other constituency groups, the IACC produced a strategic plan outlining four major goals for academic computing: * a networked instructional environment, based on universal electronic mail, shared information resources, and computerized classrooms; * easy access to workstations and networked information services; * institutional support for faculty and student development of computer-based communication skills; and * simplified interfaces, procedures, and documentation for accessing networked information services. The vision that emerged recognizes that technology can benefit learning when it (1) allows a student to take a more active role, (2) allows a teacher to express the content of a course in more than one format, (3) broadens the array of resources brought to a classroom or the student's workstation, (4) increases the opportunities for interaction between teacher and student and for interaction among students, (5) reduces barriers to University services, and (6) increases the productivity of those who support the learning environment. As envisioned by the IACC, this "next revolution" will cross all disciplines, especially those which have not traditionally used computing in the past, and will emphasize content development, easy access, and information sharing, rather than focusing on the technology itself. Beyond the obvious need for technology enhancements, the IACC strongly recommended providing incentives and support to enable the faculty as a whole to develop the necessary skills and methodologies to conduct and publish research, create and deliver lectures, and interact with students in this new environment. Other policy/support issues included: * considering professional development in the technology area when evaluating faculty for retention, promotion, and tenure purposes; * supporting faculty with well-defined projects for experimenting with new technologies and innovative ways of employing them in the teaching, learning, and research processes; and * providing instructional designers and technical support to assist faculty in developing content and integrating technology into the curriculum. In addition, a number of infrastructure issues were identified: * adequate network connections to faculty offices and classrooms; * network ports for students to connect portable computers; * adequate network access from off-campus sites or residences; * appropriately configured workstations; * classrooms equipped with systems for displaying prepared lecture materials and sharing information resources; and * online search and retrieval tools with graphical user interface. The IACC plan was generally accepted by the faculty, despite reservations by some as to how it would be achieved technically, and what the impact might be on University resources and faculty workloads. Implementing the vision: a MegaServer approach After receiving the plan, the IRM Policy and Planning Committee began an intensive study of how to implement the vision. They spent several months analyzing the capacity of existing resources to support the vision and considering various alternatives before recommending going ahead with a plan to develop a multimedia "MegaServer" as part of the planned mainframe upgrade for the campus. This MegaServer will provide faculty and students with on- and off-campus access to a full range of information technology resources (voice, data, video) in an integrated, networked educational environment. It will also facilitate local and statewide access to full-text articles and publications, electronic library services, databases, and digitized instructional materials, including slides, graphics, and full-motion video. It will also serve as an important node in a client/server arrangement, supporting campus-wide administrative services and functions. Cal Poly envisions using this MegaServer approach to support its concept of a "virtual university" (see Figure 1), with many potential applications (see sidebar next page). The benefits for the University include (1) improved access by students enrolled in traditional programs offered by Cal Poly, (2) increased access to academic programs by non- traditional students, (3) better prepared students in K-12 and community college programs, (4) improved effectiveness in uses of limited human, program, and financial resources, (5) new revenue streams to offset infrastructure and operating costs, and (6) incentives for faculty to develop new educational materials. Figure 1: The virtual university FIGURE NOT AVAILABLE IN ASCII TEXT VERSION Progress to date Cal Poly has already taken a number of steps to begin preparing for the virtual university. In May 1992, the University began using two-way interactive video to deliver courses on campus, between the campus and its satellite agricultural facility 175 miles away, and to the Lucia Mar School District just 20 miles away. The Faculty Multimedia Development Center (FMDC) was established in March 1993 to provide a variety of hardware, software, and consulting assistance to encourage and support faculty interested in developing and integrating materials into their courses or for delivery over the network. This facility is described in greater detail below in the discussion of support systems. In September 1993, the University entered into a joint development agreement with IBM to develop and test the MegaServer concept, installing an IBM ES/9000-732 mainframe, LAN File Server/Enterprise System Architecture software, multimedia development workstations, disk storage, and other basic system components. As of spring 1994, the mainframe supported eight concurrent multimedia video streams or sessions to multimedia workstations in the FMDC and a specially equipped classroom. The MegaServer currently supports token ring network access, but most faculty offices and instructional facilities are now or will be equipped with Ethernet connections; extending full-motion video network access to Ethernet connections is a high priority in 1994. Currently several classrooms are equipped with large-screen video projection systems, Macintosh and IBM-compatible computers or interfaces, and network connections to the mainframe. The University is committed to developing "electronic classrooms" equipped with high-resolution projectors, quality audio systems, and microcomputers with high-speed network access to the MegaServer. With the implementation of network-connected classrooms and the FMDC, faculty can already develop multimedia lectures in the FMDC, store these lectures on the MegaServer, then walk into an electronic classroom, log on to the MegaServer, and retrieve the same lecture for delivery to the students. Limited resources will make it difficult to equip classrooms quickly enough to meet the anticipated demand for integrating multimedia into the classroom. (Equipping just one such classroom can cost more than $150,000.) To minimize costs and maximize flexibility, the University purchased several laptop computers (at $3,000 -$5,000 each) and portable multimedia-enabled graphics projectors (at $6,000 each) as an interim solution. This equipment can be checked out by faculty to create and deliver multimedia courseware in their office or any classroom. These initial efforts are introducing the campus community to the possibilities of the virtual university by allowing faculty to develop and use multimedia course materials while the MegaServer infrastructure is being more fully developed. During winter quarter 1994, the University taped its first series of lectures for a course being developed by two faculty members in architecture and construction management. Lectures were taped in the campus video production studio, then rebroadcast over the campus television distribution system during the day and to campus residence halls at night. Students were able to view the lectures at set times or check out tapes of individual lectures to view at home, and to communicate with the instructors during office and lab hours and through electronic mail. Cal Poly plans to develop the capacity to videotape and "digitize" entire lectures, which can then be edited, indexed, and stored on the MegaServer along with course materials. Both the lectures and materials can be retrieved later to supplement existing classroom instruction, or delivered as "on demand" courses in non-traditional settings, such as a graduate-level degree program for students who work full-time. To digitize and store lectures on the MegaServer for "on demand" retrieval will require higher bandwidth than is presently available on the campus network. To provide this bandwidth, this summer the University is beginning to beta test an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network. IBM is providing optical storage, telecommunications technology, wireless LAN technology, and other support as needed to fully test delivery of full-motion video over the University's fiber optic backbone network. The FDDI hubs will be replaced by ATM hubs capable of using the existing fiber. The FDDI hubs will be recycled and used as routers on the network. In addition, the delivery of interactive video from the MegaServer to four other remote CSU campuses will be tested later this year. The University is also experimenting with providing on- campus network ports ("docking stations" and "port replicators"). This will allow students to use their own laptop computers to access the network, high-resolution displays, and specialized resources. Creating a support system In conjunction with the Cal Poly/IBM MegaServer joint study project, the University established a new management- level position, director of multimedia development, to facilitate the use of the MegaServer and multimedia technologies to deliver education. Since July 1993, the director has concentrated on training faculty, developing instructional content, and coordinating and facilitating efforts by faculty to integrate information technologies into the curriculum. To date, nearly 100 faculty members have completed training or sought individual consultation, while another twenty have been helped with specific multimedia projects. IBM is also providing support to help faculty develop instructional content under the joint study. Staffing is required to support the faculty from the inception of an idea, through the many courseware development steps (see Figure 2), to actual delivery in the classroom.[7] At present, Cal Poly's communications services department has (1) two full-time technicians supporting its audio- visual/television production unit and distance learning facility; (2) one full-time technician to install, upgrade, and maintain new hardware and software in the FMDC; and (3) several student assistants to do graphic design, digitization, editing, and authoring tasks. In addition, there is need for one full-time instructional designer to assist the faculty in developing the interactive multimedia courseware appropriate to their curriculum. This need should disappear as more faculty become familiar with the techniques and grow comfortable using the tools. These pioneers will become mentors and valuable campus resources as they begin to share their discoveries with colleagues. Figure 2: Courseware development FIGURE NOT AVAILABLE IN ASCII TEXT VERSION The Faculty Multimedia Development Center mentioned earlier is an important component of the support system. The center is equipped with both IBM and Apple authoring workstations and software tools, including image editors, video editors, and authoring packages. Other resources available to faculty include (1) scanners and digitizing stations to convert source materials from word processing, VHS tape, laserdisc, CD-ROM, illustrations, and artwork; (2) full video production facilities, including a videotaping studio; (3) hand-held video cameras for off-site work; (4) digital, video, and sound editing studios; and (5) in-house support for creating VHS tapes and CD-ROMs. These facilities were developed using existing audio-visual resources, combined with donated and discounted equipment. The desire to use electronic technology in the classroom must, in the end, come from the faculty itself. To gauge faculty interest in this new technology, Academic Affairs encouraged faculty to submit proposals for release time and offered modest support to develop related projects this year. As it turned out, the campus was able to support only a small fraction of the expressed interest. Currently, faculty in nearly every discipline are involved in creating multimedia presentations for classroom instruction and professional meetings, and interest is steadily increasing. The campus is seeking matching funding, through various sources, to implement a more broad-based faculty training and development program, possibly in cooperation with other CSU campuses. Reducing costs through partnerships Cal Poly can only achieve its vision by forming partnerships in which the cost to operate and maintain the information technology infrastructure necessary to deliver education in the future may be partially offset by joint development projects with information technology vendors and other institutions and organizations. These projects must be mutually beneficial for both partners, and involve research, development, and testing of new technologies with potentially wide application to higher education beyond this campus.[8] Over the years, the University has been successful in developing strong and lasting partnerships with many information technology vendors, including Hewlett-Packard, Pacific Bell, AT&T, SP Telecom, and IBM, to name a few. IBM has been a particularly strong ally in this regard, providing hardware, software, training, and support for key infrastructure projects supporting administrative and instructional computing. With their support, Cal Poly has taken its first steps towards becoming a virtual university. Other corporate partnerships include the following: * With more than 250 Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines on campus, providing simultaneous access to telephone and network services, the University is working with Pacific Bell to extend ISDN service to faculty, staff, and student residences, including private residence halls, in the local community in 1994. * The University is partnering with BellCore to implement SuperBook, an electronic document "browser" that can deliver library materials, journal abstracts, and other documents with text, graphics, and video to the desktop via the network. One major hurdle to address involves licensing and copyright protection of intellectual properties owned by the University, publishers, or faculty. Transactional monitoring and pricing techniques are being explored in a joint study between Cal Poly, Bellcore, Lawrence Livermore Lab, Chevron, and Pacific Bell. * The University is participating in a joint study with The Robinson Group (TRG) and IBM to test using touch-screen kiosks linked to the University's student information system to allow students to check their own records for information about grades, account balances, current term registration, and other routine requests currently handled in person, by phone, or through the mail. Also under review are methods to allow students to directly update data such as address changes. * Most University faculty use Macintosh or IBM-compatible computers to develop course content. Since the MegaServer currently supports only IBM-compatibles, Cal Poly and IBM began beta testing Macintosh support earlier this year to extend full-motion network access to Apple computers. * Another partnership with IBM is enabling testing wireless network access. This technology will permit faculty to access the MegaServer from any classroom, using a transmitter attached to a laptop computer. If viable, this could eliminate the need for specialized facilities, reduce costs, and greatly expand campus access. Cal Poly continues to seek private and corporate grants and other external funding for related distance learning, multimedia, and telecommunications projects. A group of faculty has already submitted a proposal to a major national foundation interested in how this technology might be used to deliver a full-degree program to students at home. They are especially interested in the techniques faculty would develop to foster collegiality and shared group interaction between students and instructors and among the students themselves by using communication technology. The University also recognizes the value of partnerships and collaboration with other education institutions: * Cal Poly is working toward expanding network capability to other parts of California, through pilot projects with telecommunications vendors to develop and test high-speed, gigabit networks; has established distance learning partnerships with Bakersfield College and Cuesta Community College, to jointly develop and share course materials to facilitate instruction at both levels; is pursuing an ATM test link with CSU Hayward to allow the two campuses to share digitized course materials and interactive instruction; and is expanding access to K-12 schools, to provide college-level courses, including Advanced Placement, to high school students. * The University's College of Engineering, along with the seven other universities in the National Science Foundation National Synthesis Coalition, are creating a National Engineering Educational Delivery System (NEEDS) that will not only advance the curriculum and enhance the classroom environment, but also promote faculty collaboration and give students direct access to a vast database. * A major publisher has already shown considerable interest in the work of some Cal Poly faculty who are developing multimedia courseware. If local faculty don't develop their own materials, they can use courseware created by colleagues elsewhere and modified as needed for their classes. For example, Cal Poly and CSU Long Beach are jointly developing a distributed database of digital information (images, audio, full-motion video, and so forth) that will be able to accommodate potential contributions from faculty in any discipline and on any campus. Once developed, faculty on any CSU campus will be able to query the system by data type (audio, graphic) or subject, and retrieve files remotely for inclusion in a classroom presentation or courseware module. * The CSU is exploring a partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY), the City University of New York (CUNY), and a private academic systems development firm to support faculty in creating mediated learning courseware in courses that specifically create barriers to students who would like to pursue science, mathematics, or engineering programs. What's next? Many faculty are burdened with older workstations incapable of supporting the full-motion video and other resources envisioned as part of the "virtual university." Over time these systems will be replaced, but it will take a concerted effort on the part of the colleges to ensure that faculty are equipped with the resources they need. While almost anyone on campus with a computer and the proper connectivity can now participate in electronic mail and some other resources, the level of service is uneven across campus. With the growing interest in technology- mediated instruction, the IRM Policy and Planning Committee has recommended a new set of communications goals, which will mean much more sophisticated installations to all offices, classrooms, labs, and even the dorms. The network will become simply another campus utility, like the phone system. Higher bandwidth will allow faculty to take full advantage of the information resources. For off-campus users, private information servers and other public utilities will put these more sophisticated communications tools in the hands of students and members of the public wishing to link up with the University system. Cal Poly is already working with local government and industry leaders to make San Luis Obispo an "electronic village," by extending the network into the community as quickly as possible. Internet access and local network services are already being offered on a limited scale, but to truly bring the benefits of the virtual university to the home will require the support and cooperation of local telecommunications vendors. We do not expect to achieve these goals all at once. Instead, we intend to proceed deliberately, while keeping abreast of changes in technology that may suggest new directions, and the developments in public and private communications ventures that will provide ubiquitous broadband networks. Still, we feel that we must begin proceeding now toward a networked instructional environment if we are to deliver the sort of education our students will need as we move into the next century. Footnotes: 1 For a more extensive discussion on the issue of learner productivity and higher education, see D. Bruce Johnstone, "Learning Productivity: A New Imperative for American Higher Education," Studies in Public Higher Education No. 3 (Albany, N.Y.: Office of the Chancellor, State University of New York, 1993), pp. 1-31. 2 Norman Coombs, "Teaching in the Information Age," EDUCOM Review, March/April 1992, p. 30. 3 Chen-Lin C. Kulik and James A. Kulik, "Effectiveness of Computer-Based Instruction: An Updated Analysis," Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 7, Nos. 1-2 (1991): 75-94. See also W.D. Sawyer, "The Virtual Computer: A New Paradigm for Educational Computing," Educational Technology, January 1992, p. 21; and Loretta L. Jones and Stanley G. Smith, "Can Multimedia Instruction Meet Our Expectations?" EDUCOM Review, January/February 1992, pp. 39-43. 4 See Richard Lanham, The Electronic Word: Democracy, Technology, and the Arts (University of Chicago Press, 1993) for a discussion on how "digitization of the arts radically democratizes them" (pp. 105-107). 5 These plans are described in Cal Poly's Campus Information Resources Plan: 1989-1994 (CSD-0369) and Campus Information Resources Plan: 1990-1995 (CSD-0918). Both are available from the CAUSE Information Resources Library (orders@cause.colorado.edu or phone 303-939-0310). 6 Master Plan for Higher Education, A Dream Deferred: California's Waning Higher Education Opportunities, California Postsecondary Education Commission Report 93, June 1993, p. 10; see also James Ogilvy, "Three Scenarios for Higher Education: The California Case," Thought & Action: The National Education Association Higher Education Journal, Vol. IX, No. 1 (Fall 1993): 25-67. 7 The importance of centralized support is discussed in Fred Hofstetter, "Institutional Support for Improving Instruction with Multimedia," EDUCOM Review, January/February 1992, pp. 27-30. 8 Arthur S. Gloster II and James L. Strom, "Building Strategic Partnerships with Industry," Information Technology: Making It All Fit, Proceedings of the 1988 CAUSE National Conference (Boulder, Colo.: CAUSE, 1989), pp. 263- 268. ====================================== Sidebar 1: Cal Poly: Becoming an Electronic Campus The University provides access to all major resources through its Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) backbone network that links thirty-nine core campus buildings and residence halls. * The network serves more than 2,400 student residents on campus and provides connectivity to most of the University's 900 faculty and 1,200 staff. * More than 13,000 of Cal Poly's 15,000 students have electronic mail accounts. * More than one-third of the fall 1994 applications for admission were submitted in electronic form by incoming students. * Online administrative systems provide timely access to student records, class schedules, financial aid, grades, and other information. * Increased use of electronic mail, calendaring, online reporting and requisitioning, and tools such as Gopher and other online services has reduced costs and changed the way departments and individuals communicate and request information. ====================================== Sidebar 2: The CSU's Project DELTA The California Master Plan for Higher Education, initiated in 1960, calls for access by all eligible students to the three- tiered higher education system in California. For the California State University, this means that all high school students graduating in the top third of their class are eligible for admission. Given current economic conditions in the state, it is unlikely that the CSU system will be able to expand its physical facilities to meet the increased enrollment demand generated by the master plan. Instead, the system must meet that demand by offering new ways to deliver the required education to students both on- and off- campus.[6] The CSU Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology (CLRIT) was created to investigate options for using electronic technology in education. Its first major initiative, Project DELTA (Direct Enhancement of Learning Through Technology Assistance and Alternatives), provided seed money for multi-campus projects designed to: * improve instructional quality and effectiveness; * increase student access to higher education, by making access more convenient; and * promote greater productivity and accountability in the use of public funds. CLRIT is also providing oversight and guidance in the development of systemwide library planning through "Knowledge and Information for the 21st Century," a strategic plan for CSU libraries being prepared by the CSU Council of Library Directors, and in telecommunications planning through "Leveraging the Future: The Telecommunications Plan for CSU," being developed by the CSU Academic Communications Network Committee. ====================================== Sidebar 3: Virtual University: Potential Applications Delivery of education to students in classrooms at multiple CSU campuses: * capturing unique faculty experts and special lecturers on video as a way to augment lectures/courses * downloading information from multiple sources into a multimedia presentation in the classroom * teaching low enrollment courses at multiple campuses using two-way video * evaluating student teachers remotely in the classroom and communicating via electronic mail * teaching remediation courses at CSU campuses remotely from community colleges * conducting library/text searches online * requesting assistance via e-mail with timely responses from faculty * interaction among students and between students and faculty utilizing bulletin board or conferencing software Delivery of education to non-traditional, off-campus students in their workplaces or homes: * specialized training and retraining programs for industry * professional licensing/certification courses * adult education/enrichment programs * continuing education or degree credit programs * Advanced Placement courses to high school students Streamlined administrative services to students: * apply for admission, financial aid, housing, and so forth to one or more campuses using customized electronic forms * transmit financial aid data to "Sallie Mae" and a third party for more timely evaluation and electronic fund transfers to students and campus * analyze articulation requirements between schools, community colleges, and universities * apply AACRAO Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards to build databases for capturing transcript/other data * distribute test scores, grades, transcripts, coded memoranda, and other documents ====================================== Warren J. Baker, President of California Polytechnic State University since 1979, is a leader in the implementation of academic computing systems. He chairs the California State University's Systemwide Commission for Learning Resources and Instructional Technology. Appointed in 1985 to the National Science Board (NSB), Dr. Baker has served on the NSB Executive Committee and chaired the Programs and Plans Committee for five years. In that capacity he conducted Board reviews of the National Supercomputing Centers and the NSFNET. Arthur S. Gloster II has been Vice President for Information Systems at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, since 1986, overseeing campuswide academic and administrative computing and communications. With more than twenty-five years experience, he is regularly consulted by the public and private sector on information technology issues and management. He served on the CAUSE Recognition Committee for the past three years, and is a regular presenter at CAUSE and other national forums on using IT to meet higher education goals. Moving Towards the Virtual University: A Vision of Technology in Higher Education