The Department of Educational Technologies and Western's college technology committees have worked together to identify faculty computers and other instructional technology needs for the colleges. As a first step, the university has recently allocated $200,000 to address these needs. The funding is a result of the efforts of the committee, deans and faculty who participated in a period of extensive research and inventory in order to determine specific needs.
According to Lewis Sutton , technology manager for the College
of Arts and Sciences and a member of the college's technology
committee, "This funding will allow faculty to have better
equipment and be better equipped to interface with their students."
Some faculty computers do not currently meet the student computer
requirements.
Faculty will begin seeing new computers arrive in the colleges in January with delivery efforts continuing into the spring until all the computers are received and distributed. Faculty who are receiving Macintosh computers can expect a delay as the order is only now being placed due to configuration issues.
Bob Orr, associate CIO for Western, says, "The support
of Senior Administration in making technology funding a priority
is the key enabler for this project. Dr. Kyle Carter , Western's
Provost, is highly interested in bringing funding stability
to the faculty computer replacement processes."
As part of next efforts the college committees will work with Educational Technologies to focus on other technology needs as well as developing a strategy for automatic computer replacement for faculty and staff.
For more information on the faculty computer refresh, contact
your Dean's office or call the IT Help Desk number at 227-7487
or email ITSHelp@wcu.edu.
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