Hello &/or Welcome Back!

Looking around campus, you may not see a lot of changes in regards to technology, though much work was done behind the scenes this summer. While you've been gone, we installed some new computers and projectors, improved the campus network backup system, tightened security, and updated our hardware inventory. In addition, while Captain Jack and Superman were fighting nefarious souls on the screen, our hero Mr. Byrd spent significant hours tinkering and futzing with spirits in the wires... but he won't share the horrific details.

The future is definitely on our minds, as preparations are under way to articulate and publish the new technology plan by December. We encourage you to comment here or in person with us if you have particular hopes and dreams for the next 3 years. Key questions: how might York faculty better use tech tools to help you master course content? In a similar vein, what do you think you'll need to be able to do with technology in typical college assignments that you aren't fully prepared to do now?

This year I hope to dedicate this space to more specific topics. Ideally this forum should resemble a dialogue, with me tossing out some ideas & questions and you adding your feedback (thanks to those of you who contributed last year). A few of the issues we might focus on are the great MySpace dilemma, the value of the blogosphere, worthy open-source applications, internet security concerns, and (of course) possible improvements to the York website(s). If you have other topics, jump in (just do sign your name! It only takes a second or 2).