Computer network provides easy access to informational, educational services Harding's decision to implement a computer network has resulted in high expectations and unexpected challenges. John Nunnally, director of information services, described what students can expect from the campus network in the near future. "Initially, students will be able to use the network for laboratory activities and other activities performed in close association with faculty members. Also, students will be able to conduct library research and [run errands] around campus, such as checking their own grades, preregistering for classes, and keeping tabs on their own phone bills. Keep in mind that students will be able to do all this and more without leaving their dorms," he said. Nunnally also revealed some ways in which faculty members could use the network. "Instructors will be able to design and distribute a host of assignments to their students via the network. Also, instructors will be able to exchange the latest information in their fie lds wi th their colleagues from other universities, thereby furthering their own expertise." So what can the faculty and students expect beyond the immediate future? Nunnally explained, "It would be difficult for me to say exactly how the students and faculty may use the network as time goes on. With this technology, location less and less determines what a person can and cannot do. Suppose a student wants to study paintings in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Instead of traveling to Paris, a student should be able to study the paintings in his or her dorm room via the network. This technology has wonderful impli - cations for education, ministry and many other fields. Theoretically, the sky is the limit." In reality, however, several issues temporarily limited the progress of this Harding project almost from the onset. Installation of the fiber optic cable used to build the network infrastructure (phase one of this project) began at the beginning of the Spring 1995 semester. Harding employees from the physical plant and from Nunnally's staff continued the installation for approximately two months until the project was put on hold so they could complete other projects which took precedence over this one. They resumed installation the following semester. Other issues which this project bred included the choosing of all Jerome Barnes, Director, Special Projects James F. Carr, Assistant to the President Doris Coward, Director, Al umni Relations David Crouch, Director, Public Relations Ron Finley, Registrar David Hurd, Director, Video Services Randy Lambeth, Academy Superintendent Frankie Mitchell, Director, Human Resources John Nunnally, Director, Computer Information Byron Rowan, Assistant Vice President for Finance Ervin Sandlin, Director, Purchasing Zearl Watson, Director, Student Financial Services Mike Williams , Director, Admissions David Woodroof, Director, Media Services the software, the solving of security problems that developed as a result of connecting Harding to the rest of the world, and the assigning of network addresses to all interested faculty and students. With so many challenges, one may wonder why Harding continued to build the campus network. According to Nunnally, Harding believed the benefits of the network outweighed the challenges. "Ten years ago, therewas talk about eventually needing a campus network. Now, networks are nearly as important as cable TV, and they may become as important as telephones before too long. We couldn't afford to let this technology pass us by, " Nunnally said. Harding may be on the cutting edge, as a member of Nunnally's staff learned from a seminar in California last fall that residential networking (schools putting computer connections in campus housing) is a fairly recent phenomenon. Few schools have implemented such a program. Although the network infrastructure has been completed, Nunnally made no guarantee regarding when students would actually be able to utilize the residential network. - Michael Carter Administrative Directors 56 ~.~~~d -----,.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---t Aca em1cs
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