Higher Education in the Digital Age: Technology Issues and Strategies for American Colleges and Universities

Academic management and administrative processes rely heavily on technology in business offices, virtual laboratories, digital libraries, and the like. Technology also has an impact upon teaching, freeing classrooms from constraints of time and space. Yet many university leaders are hesitant to set technology as a priority. This book is designed to address the subject from a perspective appropriate to leaders.
An important concept covered here is that the new advances in information technology drive a significant restructuring of our social institutions, which will provide access to knowledge and education that was formerly restricted to the privileged. The generation raised with this technology demands new approaches to teaching and learning-this poses a unique challenge to traditional faculty members.
The authors of this book believe "It is our collective challenge as scholars, educators, and academic leaders to develop a strategic framework capable of understanding and shaping the impact that this extraordinary technology will have on our institutions." They believe that academic institutions will change in form and character, and that such changes will affect the mission, function, and possibly even the concept of the university. The role of leadership is to both see over the horizon and adapt leadership styles to an environment of constant change. Leadership must formulate a clear and consistent institutional vision.

JAMES J. DUDERSTADT is President Emeritus and University Professor of Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is author of numerous articles and books, including A University for the Twenty-first Century, and Intercollegiate Athletics and the American University. Dr. Duderstadt has received numerous awards for his research, teaching and service activities, and has served on and/or chaired numerous public and private boards.
DANIEL E. ATKINS is Professor of Computer Science and Information at the University of Michigan. He does research, teaching, and consulting in the area of distributed knowledge environments. Dr. Atkins has served as Dean of Engineering and founding Dean of the School of Information at the University of Michigan and is now Director of the Alliance for Community Technology.
DOUGLAS VAN HOUWELING is President and CEO of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID), the organization supporting Internet2. Previously, he provided information technology leadership at Cornell, Carnegie-Mellon, and the University of Michigan. As Board chair at Merit, he played a major role in NSFNET, the immediate precursor to the Internet. Van Houweling is also a Professor in the University of Michigan School of Information and serves on a number of boards and advisory panels.