CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

1. CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University Mike Richichi Director of Computing and Network Services Drew University CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

2. The Past • Establishing the Program • Institutional Identity • “The Network” • Laptops and notebooks • Evolving the Network CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

3. The Present • Personal Computers as Institutional Computers • Intstructional Technology without Instructional Labs • Ubiquitous Networking • Support perspectives • Economies (and pitfalls) of scale CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

4. The Future • “No Free Computers” • Strategic Perspectives • Sophisticated (?) Students • Reaffirming the Program, With Caveats CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

5. About Drew • Located in Madison, NJ • 2050 FTE Students • College, Graduate School, Theological School • Top tier U.S. News • #12 Most Connected (Forbes/Princeton Review) • Educause Pioneer CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

6. The Beginnings • 1983 • Faculty members suggest the idea of computers for all incoming students • Brought to a vote of the College faculty • 64-2 vote in favor of program, labeled the Computer Initiative (CI) • CI also provided desktop computers to all full-time faculty CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

7. Implementation • Tuition increased to fund cost of computer • Computers purchased outright by University • Not broken out as a line item • Computer was mandatory for all students • Students who leave before 4 years could either return computer or pay balance of cost and take it with them • Students take computer with them when they graduate CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

8. The First CI Computer • Epson QX-10 • 128 KB RAM • Z80 CPU • 2 5.25” floppy drives (400K) • Software • Valdocs • PeachCalc • CP/M • Printers shared one per room CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

9. National attention • Articles in the Chronicle, NY Times, etc. • Question on “Jeopardy!” • First liberal arts university to provide computers (Drexel, Stevens beat us by a year) • Uptick in admissions during a demographic downturn CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

10. Access is not enough • It was assumed just providing computers would bring about their curricular use • Faculty also supported projects to use technology in classes • A few pilot projects started • Computers used primarily for word processing, however • More work would be needed CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

11. 1988—The Knowledge Initiatiative • First CWIS • Campus-wide voice/data telephone system (9600 bps serial data) • Everyone had terminals (PCs with MS-Kermit) and email accounts • Labeled at the time as “the network” • Naming campaign hideously successful CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

12. Connectivity • Connectivity between faculty/staff/students led to widespread use of email as campus communications medium • CWIS also had important services such as a campus directory, instant messaging (BITNet SEND), and, of course, online Boggle. • Some pilot projects with email and newsgroups in classes—faculty required students to send them email • In 1990, 2/3 faculty used email regularly CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

13. Further innovations • 1988—First laptop (Zenith Z-181) • 1992—First notebook (DEC 320p) • 1995—First color screens (DEC HiNote) CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

14. Bringing Faculty Along • Pilot projects for curricular software • Underfunded until early 90s • 1993—First Faculty Development Workshops • 1 week sessions, guest speakers, enabling multimedia • Still occuring today CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

15. Grants drive innovation • Over $500,000 in grants from Culpeper, Arthur Vining Davis, others fund continued faculty development in the mid-late 90s • By late 90s most faculty had been in a workshop • Faculty Lab takes off CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

16. Standards • Standard student computer • Limited models of OS-compatible faculty desktops • No allowance or support for alternate platforms or OSes • Linkage of faculty standards to student standards occasional source of tension CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

17. The Network • 1993-1996: Internet access is text-based, through Lynx on a VAX • Convince faculty and staff that “the network” is not “a network” • Students already getting it at this point • Academic Technology “guerilla networking” CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

18. Network continued • 1996—all faculty and staff given access to a NetWare 4.1 file server, Netscape Navigator 3.0, Windows 3.1 • Windows 95 later • 1997—begin networking students • Network cards included in computers for first time CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

19. Leveraging the Environment • 1998—all student rooms networked, by 2000 all configurations have network cards. • Everyone has personal drive space, departments have shared space • Web publishing is simple matter of saving files to network drives. CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

20. Beginnings of Course Management • 1998: Created shared folders for each course, rights assigned to group • Automatic based on registration data • Email, forums, Web interface • Network drive for course materials still widely used CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

21. Drew, late 1990s • All faculty, staff, students networked • Email is ubiquitous • Information sharing through LAN ubiquitous • Computers indelible part of University culture • Completely integrated and pervasive CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

22. The Present CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

23. This Year’s Model • IBM ThinkPad R51 • 1.7 GHz Centrino • 512 MB RAM • 80GB HDD • 802.11 b/g wireless CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

24. Campus Network • eDirectory and Active Directory trees • Synchronized with Novell Identity Manger • Student laptops all in AD domain • “eXtreme Deployment” • 1 port per pillow • Wireless ~50% of campus CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

25. Online services • LAN-based file and print still main collaborative tool • Web resources (commercial and home grown) all integrated with single sign-on (Novell iChain) • Users have 1 password for everything CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

26. Laptop management • Novell ZENWorks used to distribute academic software, virus updates, some patches • Investigating patch management to take care of the rest CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

27. Laptops as institutional computers • Only 80 public computers for whole campus • Student computers used in class • No labs in residence halls, student center • Student computers serve that purpose • Fewer staff needed (economies of scale) • Space concerns (32.5 sq. ft/lab computer) CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

28. Shared issues • Problems discovered affect hundreds of people • Solutions fix for hundreds of people • Systematic problems cause headaches, also thorough resolutions (2002) CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

29. Cost savings Source: COSTS project data, 2003 CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

30. Why cost effective? • Less lab management • Efficiencies of standardization • Customer responsibility for management • Other reasons for low IT spending CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

31. Trends in Higher Education • 2003: 6% of all BA institutions provide a computer to students, 1.2% require computer • 79% of all students at BA institutions are using their own computers • Computer ownership among incoming Drew students approaching 100% • 1984: 5.1% of households had PCs (US Census) (source: Educause Core Data Service, 2003, http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/pub8001e.pdf) CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

32. The Future CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

33. Presidential Planning Commission • Fall 2002: Reexamine CI and determine goals and effectiveness • Surveys and work CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

34. Goals • “Develop a true computing community” • “Drew standard software package” • “24 hour access” • “Reasonably current machines for both students and faculty” • “Equity for all students and faculty” • “Appropriate teaching spaces” • “Support” • “Create a computing system which allows for facile expansion and future growth” CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

35. Survey on Ubiquitous Models • 90% of College faculty endorsed required, standard computing package • Slightly more than half of those wanted no changes • Slightly less than half endorsed a program allowing students to bring a compatible computer of their own instead. CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

36. President’s Strategic Plan, Spring 2004 • “. . . the University will no longer include the cost of a laptop in its tuition. • “Incoming Drew University students will be able to either purchase a system-compatible laptop from the University or bring their own computer, as long as the computer meets Drew’s specifications. The tuition funds this makes available will be redirected to expanding the University’s academic programs and course offerings.” CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

37. Some possible factors • Handful of parent calls every year, asking to not pay for “another computer” • Any repair or support issue could potentially percolate up to president, and does • Systematic issues with some models • Cabinet only hears complaints, not successes • President talks to other presidents, none of whose schools does what we do CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

38. Rationale (my interpretation) • Our tuition is competitive with peer schools, and we provide computer • Most peer schools do not provide computers • Most students at peer schools purchase computers for college • Therefore, we can not provide a computer and remain cost competitive, and free tuition revenue • Stealth tuition increase? CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

39. Campus reaction • Students: • You’re taking away the CI! Stealth tuition increase! • Faculty: • How will I teach my courses? • Tech Staff: • How will we support random computers with no additional resources? CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

40. Perception vs. reality • Clearly, importance of program to community not realized by upper administration, who only heard negatives • Successes and cost savings not articulated to or accepted by cabinet • Possible PR/communications failure by technology CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

41. Implementing the change • First year especially, allow few exceptions • Adhere to tight standard, and/or limit support • Add ¼ FTE to help support non-standard computers • Create configuration process • Purchase computers, resell them to students • Offer up-front purchase, 4 year financing, or 2 year financing to buy new computer junior year CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

42. Goals for next 1-2 years • Expect program to remain largely intact • RPI purchase program 96% compliance • Use goals from PPC Technology report as guidance • Emphasize advantages of purchasing Drew computer package over going it alone • Price, support, configuration • Analyze effect of making students buy computing resources that other places provide CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

43. Faculty/staff computing • For now, continue centralized purchasing, desktop model • Laptops available as extra cost option • Non-standard (Mac) available to faculty after first computer cycle • Very limited support CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

44. Other schools • New schools still implementing laptop programs (Bryant, 2002) • High schools and junior high schools also • Still not a common technology distribution mechanism • Transition costs and challenges very important CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

45. The World has Caught Up • Computing already ubiquitous for today’s high schoolers • IM, cell phones, P2P • Students demand web-based servces (email, files, collaboration, etc.) • Web standards can reduce need for standard hardware • Must be aware of demands of marketplace • Single computer for both academic and entertainment use problematic CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

46. Future Years • Change of administration • Consider what “ubiquitous computing” means • Pervasiveness of personal devices • Enabling technologies • Standardization of protocols • Can we provide goals of standard computing on nonstandard hardware/software? • Should we make investment in computer labs and be “just like everyone else”? • Admissions advantages/disadvantges to our new program? CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

47. Conclusions (if we can) • Computing program part of Drew’s identity • Changes important both for financial considerations and future of computing • In tight budget times, must still provide high-quality computing experience • Any change costs money • Make it gradually • Start from the goals, and fill in the details CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University

48. Questions? CI@20: The First Two Decades of Ubiquitous Computing at Drew University