Technology
Many important advances in using information technologies were made in the early to mid- 1990s, including these:
- The TeleNet audio-conferencing system was upgraded from a stationary, fixed-line analog system to a more flexible, digital "meet-me" bridge capable of handling up to 96 incoming lines and multiple simultaneous conferences.
- Significant one-time investments were made in computer equipment for both field-based and campus-based staff. At the end of the cost-share program in 1993, all unit and center offices had been equipped with what was then state-of-the art computer equipment, including a computer on each staff member's desk, a laser printer, modem, and appropriate networking capabilities.
- In the early 1990s, the "IDEA" system (Illinois' Dialup Extension Access) was expanded and refined. Campus- and field-based staff expanded their use of IDEA for many forms of internal communication: e-mail, program news and calendars, and asynchronous group discussions. IDEA is hosted on a VAX/VMS minicomputer cluster, which provides both a certain level of redundancy and high reliability. Almost all connections from the field are via modem. In the last two years, the support staff managing IDEA have begun to migrate several of the services from the VAX/VMS cluster to other computer platforms, primarily Unix and other servers designed more specifically for service on the World Wide Web.
- In order to staff these increased demands, CES has added approximately eight new positions in the area of technology support on campus since the beginning of the 1990s.
- During the last two years, U of I Extension has put significant amounts of subject matter and administrative resources on the World Wide Web. Major accomplishments include the StratSoy project, the Solutions series, VISTA publications, disaster resources, and the beginnings of a Virtual Extension presence for each local office on the Web.
- Even though significant accomplishments have been achieved, major challenges and shortcomings remain in the area of fully utilizing information technologies. These include the following:
- The computer equipment in U of I Extension field offices is rapidly aging, and no budgetary mechanism has been identified to accomplish needed upgrades. This is not a task which should ever be thought of as one which can be completed; rather, it is an ongoing, perpetual challenge. The mind-set and method for funding information technologies need to change from past approaches which provided for "one-time equipment investments" to one of allocating funds for this purpose as an ongoing budgeted expense.
- Some field offices still do not have full-fledged access to the Internet. For those that do, the present modem-only links are not adequate to meet the needs of the system. Dialup modem connections supply only a fraction of the bandwidth required for high-perform-ance, high-traffic applications such as interacting with campus staff in real-time computer conferencing environments, participating in campus administrative programs, and sending and receiving large graphics-intensive files. Eliminating this bottleneck by providing the field offices with high-bandwidth connections to the Internet must be a high priority if the potential benefit of these technologies to serve U of I Extension is to be realized.
- The need for technical support in information technologies still far exceeds the abilities of present campus-based resources. Additional staff are needed for hardware and software installation, maintenance, and training, with at least one position being housed in each of the five recommended regional offices.