Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

The University System of Maryland is an organization committed to the autonomy of its individual institutions, but which at the same time recognizes the immense value of collaborative efforts, particularly as related to the dynamic challenges posed by information technology (IT). This plan articulates individual and collective plans for addressing IT needs throughout the system, with the recognition that this document will need to evolve to keep pace with continued rapid technological change.

Clearly, technology has already integrated itself into nearly every facet of our lives. It affects everything from how we handle our bank accounts and pay our bills, to how we follow the news and current events, and even to how we buy movie tickets for the local cineplex. In order to operate in this world, individuals must be able to understand and function in a technology complex environment.

Recognizing this, the USM Board of Regents has taken steps to ensure that all USM graduates are technologically fluent. In addition to passing a Minimum IT Standard for all institutions, the Board now requires institutions to develop IT plans "to assure all graduates of USM institutions are information-technology fluent, commensurate with the needs of the marketplace in their chosen majors and/or career choices."

As a particular and immediate priority to achieve both of these objectives, the USM will put into effect programs to guarantee that students at institutions that haven't been able to assure access to electronic services will be able to do so.

The USM Strategic Plan also recognizes the primacy of information technology in serving the needs of Maryland citizens and in ensuring the State's economic competitiveness. A technologically skilled, well-educated workforce is crucial to Maryland's continued economic vitality. Indeed, as the economy becomes increasingly dependent upon intellectual capital, businesses will migrate to those regions that have the richest pool of human resources. The USM's ability to produce a highly skilled workforce will determine Maryland's success in attracting those businesses. As the USM Strategic Plan states: "To put it bluntly, whether Maryland's future will be bright or dismal depends almost entirely on the quality, capacity, and performance of Maryland's entire education system, from kindergarten to graduate school. The USM's role and responsibility in this endeavor cannot be overstated."

The State of Maryland is dedicated to using technology in creative ways to strengthen our economy, increase educational access, and enable citizens greater, round-the-clock access to government services. In fact, the State has adopted the designation of "eMaryland, The Digital State," signifying Maryland's commitment to making technology a ubiquitous tool for improving the lives of all Marylanders. The USM has an obligation to support eMaryland's growth, and to that end proposes to develop "e-learningMaryland, The Networked University System" -- a community of 13 institutions that are fully immersed in technology.

Within an "immersed" technology environment, IT will affect nearly every aspect of institutional life. It will enrich teaching, learning, and research, and will fundamentally affect each institution's daily operations. It will impact how knowledge is created and disseminated. It will ensure that learners, particularly returning adults, are reached as easily through cyberspace as real space. We must be prepared to meet the lifelong educational needs of Maryland's workforce and of area employers -- activities that will require state-of-the-art IT capabilities in order to be effective.

Furthermore, immersing students in technology through e-learning Maryland will ensure a State citizenry that is prepared to deal with the tremendous technological changes that are sure to continue over the coming decades. Graduates will assume roles in Maryland's business leadership and will help to fuel the State's economic growth. The Baltimore-Washington corridor is one of the nation's leading bio-technology centers. Industry leaders have chosen to locate here because of this area's fertile academic landscape, its rich intellectual and technical capital, and its great potential for industrial-academic partnerships. These companies need our IT graduates to support their research and infrastructure. In short, our investment in our students is our investment in their success, and in the State's continued economic growth.

Applied research is, of course, a major driver in economic development nationwide. Universities have helped to create high-tech centers around the country, including Boston's Kendall Square, Raleigh-Durham's Research Triangle Park, and northern California's Silicon Valley. The technology centers that have been the most successful are those that have benefited from the presence of strong local academic institutions that support basic research and generate spin-off companies that commercialize research findings. Maryland is fortunate in having a rich collection of public and private institutions of higher education, as well as an unusual concentration of national laboratories and facilities. As a public corporation, the USM has a responsibility to create, disseminate, and transfer new knowledge. In addition to generating spin-off companies, USM research is, by itself, a half-billion dollar a year activity that generates substantial State income and creates many new jobs.

Information Technology is also essential to creating an environment within the USM that permits a clear focus on research itself. At minimum, this requires high-speed network access, but additional tools for communication (e.g., e-mail), collaboration (e.g., conferencing capabilities and shared electronic work environments), and publication (e.g., WWW servers) should be available. Applying for and managing grants also requires specialized systems that institutions need to provide for campus researchers.

The USM must ensure that all graduates are fluent in key technology tools and are prepared to transfer their skills from the classroom to the workplace. And, the USM must prepare graduates with high-level technical skills who will develop the next generation of technology tools. A critical component to achieving this objective is providing responsive technological support for students and faculty. The USM institutions use a continuing strategy, among others, of employing highly skilled students for technical support, particularly in the residence halls, which benefits these students and their peers. Obviously, technologically fluent students require a technologically fluent faculty. USM faculty will need to learn how to take advantage of technological capabilities in order to enhance instruction -- a key component of e-learningMaryland. As always, collaborative solutions to faculty training will be explored in addition to campus-specific approaches.

Thus, this IT plan lays out the infrastructure, training and support, policies, collaborations, and external partnerships that the USM will need to meet the teaching, learning, and research missions of its institutions as well as the economic development needs of Maryland.

[ Executive Summary | Institutions | Minimum IT Standard | Strategic Challenges | Issues and Actions]
[ Environmental/Competitive Context | Interface with the State | Partnerships | USM IT Initiatives]