Immediate Issues & Actions 


























The Vision above is intended to be a strategic vision for Information 
Technology in support of the mission of the USM, and it has been endorsed 
at many levels as such within the USM.  However, the timeframe to 
effectively realize the majority of the services intended to achieve 
that vision is at least 5 years.  This is appropriate for a Strategic 
Plan.  However, the Context section above points out real and 
immediate issues.  Resolution cannot await long-term solutions.  As the 
charts in the Context section show, some institutions are doing 
reasonably well overall, but some are well below the minimum in creating 
an acceptable IT enabled learning environment for their students.  This 
is not acceptable, and the Board of Regents insists that, where 
immediate solutions are possible, the USM institutions develop plans 
for instituting them.



At least one of these immediate critical issues has an identifiable 
resolution.  As indicated above, some institutions in the USM have 
fewer than 25% of students owning a computer, and additionally at these 
institutions there are not enough publicly accessible institutional 
computers to compensate.
This is an aspect of the widely 
recognized 
Digital Divide
.
Thus, no matter what variety of 
online services are offered or what the degree of integration of 
technology into the curriculum occurs, these students will not have 
the means to access what is provided.
The overarching goal of having 
all students achieve technological fluency is undermined by 
this single deficiency.
The USM is committed to finding a solution to this component of the
 Digital Divide 
as soon as possible.
Without that, little else matters, and if this issue is adequately 
resolved, it can force solutions to other issues related to how 
computers are effectively used on a campus.



The goal is to assure the opportunity for computer ownership to all 
USM students.  The USM is close to having a program in place that will 
assure significant discounts on computer purchases for all USM students, 
faculty, and staff from identified vendors.  Since it is recognized that 
for many students coming up at one time with the $1000 or so necessary to 
buy a computer may be an unbridgeable obstacle, the USM will put in place 
a finance/lease program.  The finance option should allow a student to buy 
a computer at an affordable monthly price.  The program should also offer 
the ability to refresh the computer at some point during an undergraduate 
career by continuing the same monthly payment.


Additionally, and especially for the
Digital Divide

institutions with clearly inadequate current student computer access 
(e.g., fewer than 50% or students owning a personal computer and less 
than 1 institutional computer per 10 students), a request will be made 
for funding to subsidize the purchase of computers  for eligible students.
  Eligibility will be based on means test criteria related to financial 
  aid





Summary of the Proposed Model


The key elements of the proposed model to assure student access to 
computers include:


    

  • Students will have a direct relationship with vendors
    • 

  • Each student purchases and finances the computer
    • 

  • Students qualifying on a means test basis will have appropriate 
institutional financial aid
    • 

  • Students will have an attractive option to renew in 3 or 4 years
    • 

  • Digital Divide institutions will receive appropriations 
to increase institutional financial aid for this purpose.




What is in place:



    


      

    • The Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium (MEEC)
has a program with defined discounts for computer purchases.  This is a 
competitive bid program on behalf of the more than 150 educational 
entities in Maryland, including all USM institutions.  This program is 
focused on institutional purchases, but has as a "desirable 
component" computer purchases by individual members of the MEEC 
community.
    



      

    • The Historically Black Institutions in the USM have access to a 
national agreement for discounts on computer purchases, both 
institutional and personal through 
NAFEO
.
    



    What needs to be done:
    


      

    • Concurrent with the MEEC hardware 
program, arrangements need to be made for finance/lease options 
for students who need such an alternative to outright purchase.  

    


      

    • Funding for the additional institutional financial aid burden 
attendant to subsidizing computer ownership for the most needy students at
Digital Divide
institutions must be established.
      • 

    


    • 
Develop options related to issues 
attendant to large scale computer ownership, such as:
    

    • Contractual
        • 

      • Insurance
        • 

      • Maintenance
        • 

      • Training
        • 

      • Support
      

    


      

    • Operational
    

      

    • Financial Aid implications
      • 

    • Roll-out timing and procedures
      • 

    • Internal Support
      • 

    


      

    • Policies
    


      

    • Eligibility for Subsidy
      • 

    • Student Deductible Payment in Case of Loss/Theft/Damage 
      • 

    • Student Option to Buy (at end of a lease)
    



      

    • Faculty engagement to academically justify the investment (Ongoing)

    


      

    • Engage and communicate with students

    



      

    • Potential
      • 

    • Entering students
      • 

    • Continuing students
      • 

    

    


    

    [ Introduction | 
    Institutions
    | Minimum IT Standard | 
    Strategic Challenges
    | Executive Summary] 
    
    [ Environmental/Competitive Context | 
    Interface with the State | 
    Partnerships | 
    USM IT Initiatives] 
    
Last Updated on October 01, 2001


    
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