MUNCIE, Ind. - In just two weeks as the chief technology officer at Ball State University, H. O’Neal Smitherman has seen both the positive and negative aspects of technology initiatives.

The new vice president for information technology has been impressed with the university’s commitment to infusing technology into every aspect of classroom learning, including computer availability, personal computer usage, e-mail usage and access, Web space usage, networking and Web-related courses.

At the same time, Smitherman sees keeping up with the costs of technological advances and students’ increased information technology needs as the most immediate challenge facing the university in the technology area.

“We are at a point where something must be done to increase funding for technology,” he said. “We need additional funding to maintain current levels and to pay for emerging technologies.” He joins the university in a new fiscal year when state funding is below what was anticipated. Due to state revenue shortfalls, Ball State received only about 2 percent in additional funding for 2001-2002 and requests by the university for new technology initiatives were not funded by the state legislature.

Smitherman, 52, was hired by Ball State from the University of Memphis, where he was instrumental in creating the FedEx Emerging Technologies Complex. The center is one of the nation’s top academic centers producing graduates who are prepared for employment in the rapidly changing world of information technology.

“I was initially intrigued because Ball State has a national reputation for its commitment to using technology in the educational process,” said Smitherman, noting Yahoo! Life Magazine recently ranked Ball State No. 17 in its annual survey of "most wired" colleges and universities.

“Yet, we must be realistic about the rising cost of maintaining a quality that is necessary to educate our students,” he said. “We anticipate the costs of maintaining a leadership position in information technology will continue to grow. I don’t see it slowing down in the foreseeable future.”

Smitherman said the dramatic benefits coming from investment in technology are clearly evidenced by the country's longest sustained growth in productivity in history.

“In higher education, that improved productivity results in the need for graduates who will be better prepared to lead our country and meet the next changes we must face in the future,” he said.

Ball State is having success at attracting the best high school students to campus, who are technology savvy, as well as producing graduates with strong computer skills, Smitherman said.

“Our graduates must acquire the knowledge, skills and disposition necessary to effectively use technology in the workforce,” he said.

Smitherman said he has reviewed several alternatives to increase funding, including new student fees and seeking federal funding or gifts from the private sector.

Earlier this year, Ball State approved a residence hall technology fee of $50 per semester to be assessed to each student living on campus in 2001-2002. This fee funds the costs required to support Internet technology access in living quarters and computer labs in each residence hall.

“The residence hall technology fee will make a substantial dent in the budgeting problem,” Smitherman said. “However, there may be a need to extend a technology support fee to include all students. Most colleges and universities in the state and nation already have instituted similar campus-wide technology fees.”

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Smitherman at osmitherman@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1045 or 285-1034. )