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Information Technology and the Life of the University: A Conversation

Few changes in higher education have been as dramatic as the increasing role of information technology. Networked computers have altered everything from library catalogs to course registration, from teaching to research. As the material gathered on the Senate's web page shows, the University of Virginia has been an active participant in these changes.

Such a broad change in university life deserves reflection and discussion. The Faculty Senate is working over the course of this year to help us gain a sense of how our institution is being affected by this new technology.

As a first step, we are asking faculty members to reflect upon the influences of information technology in their professional lives. Your comments will be conveyed through your senator as part of a university-wide conversation in which students and staff will also be invited to participate. In the spring, several speakers from within the university and beyond will discuss important issues raised by the conversation. Not only will such a conversation be intrinsically interesting, but it will also help us envision how we might best respond to the challenges, problems, and opportunities this new technology represents.

Each senator has been asked to start the conversation with the following questions. He or she may send the questions out electronically, distribute them on paper, or schedule a group discussion; the senator may also ask additional questions suited to the particular context in which you work. In any case, we would like you to offer your thoughts on three basic questions:

  1. What do you see as the clearest gains and losses brought thus far by the use of networked computers at UVa?
  2. What do you see as the greatest possibilities, limitations, and dangers these machines pose in the future?
  3. What priority should the university place on information technology?
  4. Please add any additional comments you would like to call to our attention.