REDMOND, Wash. Nov. 4, 1996 As a faculty member, you want to keep your computer lab current with real-world learning tools. Technology changes so quickly, you can’t wait for a textbook on the time-sensitive subject you need to teach today. You want to collaborate with other leading faculty on innovative instructional models that will advance your field. Where do you go to find the latest resources you need and to explore all of the possibilities?
With a visit to the new online Microsoft®
Academic Cooperative, college and university faculty will find a treasure trove of easy-to-access instructional resources, including grant programs, up-to-date course materials, faculty software evaluations, low-cost hardware opportunities – and a dynamic academic community eager to share ideas and resources. The Web site at (http://msdeved.isu.edu/ms/) is specially designed to reward innovation and to encourage collaboration among computer science, engineering, information systems, math, science and business faculty across the U.S.
At the Academic Cooperative site, faculty also can apply for the Microsoft Instructional Grant Program, which in 1996 awarded more than $13 million in software licenses to academic programs at 169 colleges and universities, including Ohio State University; California State Polytechnic University; Loyola University, Chicago; and Louisiana State University. (See the Academic Cooperative Web site for a complete list of schools.) Applications for the 1997 Lab Grant Program are due Dec. 1, 1996.
“The educators who are training the scientists and engineers of tomorrow are the catalysts for future technological innovations,”
said Susanne Peterson, academic program manager for Microsoft.
“Through the Academic Cooperative, we are providing a forum for faculty to work together to create academic environments that spark new thinking and providing grants to give students access to the tools they need for real-world learning experiences.”
Instructional Lab Grants Reward Innovation
“The Milwaukee School of Engineering prides itself on uniting theory with industry practice, but because technology changes so fast, it would be tough to keep our labs current without some direct support from the industry,”
said professor Mark Sebern whose computer engineering program was awarded a 1996 grant.
“With Windows® NT® and Visual C++® in our lab, students can get the experience of building working applications with current technology that they would encounter in the workplace.”
Since being established in 1995, the program has provided more than $20 million in free licenses for Microsoft development tools, applications software and operating systems to 345 colleges and universities for innovative and effective integration of new technologies into curricula. In return, faculty provide curriculum resources and materials to share with other faculty through the Academic Cooperative. This year’s grants will include licenses for the FrontPage Web authoring and management tool; Windows® 95 operating system; Windows NT Workstation; Internet Studio; Office Developer Edition; and professional editions of Visual Basic®
, Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, and Visual J++ development tools.
Curriculum Program Connects Faculty to Up-to-Date Course Materials
“One of the greatest challenges to integrating the latest technologies into instruction is the availability of up-to-date, creative course materials,” said Robert Kessler, associate professor, University of Utah, whose software engineering students build and control LEGO® and Fischertechnik®
“Traditional curriculum resources often can’t respond quickly enough to the changing needs in a technology-based classroom. Instructors have to be able to support each other and easily share their teaching methods and materials.”
In addition to Professor Kessler’s innovative toy lab curriculum, the Microsoft Curriculum Program at the Academic Cooperative site offers materials from more than 300 universities and colleges nationwide covering more than 800 courses. Faculty can learn how Wayne State University,Detroit, Mich . , is integrating computer skills into mathematics and statistics courses to give students an edge with Detroit automakers or investigate the engineering program at Baylor University, Waco, Texas, where students design integrated computer systems from concept through manufacturing and packaging. Syllabi, bibliographies, lecture notes, assignments, reading lists, textbooks and presentations in 32 areas of study are cataloged for easy access.
In addition, faculty can network with hundreds of other professors who are using the latest technologies in their disciplines. Key publishers such as Addison-Wesley, Dryden Press and Prentice Hall also have provided the Curriculum Program with information about their most current textbooks and their 1997 publishing schedules.
Faculty Software Evaluations and Hardware Savings Offer Even More Value
To preview and evaluate Microsoft Internet and Windows-based development tools, faculty can enroll in the Faculty Evaluation Program at the Academic Cooperative at no cost. By providing a brief description of the course in which they will use the software, faculty can receive free copies of Microsoft Visual C++, Visual Basic, Visual J++, Windows 95 or Windows NT. The Academic Cooperative Web site includes complete information on special academic pricing for Microsoft software.
Faculty and students also get information about purchasing powerful hardware at substantial savings, choosing among a variety of Pentium systems preconfigured with Microsoft software through Zenith Data Systems’ Campus Z-Station Program. Each Campus Z-Station comes with a special offer on
“The Programmer’s Dream Pack,”
a set of popular development tools for building state-of-the-art Web sites and Windows-based and Internet applications using new ActiveX technologies. At $229 (Academic Estimated Retail Price), the Dream Pack provides substantial discount from the estimated retail price of the individual products of $1150, plus the pack includes an Interactive Career Guide with resources, job listings and career tips for today’s top programmers.
Microsoft Supports Tomorrow’s Developers Through ACM Competitions
From the Academic Cooperative site, faculty also can link to the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest sponsored by Microsoft by visiting (http://msdeved.isu.edu/ms/ResourceCenter.html) . As part of its continuing commitment to supporting higher education, Microsoft will award $31,500 in educational scholarships, $60,000 in software and $12 million in software licenses to participating schools Every student and faculty participating in the 1997 ACM contest will receive a copy of Microsoft Visual J++, Professional Edition.
Through the fall, teams from more than a thousand schools worldwide will compete in regional contests leading to the finals in March 1997 in San Jose, Calif. Now in its 21 st year, the contest challenges teams of outstanding computer science students to create computer programs to solve as many real-life puzzles as possible in the least amount of time, and in the fewest number of attempts. Programming puzzlers have included everything from calculating the most profitable routes for an upstart bicycle messenger service to perfecting the accuracy of an optical character recognition scanner.
To explore all the resources available at the Microsoft Academic Cooperative visit (http://msdeved.isu.edu/ms/) .
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT , Visual C++, FrontPage , Visual Basic , Visual FoxPro , ActiveX and Visual J++ are either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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To receive Microsoft press releases by fax, please call 1-800-859-5915 within the U.S. or 201-333-0314 internationally.
The following schools received 1996 Microsoft Instructional Lab Grants:
Ambassador University, Big Sandy, Texas
Ball State University, Sciences and Humanities, Muncie, Ind.
Baylor University, Hankamer School of Business, Waco, Texas
Boise State University, College of Health Science, Boise, Idaho
Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York
Brevard Community College, Open Campus, Cocoa, Fla.
Briar Cliff College, Sioux City, Iowa
Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Va.
Brunswick College, Business and Industry Division, Brunswick, Ga.
Bryant College, Smithfield, R.I.
Butler County Community College, Business & Industrial Technology, El Dorado, Kan.
Butler University, College of Business Administration, Indianapolis
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, College of Business, Pomona
California State University San Bernardino, School of
Business and Public Administration
Cedarville College, Cedarville, Ohio
Central Washington University, Education and Professional Studies, Ellensburg
Christian Brothers University, Engineering, Memphis, Tenn.
Citrus Community College, Glendora, Calif.
City University, College of Business, Arts and Humanities, Renton, Wash.
City University of New York, College of Staten Island
City University of New York, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, N.Y
Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, Calif.
Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa
Clarkson University, College of Engineering, Potsdam, N.Y.
Clemson University, College of Engineering and Science, Clemson, S.C.
College of Lake County, Community College, Grayslake, Ill.
College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo.
Colorado Christian University, Lakewood
Cornell University, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Ithaca, N.Y.
Corning Community College, Corning, N.Y.
Crafton Hills College, Yucaipa, Calif.
Daniel Webster College, Nashua, N.H.
East Carolina University, School of Business, Greenville, N.C.
Eastern Kentucky University, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Richmond
Eastern Oregon State College, School of Arts and Sciences, La Grande
Eastern Washington University, College of Science Math & Technology, Cheney
Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott Campus, Prescott, Ariz.
Erie Community College, Williamsville, N.Y.
Georgia Southern University, College of Science and Technology, Statesboro
Georgia State University, College of Business Administration, Atlanta
GMI Engineering & Management Institute, Flint, Mich.
Gonzaga University, Spokane, Wash.
Harold Washington College, Chicago
Henderson State University, Ellis College of Arts and Sciences, Arkadelphia, Ark.
Howard University, School of Business, Washington, D.C.
Idaho State University, School of Applied Technology, Pocatello
Indiana State University, School of Business, Terre Haute
Indiana University, School of Business, Bloomington
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Indiana, Pa.
Indiana University Purdue University, School of Business and Management Sciences, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Iona College, Hagan School of Business, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Isothermal Community College, Isothermal Community College, Spindale, N.C.
Jacksonville State University, College of Letters and Sciences, Jacksonville, Ala.
Jefferson Community College, Southwest Campus, Louisville, Ky.
John Brown University, Siloam Springs, Ark.
Kansas State University, College of Business Administration, Manhattan
La Salle University, School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia
Lawrence Technological University, College of Arts and Sciences, Southfield, Mich.
Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, N.C.
Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa
Louisiana State University, College of Basic Sciences, Baton Rouge
Louisiana State University at Eunice
Loyola University, Chicago
McNeese State University, College of Engineering and Technology, Lake Charles, La.
Miami University, Richard T. Farmer School of Business Administration, Oxford, Ohio
Midland Lutheran College, Fremont, Neb.
Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas
Milligan College, Milligan College, Tenn.
Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee
Mitchell College, New London, Conn.
Monroe County Community College, Monroe, Mich.
Montana State University, College of Engineering, Bozeman
Montana State University-Northern, Havre
Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.
Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Mount Senario College, Ladysmith, Wisc.
Murray State University, College of Business and Public Affairs, Murray, Ky.
Naugatuck Valley Community-Technical College, Waterbury, Conn.
New England Institute of Technology, Warwick, R.I.
New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord
New Mexico Highlands University, School of Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, Las Vegas
Nicholls State University, Business Administration, Thibodaux, La.
North Carolina State University, Engineering, Raleigh
North Harris Montgomery Community College District, North Harris College, Houston, Texas
Northeast Louisiana University, College of Business Administration, Monroe
Northeastern State University, College of Business & Industry, Tahlequah, Okla.
Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa
Ogeechee Technical Institute, Statesboro, Ga.
Ohio State University, Engineering, Columbus
Ohio State University, Food, Agricultural and Environmental Science, Wooster
Oklahoma State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Stillwater
Our Lady of the Lake University, School of Business, San Antonio, Texas
Panola College, Carthage, Texas
Pickens Technical Institute, Economic Development Programs, Jasper, Ga.
Prairie View A & M University, College of Engineering & Architecture, Prairie View, Texas
Red Wing/Winona Technical College, Red Wing, Minn.
Saint Peter’s College, Jersey City, N.J.
Salt Lake Community College, Business And Industry, Salt Lake City, Utah
San Juan College, Farmington, N.M.
Seminole Community College, Sanford, Fla.
Seton Hill College, Greensburg, Pa.
South Central Technical College, Business Division, North Mankato, Minn.
South Plains College – Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas
Southeast Technical Institute, Sioux Falls, S.D.
SouthEastern Illinois College, Harrisburg
Southeastern Oklahoma State University, School of Science and Technology, Durant
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, College of Technical Careers, Carbondale
Southern Polytechnic State University, School of Technology, Marietta, Ga.
Southwest Baptist University, College of Science and Mathematics, Bolivar, Mo.
Stanly Community College, College, Albemarle, N.C.
State University of New York, College of Technology at Alfred
State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Management, Amherst
State University of New York at New Paltz
State University of New York College at Fredonia
State University of West Georgia, School of Arts and Sciences, Carrollton
Stephen F. Austin State University, College of Business, Nacogdoches, Texas
Sycamore High School, School, Cincinnati, Ohio
Temple University, Philadelphia
Tennessee State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Nashville
Tennessee Technological University, Arts and Sciences, Cookeville
Terra Community College, Fremont, Ohio
Texas A & M University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College Station
Tidewater Community College, Norfolk Campus, Norfolk, Va.
Towson State University, Collage of Education, Baltimore, Md.
Union County College, Cranford, N.J.
Union University, Arts & Sciences, Jackson, Tenn.
United States Military Academy, Association of Graduates, West Point, N.Y.
University of Akron, Arts & Sciences, Akron, Ohio
University of Alabama, College of Engineering, Tuscaloosa
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Alaska, College of Liberal Arts, Fairbanks
University of Arizona, Tucson
University of Arkansas, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Fayetteville
University of California at Los Angeles, School of Engineering
University of Charleston, Division of Business, Charleston, W.Va.University of Dayton, School of Engineering, Dayton, Ohio
University of Florida, College of Engineering, Gainesville
University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, Athens
University of Hawaii at Hilo, College of Arts & Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Louisville, Speed Scientific School, Louisville, Ky.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Arts and Sciences, Baltimore
University of Michigan, Dearborn, School of Engineering
University of Mississippi, School of Engineering, University
University of Missouri, Kansas City, Computer Science Telecommunications
University of New Mexico, Anderson School of Management, Albuquerque
University of North Dakota, Lake Region, Devils Lake
University of North Florida, College of Computing Sciences and Engineering, Jacksonville
University of South Dakota, School of Business, Vermillion
University of Southwestern Louisiana, College of Business Administration, Lafayette
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Engineering and Computer Science
University of Texas, Graduate School of Business, Austin
University of Texas, Pan American, College of Science and Engineering, Edinburg
University of the Pacific, School of Engineering, Stockton, Calif.
University of Utah, Marriott Library, Salt Lake City
University of Vermont, College of Engineering and Math, Burlington
University of Virginia, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Charlottesville
University of West Florida, College of Business, Pensacola
University of Wisconsin, Stout, Liberal Studies, Menomonie
Utah State University, College of Business, Logan
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School, Erie
County Technical Inst. Education Partner, Oil City, Pa.
Virginia State University, School of Business, Petersburg
Washburn University of Topeka, College of Arts and Sciences, Topeka, Kan.
Wayne State College, Math/Science Division, Wayne, Neb.
Wayne State University, College of Science, Detroit, Mich.
Webster University, School of Business & Technology, St. Louis, Mo.
West Virginia University, Engineering and Mineral Resources, Morgantown
Western Kentucky University, Ogden College of Science, Technology, and Health, Bowling Green
Western Washington University, College of Arts and Sciences, Bellingham
Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio
Contacts: Joelle McGinnis/[email protected]
Lisa Collins/[email protected]
Marcy Monyek and Associates