NSF PR 99-67 - October 28, 1999
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NSF Awards $6 Million to Help Minority Schools Prepare
for Advanced Computer Networks
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today
it has awarded almost $6 million over four years to
help institutions of higher learning that traditionally
serve minority communities prepare for the next generation
of information technology and computer networks. The
grant will be administered by EDUCAUSE, a non-profit
association whose mission is to transform education
through information technologies.
"I am delighted that the National Science Foundation
is reaching out to minority-serving institutions in
support of the Administration's Next Generation Internet
initiative," said Vice President Al Gore. "The Next
Generation Internet will revolutionize research and
education, and it is critical that minority-serving
institutions be at the cutting edge of information
technology. This is particularly important because
minorities are under-represented in the information
technology industry -- an industry with wages that
are 80 percent above the private sector average."
Under the new program, traditionally African-American,
Hispanic, and Tribal colleges and universities will
develop the infrastructure and skills needed to take
advantage of advanced Internet capabilities, including
the Next Generation Internet. A significant barrier
for many institutions has been the development of
institutional technical and financial strategies and
training of technical support staff. Activities under
this award will engage individuals at all levels of
the institutions in attacking those problems.
"The country vitally needs the talents of the groups
underrepresented in the computing field," said NSF
Director Rita Colwell. "What does it say about the
future, when the transformation in communications
and computing -- the very cutting-edge of science
-- has not yet swept major sectors of our population
into the excitement? Clearly we need to change that,
and this award will help make it happen."
The program will allow educators and students to integrate
access to research results, databases, supercomputer
centers and scientific virtual reality tools into
their instruction. Research faculty, through better
awareness of and access to computer networks, may
be able to increase their competitiveness for research
grants and enhance their teaching strategies. Technical
staffs will be better prepared to support and maintain
the technology on a long-term basis. Also, the institutions'
administrators will be better prepared for planning
future information technology needs.
Regional and on-campus workshops and training programs,
prototype or experimental network connections, and
establishment of regional network support centers
are among the tools that will be used to achieve the
program's objectives. Faculty and students will have
the opportunity to use the most advanced computing
resources being developed and prototyped under NSF's
Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure
(PACI) program. Training, workshops, and advanced
technical and applications consulting will be handled
through a partnership between EDUCAUSE and the education,
outreach and training component of PACI.
Brian L. Hawkins, president of EDUCAUSE, noted that
his organization worked closely with minority-serving
institutions to determine what kind of support was
needed to ready them for use of future information
technology.
"EDUCAUSE has been centrally involved in the networking
of higher education from the beginning," he said.
"We are delighted to be able to work with NSF and
the minority-serving institutions in this critical
effort to extend the benefits of advanced networking
and computing throughout the community."
Attachment: Statements
From Participating Institutions
Editors: Please contact Amber Jones, 703-306-1070
for a copy of Rita Colwell's remarks at the EDUCAUSE
Annual Meeting on October 28, 1999.
Attachment
Statements From Participating Institutions
"The American Indian Higher Education Consortium is
interested in attaining sufficient networking capability
to enable all its tribal colleges to provide and receive
distance learning courses and to participate in scientific
research projects. This award will help strengthen
Native American educational, scientific and economic
development programs."
Tom Davis, President of Lac Courte Oreilles
Ojibwa Community College, and spokesperson for
the American Indian Higher Education Consortium
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"This is an excellent opportunity for the Hispanic
Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), EDUCAUSE,
and Education, Outreach and Training -- Partnerships
for Advanced Computational Infrastructure to work
together to enhance HACU campus networks and wide
area connectivity, as well as the research and educational
use of the connections. We're very pleased to participate."
Dr. Antonio Flores, President of the Hispanic
Association of Colleges and Universities
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"The National Association for Equal Opportunity in
Higher Education's 118 member campuses view this award
as a strong assist in promoting even more effectively
our goal of 'keeping the doors of opportunity open'
for our students and faculty."
Dr. Henry Ponder, CEO and President of the National
Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
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