bluphiiijsu
Creative Director
October 5, 2001
Partnerships, money will close digital divide
That's message of technology conference at JSU
By Andy Kanengiser
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Historically black universities need more federal money and must form partnerships to keep pace with changing technology and close the "digital divide'' with other institutions.
Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr., Alcorn State University President Clinton Bristow and other speakers drove home those points at a conference about the so-called digital divide Thursday.
"In order for us to keep up, there must be special collaborations between the state and federal governments," foundations and others, Bristow told the conference at Jackson State's new e-center in the former Allstate building in south Jackson.
But bringing the latest computer technology to campus won't be cheap, said participants at the conference, which concludes today.
"Costs are constantly escalating. It is the reality of the day,'' Bristow said.
Mason said historically black universities must do their part to bring new technology to poor people and others who are being left behind.
"The issue of the digital divide is one more symptom of larger issues at historically black universities," Mason said.
The conference at JSU is sponsored by the AOL Time Warner Foundation Digital Divide Bridge Program through a grant to Tennessee State University in Nashville. About 150 educators, students and staff from 20 institutions attended.
Southern University students said the speakers touched on a number of concerns on their historically black Baton Rouge campus.
"They need to make more computers (available) in the dorms," said junior Lisa Brown, a 20-year-old architecture major from New Orleans.
"The faculty and staff need to learn more about" computer technology, said Southern University junior Michele Jackson, 20, of Baton Rouge.
That way "they can help more students," said Jackson, an accounting major.
JSU senior Jeremy Durr, 22, of Franklinton, La., said JSU has made "a whole lot of improvements" in technology.
"But there is still room to make more improvements," said Durr, an education technology major.
At 7,000-student Jackson State, "we are working on getting computers in the hands of every university student," Mason said.
Jackson State recently teamed with Alabama A&M, Southern University and Prairie View A&M in Texas in seeking federal dollars to enhance campus technology and research capabilities.
While the focus is on historically black schools, officials said students at the nation's Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges also have big technology needs.
Partnerships, money will close digital divide
That's message of technology conference at JSU
By Andy Kanengiser
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Historically black universities need more federal money and must form partnerships to keep pace with changing technology and close the "digital divide'' with other institutions.
Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr., Alcorn State University President Clinton Bristow and other speakers drove home those points at a conference about the so-called digital divide Thursday.
"In order for us to keep up, there must be special collaborations between the state and federal governments," foundations and others, Bristow told the conference at Jackson State's new e-center in the former Allstate building in south Jackson.
But bringing the latest computer technology to campus won't be cheap, said participants at the conference, which concludes today.
"Costs are constantly escalating. It is the reality of the day,'' Bristow said.
Mason said historically black universities must do their part to bring new technology to poor people and others who are being left behind.
"The issue of the digital divide is one more symptom of larger issues at historically black universities," Mason said.
The conference at JSU is sponsored by the AOL Time Warner Foundation Digital Divide Bridge Program through a grant to Tennessee State University in Nashville. About 150 educators, students and staff from 20 institutions attended.
Southern University students said the speakers touched on a number of concerns on their historically black Baton Rouge campus.
"They need to make more computers (available) in the dorms," said junior Lisa Brown, a 20-year-old architecture major from New Orleans.
"The faculty and staff need to learn more about" computer technology, said Southern University junior Michele Jackson, 20, of Baton Rouge.
That way "they can help more students," said Jackson, an accounting major.
JSU senior Jeremy Durr, 22, of Franklinton, La., said JSU has made "a whole lot of improvements" in technology.
"But there is still room to make more improvements," said Durr, an education technology major.
At 7,000-student Jackson State, "we are working on getting computers in the hands of every university student," Mason said.
Jackson State recently teamed with Alabama A&M, Southern University and Prairie View A&M in Texas in seeking federal dollars to enhance campus technology and research capabilities.
While the focus is on historically black schools, officials said students at the nation's Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges also have big technology needs.