Computing began at Rice University with the first computer project on campus about 1958. In 1960 a computer center was formed. Today's Institute for Computer Services and Applications serves Rice administration, departments, faculty, and students by writing systems, maintaining files, entering data, retrieving information, etc. (MLW)

Although information systems developers are encouraged to adopt a client/server orientation, systems architectures and tools are still evolving. Successful applications must be built on standards and a well-defined system architecture, and data administration issues must be addressed. Key management concerns for colleges and universities are…

Many colleges and universities have found introduction of a student technology fee troublesome. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a carefully designed explanation of what the fee buys has won the endorsement of both student leadership and trustees. The plan articulates costs, distribution of fees, and accounting. (MSE)

In planning for institutionwide access to information, Cornell University's information services focused on providing access to usable, sharable data from the university's legacy systems, keeping the interface as transparent as possible. A development strategy and user modules were designed that could be transferred to a variety of institutional…

It is argued that, with the emergence of new technologies, the traditional missions and "domains" of academic libraries and campus computing services need to be adjusted to support collaboration. Specific collaborative projects linked to strategic plans are recommended over forced mergers or overly ambitious multigoal projects. (MSE)

Planning for a computer use "help desk" at Kenyon College (Ohio) was constrained by very limited resources. However, careful and thorough planning resulted in a low-budget, homegrown, but highly effective facility. Staffing, training, staff communication, and marketing the service were essential elements in its success. (MSE)