College campuses are hothouses of data, including course schedules, degree requirements, and grades. But much of the information remains spread out across software systems or locked on university servers. Start-up companies want to pry the information loose from campus servers in order to offer personalized services that could transform the…

More faculty and administrators are seeking access to student files and class rosters and are gaining it through the proliferation of computer terminals on campus, raising the level of responsibility of registrars far above the actual level of control. An institutional approach to records security is recommended. (MSE)

An electronic information service established by the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries provides access by computer to 12,000 scholarly journals and periodicals. Facsimile copies are available for a fee, including copyright fee when required. The service is particularly helpful as reduced library budgets require that subscriptions be cut.…

The digitization of over a million journal pages dating back to 1886, and access via the World Wide Web, intended originally to free shelf space, is seen by some scholars as changing the nature of scholarship. It will also significantly improve access from smaller institutions with limited collections. (MSE)

Hand-held computers can give medical students instant access to research findings and patient data. The machines, relatively inexpensive in comparison with laptops, have drawbacks, including small screens and tiny keyboards. Many find the machines very useful; others do not see enough benefit to learn the needed skills. Some professors and…

A recent study rated colleges and universities on computer connectedness, using such criteria as faculty use of the Internet for academic purposes (online homework, course home pages, online academic materials); required courses in Internet use; computers, wires, and network connections for students and faculty; non-academic Internet services…