Describes the process by which Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York), beginning in the 1980s, became a leader in computer applications in college instruction. Focus is on the leadership provided by the administration and the process of reengineering institutional operations in many instructional and administrative areas. Outlines three…

The introduction of microcomputers into schools appears not to have inevitable effects, though some options for action may appear more or less favorable than before. The potential consequences of introducing microcomputers will be affected by the relative influences of key personnel and the individual school's decision-making style. (PGD)