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Spelman Surfs the ‘Net
by Linda Simmons
The year 2000 is approaching with incredible speed. If change is coming—and it is—technology is one
of the key resources needed to usher it in. Spelman College is learning to dance to the faster rhythms of the
technology age
these days with the anticipated roll-out of Spelnet. Spel-what? Adrian Evans, Spelman’s Director of Computer
Information Technology (CIT) explains, “Spelnet is the name of Spelman’s soon-to-be-fully-integrated network.
Once implemented, Spelnet will provide full Internet access, including e-mail capabilities, to Spelman College’s
entire campus.”
Mr. Evans and members of the CIT department have their work cut out for them. Developing strategies
for introducing new technology is not easy, and delivering the expected results is even harder. The forecasting,
project management, reporting, quality and integrity information control, training, and hundreds of other tasks
make for a challenging endeavor. Mr. Evans says, “Cooperation from faculty and staff is instrumental in making
Spelnet successful. Support from executive management is extremely important.”
Mr. Evans feels that general response from staff and faculty has been positive. However, Audree Irons,
Administrative Assistant for the Women’s Research and Resource Center, points out, “There are some problems—
and I hope they get straightened out soon-with the current Internet. We have not been able to get on-line to use e-
mail. We have been told by the Spelman administration that within the next year or so we will be on this global
Internet, and we still at this time don’t know exactly what that means.”
The Spelnet project does include the training of faculty and staff to use software designed to make their
jobs easier. Ms. Irons comments, “I wish Spelman would get us some good computers, because these cheapos
don’t have a lot of memory and tend not to store a lot of data.” With the arrival of Spelnet, Ms. Irons’ wishes may
soon be reality.
Mary Hocks, Director of the Comprehensive Writing Program, explains the significance of Spelnet:
“Spelnet links all our computer sites on campus to one another and also links us to the outside world—the World
Wide Web and the Internet. Potentially, Spelman will link the campus to our own Woodruff Library and to other
libraries around the country.”
When can faculty, staff, and students expect to actually see the new system in operation? Mr. Evans
predicts that Phase I of the Spelnet project—which includes networking the administrative and academic buildings-
-will be completed by the end of summer 1996. “Phase II of the project,” he adds, “will include networking the
dormitories and auxiliary buildings sometime in the early fall. Classrooms will be equipped with multi-media
capabilities in the fall as well.”
Spelman’s technological renaissance in the classroom was given a significant boost when Dr. Hocks
secured a $400,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation earlier this year. The grant will fund new multi-media
courses in different disciplines, developed and taught by faculty from various departments. Students can expect a
wide range of computer-based classes, including courses on oral narratives, Spanish composition, and sociology
methods.
Students will gain direct hands-on experience with some of the most exciting new technologies for
communication, writing, and media. The classes will be taught in the networked computer lab on the third floor of
the Cosby Academic Center, a Macintosh site equipped with 21 work stations. Dr. Hocks says, “My goal is to
give students the latest state-of-the-art technological tools.”
Funds from the Mellon grant will also be used to train faculty in software such as Power Point,
PhotoShop, FreeHand, and an array of other multi-media software. In addition, faculty will be trained to use the
World Wide Web, and will learn to write Web pages for their courses
It may take a while for the payoff of these technology initiatives to be recognized. Dr. Hocks notes,
“Spelnet is brand new. It has been implemented for only about three months.” However, once the system is in
place across campus, it could have a major impact.
Tara Centeio, a senior English major and Writing Center lab monitor, points out, “Students will have
access to more computers. The new, faster, and more powerful computers will allow lab monitors to better
accommodate students’ needs.” The leading edge gained from such technological initiatives should be a
significant component in keeping Spelman competitive with other colleges.