Instructional integration and user support are the two most important information technology issues confronting American colleges and universities over the next two-three years, according to the 1996 Campus Computing Survey, a national study of the use of information technology in higher education.

James Garner Ptaszynski?s experience working at institutions across the country has taught him that students and faculty-members are not as comfortable using technology as they should be. Instead of trying to find ways around complex technologies, colleges and universities should, in Ptaszynski?s argument, be joining forces to provide leadership and direction for information and instructional technology users. In this article, Ptaszynski describes some examples of organizations already leading the field, and offers some suggestions for how a stronger beacon can be built.

Determined to give MBA students a head start for the corporate world, the Babcock Graduate School of Management took full advantage of new opportunities to change and upgrade computer technology. The faculty chose Microsoft solutions, preferred by corporations that employ their graduates. Their new building is completely networked for advanced information systems. The school's goal? To lead the forefront of change.

Ray Brown, a representative for Mayville State University and Valley City State University in North Dakota, discusses the importance of universal and equal access to technology for university faculty, staff and students. The standard cycle of technology upgrades (one to two years), however, complicates the problem of implementing plans to make technology accessible to all members of university communities (which can take up to ten years). In this article, Brown argues for the plan preferred by his two institutions: leasing laptops from major manufacturers with various options for trading in old machines and software for newer models.

Microsoft Office 97 Professional Edition?, provides significant upgrades of each productivity application: Microsoft Word?, Microsoft Excel?, the Microsoft PowerPoint? presentation graphics program, and Microsoft Access?. Office 97 also introduces the Microsoft Outlook? 97 desktop information management application that replaces Schedule+ in the Office suite. Office 97 brings schools the power of an intranet, enabling administrators, teachers, and students to share information, collaborate on projects, and be more effective in getting their work done.