NEC NEC020505 Applications

Applications at the forefront of technology
University of Illinois at Springfield
The University of Illinois
is the state's best and most comprehensive
public university. It bonds together a family with three distinct campuses: Chicago,
Springfield and Urbana-Champaign. These campuses are strengthened by
intercampus cooperation and university-wide services, yet carry out their academic
functions with a high degree of delegated authority and autonomy. Established as
Sangamon State University in 1969, it became a campus of the University of Illinois
in 1995. University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) is a small, liberal arts university
with 5,000 students. A technologically advanced university, UIS often serves as the
prototype for the University of Illinois family – as well as many universities
throughout the country - testing and incubating new technology that impacts
learning. UIS was the first wireless campus with a strong online learning program,
and 90% of their classrooms are Smart.
the challenge
UIS recently built University Hall for social studies and humanities, with nearly 40
classrooms to accommodate its growing student body. They previously used mobile
projectors on carts in other classrooms throughout campus, but for this building,
they wanted a true networked, wireless environment.
Albert Whittenberg, associate director of education technology and his team
understood the impact this technology would have on student learning, and how
it also could help generate positive exposure about the university's commitment to
providing the most advanced resources and tools to help students get the very best
education.
The major challenge was making this happen with a tight budget.