'U' technology may suffer

As the century draws to a close, the world is becoming increasingly engulfed in the information age - a time of immense innovation, technological expansion and new communication outlets.

But at the same time, the cost of staying on the edge of technology puts financial pressure on research institutions such as the University.

Gov. John Engler's proposed 1.5 percent higher education funding increase, which University President Lee Bollinger labeled "inadequate," could put the University in a tight situation.

"Technology would be hit very hard because the level of technology has skyrocketed above the rate of inflation," said Kathleen McClatchey, a manager in the University's Information Technology Division. "The use of technology by faculty, students and staff has increased tremendously."

NATHAN RUFFER/Daily As part of a collaborative class between the School of Music and the School of Art and Design, students use the state-of-the-art computers yesterday at the Media Union located on North Campus.

McClatchey cited dozens of technological programs that could deteriorate if the state government doesn't provide the University with sufficient funding, including the Information and Technology Division, library services, the College of Engineering, student computing and administrative technology systems.

"From what the governor has proposed, almost everything (regarding technology) on campus would have to be cut," McClatchey said.

The statistics on the increased use and demand for technology indicate the need to bump up funding at appropriate levels, McClatchey said, adding that technology needs to be updated on a two-year cycle instead of every five years.

"From November 1996 to November 1997, there was a 66 percent increase in modem connect hours, the number of hours people were on the net dialing into the University," McClatchey said. "In 1995, 16 percent of the incoming class said they use computers daily. This last year, 41 percent of the incoming class said they used computers every day."

Refuting claims that the budget could set back technology resources at the University, Kelly Chesney, deputy press secretary for the state Department of Management and Budget, said Engler has amply funded the University in recent years.

"We don't provide funding for specific purposes," Chesney said. "We give them their state budget and they build on that. The last few years were the highest increases in a decade. For the last five years, their appropriations have increased by 21 percent - far above the inflation rate."

State Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), who chairs the senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Higher Education, said he considered the rising costs of technology at the University when he drafted his proposal last year. Schwarz said he plans to do the same during this year's budget process.

"Last year when we appropriated some extraordinary moneys, we took into account the cost of technology, the need for computer expertise (and) the availability for students," Schwarz said. "We understand that is expensive. That's why we put an extraordinary amount of money in the budget last year."

The University is currently undertaking a number of costly projects, including the introduction of Internet2 - an expanded and more reliable Internet service - the replacement of the nearly 30-year-old administrative computer system, and the continual process of advancing technology at University libraries, McClatchey said.

During an appropriations hearing last week, Bollinger explained to Schwarz how a lack of funding would affect the resources of libraries on campus.

The University libraries are facing the challenge of forging ahead and improving technological resources, said William Gosling, the University's library administration director.

"If the state allocation is reduced, we have less fiscal resources in the library to continue our mission," Gosling said. "We still have to wait and see what the outcome is."

Gosling said it is hard to keep up with the rising costs of library resources, but traditionally, "the library is extremely well-supported by the University."

"Part of our funding need is greater than the cost of living index," Gosling said. "Collections usually measure between seven and eight percent. That is our rate of growth for that part of our budget.. We need to meet that level of increase for that part of the budget or else we cannot offer the same amount of resources."

02-27-98