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MonDAY, october 1, 2012 | news | THE DIAMONDBACK
WIRELESS From PAGE 1
About 70 percent of wireless Internet users on the campus log on under “umd,” compared to about 27 percent for network “umd-secure.” Officials said they are pushing the latter network because it does not require multiple log-ins and provides the best wireless experience, though several students said they were still unaware they had multiple options. charlie deboyace/the diamondback
TURNOVER From PAGE 1 It’s a good team.” Additionally, searching for new administrators — which requires putting together a search committee as well as months of research and interviews — “absorbs energy,” O’She a sa id . Now, L oh’s cabinet and other university faculty can simply focus on the tasks at hand and help propel the university forward. “I think things will definitely move more quickly,” O’Shea said. However, Remington said he didn’t think things had slowed down, instead noting the university has “come a long way” under the leadership of both Loh and former university President Dan Mote.
“For me, it’s a very steep learning curve, and i’m clinging to the side of it. It certainly has helped to have people like ann wylie.” KUMEA SHORTER-GOODEN Chief diversity officer
“I guess when you think of turnover, maybe you think of disruption or changing of course, but I didn’t have any sense of that,” he said. “I actually think things have been moving swiftly since President Loh arrived.” Although the turnover has brought “significant losses” in the form of upper-level administrators leaving the university, Shorter-Gooden said, it has afforded new administrators the opportunity to step
said they are pushing the latter network among students not because of security breaches, but to ensure students get the best Internet experience possible. “The network requires some device set up ahead of time, but the time spent on configuration is worthwhile,” DIT communications and marketing director Phyllis Johnson said. This semester, DIT also took down the “umd-fast” network, which was established around 2007 as an option that connected up to five times faster than “umd” but was deemed no longer necessary, Johnson said. “ M a ny of to d ay’s mobi le devices and laptops automatically connect to [‘umd-fast’s] faster … frequencies without user intervention,” she said. Although DIT has promoted “umd-secure” for several years through posters in shuttle buses, residence halls, Stamp Student
back, evaluate priorities and determine whether tasks and projects are being carried out in the most efficient way. “T here’s kind of an unfreezing,” she said. “I find that exciting.” The qualifications of the new administrators eliminated any kind of “learning curve,” Remington said, but others said they are still getting acclimated to the university. “For me, it’s a very steep learning curve, and I’m clinging to the side of it,” Shorter-Gooden said. “It certainly has helped to have people like Ann Wylie as the [former interim] provost, who has been here for 40 years.” Even for administrators like O’Shea, who is new to his post but has been at the university for more than 30 years, having other staff members remain in their posts through
the course of the turnover has eased the transition. “Even though the top leadership has changed, a lot of the underlying staff will continue, which is good for continuity,” he said. In addition to the group’s diversity, several said one of the best parts of having so many new administrators is the vitality and fresh perspectives they will bring to the administration. Despite the challenges that may lay ahead, there is always uncharted territory with a new administration that could lead to more creative thinking going forward, administrators said. “There’s an energy that’s really wonderful. I think it’s good and it’s bad to have a lot of new people,” Rankin said. “It will be fun to be a part of that.” kelley@umdbk.com
Union and other technology hot spots, several students said they automatically assumed “umd” was the default option for connecting to the Internet. “You have to do the research,” senior sociology major Jennifer Zavala said. “Before I did, I would log on so many times in a day on my phone and laptop because it would log out after a few minutes.” Other students reported more minute problems surfaced once they’ve made the click from “umd” to “umd-secure.” “Si nce you need to log i n through a browser with wireless connection, if you have a device without a browser, such as a wireless-capable printer or a gaming console, it is more difficult to use those devices quickly and efficiently,” senior biology and philosophy major Syrus Nourbakhsh said. Making the switch from cell phone data to a secure connection on the campus can also be challenging, other students said. To educate students on the
CENTER From PAGE 1 Shriver Hall, according to Facilities Management officials. Administrators hope to open the center’s doors by May 2016. “T he design process has just started,” operations and maintenance Director Jack Baker said. “There will be more details about the layouts of the classrooms once they have made some more decisions.” Construction of the teaching and learning center will be funded mostly by the state in addition to a $10 million private donation, and the completed building will feature modern audiovisual technology such as video conferencing and stateof-the-art projectors. About 10,000 students will use the center each, but it will not be
“I would log on so many times in a day on my phone and laptop because it would log out after a few minutes.” JENNIFER ZAVALA
Senior sociology major
various Internet options available, DIT staff distribute “Get Connected” CDs at the beginning of the school year and have them available at the division’s Help Desk. DIT also offers one-on-one connection opportunities and uses its presence at fairs to connect with the commuter community. Students and DIT officials alike said it is ultimately up to the students to find the best option for surfing the Web while on the campus. “It’s a simple matter of following instructions on the [DIT] website,” senior Vineet Shah said. “You’ll never have to enter your password to get on the Internet again.” waseem@umdbk.com
“We want this to be a building that people come to see from all over the country. ... our time has finally come.” BETSY BEISE
Academic planning and programs associate provost identified with a specific academic department. The design committee has not yet decided which departments will use the building, but members have discussed housing several math, architecture and general education classes, according to Facilities Management Capital Projects Director Bill Olen. “The goal of this building is to provide classroom space that is collaborative,” Olen said. “This type of learning is definitely new and upcoming, and we want to be on par with our peer universities.” To gather ideas for the center’s design, members of the design committee recently visited several other universities that feature interactive classrooms, including the University of Virginia and Georgetown University. “We want this to be a building that people come to see from all over the country,” Academic Planning and Programs Associate Provost Betsy Beise said. “The university has been waiting for 25 years to build this, and our time has fi nally come.” Beise added she does not believe the technological resou rces at t he center w i l l replace the need for a large faculty of professors. “The use of this technology is defi nitely instructor-intensive,” she said. “We are looking to have this building with the same amount of resources and professors as we have now.” Severa l students sa id they think the collaborative design of the teaching center would enhance their learning experience. “These types of classrooms are a great idea for all majors,” freshman history major Julie Guacci said. “It allows discussions to be opened up, and the ability to work well with others is an important skill.” doanemalotte@umdbk.com