Statehouse Update

Conferees' Conundrum

It's the beginning of the end of the 1997 Indiana General Assembly, and all eyes are on the House-Senate budget conference committee. As this is written, the four-member, bipartisan committee is in the midst of hammering out a budget compromise acceptable to both houses and both parties.

The conferees are Representatives Patrick Bauer (D-South Bend) and Jeff Espich (R-Uniondale), and Senators Mike Gery (D-West Lafayette) and Morris Mills (R-Indianapolis).

It's anticipated that the compromise package will go to the floor of both houses for a vote late on Tuesday, April 29, the mandated last day of the session.

At this point, what's all this mean for Purdue? As regular readers of Statehouse Update know, the differences between the House and Senate versions and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education are not great. We continue to be hopeful that the commission's operating and capital recommendation ultimately will be funded. This would require $6 million above the Senate budget in 1997-98 and $10 million in 1998-99 in recurring operating appropriations. These levels would fund half of Purdue's technology initiative and similar amounts for other schools.

We continue to be disappointed that there has not been a greater response to our line items, specifically for agricultural Extension educators and the Technical Assistance Program (TAP). It's our continuing hope these requests will be partially addressed by the conference committee.

Revenue Update

As reported in our last edition, the state's revenue forecast was updated last week. The April 16 report increased the December forecast by about $100 million per year for 1996-97, as well as for the two years of the biennium.

The total additional revenue increase looks like this:

• 1996-97 -- $105.2 million.

• 1997-98 -- $131.6 million.

• 1998-99 -- $92.0 million.

  Translated into available cash, these numbers mean the conference committee has revenue available to address the major outstanding budget issues unless conferees try to provide a major tax cut.

In this and earlier editions of Statehouse Update , we've often made reference to Purdue's technology initiative request.

Purdue continually strives to provide students and faculty with the high-tech tools needed in a high-tech age. That's the idea behind our $27 million biennial request for systemwide upgrades of undergraduate instructional computing and teaching laboratories, computer networking and access to electronic information, and instructional development.

In this decade on the West Lafayette campus alone, the University has earmarked $25 million for the transformation of outdated classrooms and the remodeling of space for use as undergraduate computer laboratories.

"We want to make sure we're giving students a quality education, and that means committing considerable resources to converting facilities for modern teaching," says Frederick Ford, executive vice president and treasurer. "And it means investing heavily in computer labs."

Paying for the vast array of technology-based improvements has been a challenge, with money coming from state funding, student fees, gifts and other sources.

"If the General Assembly approves our request, it will allow us to expand the installation of new workstations and increase the pace at which we replace outdated equipment," says Robert Ringel, executive vice president for academic affairs. "We are very much aware that the quality life span of high-technology equipment is only about four years."

The request also would provide the needed funding for people to support the systems for software development and to train faculty on effective use of the technology.

Impact on Indiana

Students come to Purdue expecting to find the best in computing facilities, and the University is striving to stay ahead of the demand curve.

Yet the technology upgrades go well beyond the confines of the classroom. Computer-savvy Purdue students entering business, industry and education will be in demand because of the ever-increasing computer demands in all aspects of the 1990s professional world. And helping Hoosier farms, factories, schools and businesses work smarter with high-tech help is a cornerstone to the state's economic well-being and health in a global marketplace. Our technology initiative is -- simply put -- an investment in the state's future.

Back on Campus

In 1989, Purdue set out to create as many new undergraduate computing labs as money and space would allow. To provide computing for the greatest number of people, the labs are designed to be used as classrooms or walk-in open labs. Since then, some 50 new labs with 2,000 workstations have come on-line -- at a cost of nearly $12 million.

Today, about half of the residence hall students on the West Lafayette campus, about 5,000, have their own computers. They can access the Purdue computing network from their rooms, and all halls have workstations for students' use. Other initiatives in the works include a cost-effective network access service for off-campus students, and a trial test of a high-speed modem link for off-campus users.

Teaching the Teachers

Classroom-teaching technology is making the move from blackboards and overhead projectors to software, videoconferencing, CD-ROM and computer animation.

Helping faculty members to embrace and exploit the technology available is an ongoing thrust of Purdue's technology priorities as well.

This fall, the new Multimedia Instructional Development Center will open on the West Lafayette campus. It will coordinate instruction in the use of multimedia as well as offer faculty a range of services to help them incorporate the latest technology into teaching.

Still another element of integrating multimedia and computer technology into teaching is hands-on instruction for faculty through the Center for Instructional Services. These classes primarily are taught by fellow faculty members.

Notes Ringel: "We want to do all we can to encourage and support faculty to develop, implement and evaluate innovative strategies that employ technology to improve teaching and increase student learning."

Purdue students -- and the state -- deserve no less.

Recap Ahead

As the 1997 Indiana General Assembly gavels to a close, we will know the particulars of this year's budget battles and just what the results mean for Purdue. In our next edition -- the season's final Statehouse Update -- look for a complete wrap-up.

To Statehouse Update Home Page