April 9, 1999

NJIT MOST WIRED PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE NATION

NEWARK - April 9, 1999 - For the second consecutive year, Yahoo! Internet Life magazine has ranked New Jersey Institute of Technology the "most wired" public university in the nation in its annual ranking of America's most wired colleges.

     Yahoo! Internet Life ranked NJIT the second most wired technological university in the nation, second to MIT, and the 4th most wired university overall. NJIT is one of only three universities - the other two being Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute - to consistently rank among Yahoo's top 10.

     "As today's college students move toward the 21st century, they will become increasingly technology savvy and will become part of the record growth and change of the Web," says Jessica Kleiman, spokesperson for Yahoo! Internet Life. "NJIT has adapted to the needs of these future leaders, and for that, we congratulate you."

     "Yahoo's ranking has become an important benchmark for the higher education community," said NJIT President Saul K. Fenster. "Science is re-shaping our world. Computing and information technology must underpin every facet of higher education for students in the 21st century. We are honored to be placed among such company as MIT and RPI."

     In addition to being named America's "Most Wired" Public University, this week NJIT became the newest member of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development, or "Internet 2." NJIT joins Princeton and Rutgers as the only New Jersey schools involved in the project.

     "Internet II is a new family of advanced network applications to meet emerging needs for the new millennium in teaching, learning, and research," said Dave Ullman, Director of Management Information Services at NJIT. "Our faculty and researchers look forward to sharing their strengths as a "most-wired" university with their colleagues across the country."

     NJIT recognized the impact of computing in higher education more than two decades ago, and has since built an impressive legacy of firsts. NJIT was the first public university to provide incoming freshmen with computers; NJIT researchers developed the first computerized conferencing system, later pioneering the Virtual Classroom ™ for distance learning, and NJIT's School of Architecture has been a pioneer in computer assisted design.

     Computers play a role in virtually every task performed on campus, from cutting-edge research to parking-space reservations. Computers assist in teaching and independent study, campus communications, library research, engineering and architectural designs. Computers allow students to register for classes and choose their course schedules. University computers facilitate technology transfer to industry. Students can access the tools they need to design new buildings, develop complex solutions to engineering problems or compile detailed management analyses -- all by logging on to the NJIT network. After graduation, NJIT provides alumni with free lifetime e-mail, Internet access, and use of many of the university's resources.

     Intent on maintaining its lead in information technologies, NJIT has launched a bold and visionary $50 million spending plan that reflects a progression of investment in cutting edge technology. This plan grew out of a campus-wide planning process instituted last year by President Saul K. Fenster.

     "Maintaining leadership in information technology requires continuous effort and an on-going resource allocation," said Fenster. "But it is a necessary investment, and one that pays dividends in a more effective educational experience for our students."

Initiatives in the first phase of NJIT's computing plan include:
• Developing a virtual private network giving faculty, staff and students access to campus-based proprietary information resources, such as course registration, course notes, grade book, library holdings and purchasing from anywhere via the Internet.
• Augmenting high-performance computing services for long running, computing intensive projects generated by faculty and students.
• Expanding research facilities for doctoral students and researchers who need access to real-time interactive visual graphics and information processing.
• Providing technology-enabled "smart" classrooms, fully equipped with network connectivity.
• Providing web enabling access to the university's student information systems for faculty, staff and students.
• Completing the final stages of campus rewiring for bringing high-speed network connections to all labs, classrooms and offices.
• Implementing an annual distribution program of high performance computers for full-time faculty and instructional staff.
• Re-engineering a professionally managed help desk to provide a customer-centered and responsive support structure.

     NJIT is a public research university enrolling nearly 8,200 bachelor's, master's and doctoral students in 76 degree programs through its five colleges: Newark College of Engineering, School of Architecture, College of Science and Liberal Arts, the School of Management and the Albert Dorman Honors College. Research initiatives include manufacturing, microelectronics, multimedia, transportation, computer science, solar astrophysics, environmental engineering and science, architecture and building science, and policy analysis.