On Mon, 4 Sep 1995, Herbert Rubin wrote:
> Is there any truth to rumors that some admin types are hindering
> homepage building on campus?
Do you mean beyond "foot dragging" and forming a committee that, according
to one member, has only met twice since the summer to examine the
"home page issue on campus?" (They're "working on it!") Or are you
referring to one respected admin type who reportedly pulled back from
developing her/his unit's homepage in part for fear of "starting a
fight" with folks at Lowden hall ? Or, are you referring to an incident
where one homepage publisher at NIU was, according to this person, threatened
with copyright right violations for using the NIU logo on an official
homepage? (This struck some as a blatant attempt at intimidation).
I've heard that some folks are even afraid to publicize TOMPAINE or
to participate in discussions here out of concern for potential
repercussions.
> The stories I have been hearing are that people at Lowden Hall are
> expressing nervousness about putting up catalogue type of material
> on the web causing other offices to delay in so doing.
Why should they be nervous about publishing public information that's
not only already accessible, but that is routinely pubished in
handbooks, blurbs, and letters/memos?
> If so, I am really shocked. An institution can protect itself through
> disclaimers.
True, but the same is true for any other medium. If NIU and the various
fundamental subordinate divisions (grad/undergrad/honors/colleges/etc)
had homepages, it would provide a set of centralized links for
departments. Phil Rider has an NIU page in place, but participation
by those who should be leading in this stuff is glaringly absent.
ACS has been planning, and has publicized plans, for this stuff for
well over a year. The Star has run stories on the Web since last spring,
including mega-publicity last week. That the administration is
still "working on it" should be captioned, "What's wrong with this
picture?"
> It is important that NIU receive as much positive publicity as possible.
> Dean Kitterle suggested at the open LA&S meeting that NIU people including
> faculty should visit schools and tell our story. Other than when to find
> the time, I think this is a good idea. But if faculty should drive to
> the western suburbs and somehow tell our story, you'd think the
> administration would want as much electronic publicity as possible.
A university's master and subordinate homepages reveal much about a
university. For better or worse, the Web is becoming an influential
source of information access. While I'm a strong advocate of face-to-face
interaction, I'm also aware of the power of the Web and how
creative and informative homepages can raise the visibility of NIU.
My guess is that if homepages were sold to the administration as a way
of enhancing the visibility of the football team, attitudes might
change more quickly.
> We can share our catalogue. Departments can share syllabi. With
> copyright permission we can share writings to show, especially to the
> graduate students, our scholarship. We can link departments, to courses,
> to faculty accomplishments. We can provide electronic excerpts within
> fair usage, of course, of our writings as samples of what goes on in courses.
> Let's electronically tell our story and not put obstacles in the way.
Herb makes a crucial point. The critcim hompage (the Critical Criminology
Division of the American Society of Criminology
(http://www.soci.niu.edu/~critcrim) was judged among the top 5 pct of
information homepages in the country. This is significant for two
reasons: it's not officially up yet, and has never been publicized. Its
existence has been spread by word of mouth. We can quibble over ratings
and other details, but the point is that homepages are becoming a
significant means of outreach, even with no publicity. There are several
homepages on this campus of national/international stature (Aline, are you
reading this?). That NIU has no coherent homepage linking strategy,
that we are not making visible the accomplishments of a hundreds
of world-class departments and faculty (think of a sights-and-sounds
"Modine homepage" linked to the central NIU homepage), and that they
are "still working on it" strikes me as grossly irresponsible.
Those who have an interest in homepage publication tend to adopt to
a cooperative model, one in which folks work together to supplement
material, help each other, and link to others' pages. The Webmasters'
group, which represents many of the excellent homepages at NIU,
reflects this model. Perhaps Lowden Hall could be represented at the
next meeting, and we could all "work on it" together.
jt