September 12, 1997

TO:                    Presidents, New Jersey Colleges and Universities

FROM:             Martine Hammond-Paludan, Executive Director
                         Commission on Higher Education

                          And

                          Kathleen Martell Ciociola
                         President
                         New Jersey Intercampus Network, Inc.

SUBJECT: New Jersey Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable Program

                           The Commission on Higher Education and NJIN (New Jersey Intercampus Network) are co-sponsoring an important AAHE (American Association for Higher Education) Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable workshop this fall. Because the use of technology in higher education has become a vital part of the educational experience, it is incumbent upon us to support the related planning efforts of our institutions. Indeed, New Jersey’s Plan for Higher Education recognizes this challenge and recommends the preparation of faculty in the use of technology.

                          Simultaneously, the Commission is setting guidelines for colleges and universities to access Technology Bond funds, and among the prerequisites will be the completion of a technology plan for each campus. We believe both needs may be addressed through institutional participation at the planned workshop.

                          A tailored version of the AAHE Teaching, Learning & Technology Roundtable program will be offered to New Jersey colleges and universities on Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15, 1997 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Raritan Center, Edison, New Jersey. Institutions are invited to send a leadership team of up to 10 members to this nationally-recognized program designed to foster inclusive technology planning with a focus on pedagogy in higher education.

                          AAHE experience has shown the greatest success when an institution involves a broad cross-section of stakeholders in the roundtable program. The team should bring together faculty, technology service organizations, and students along with senior academic and administrative representation.

                          The attached information from AAHE describes in more detail their standard workshop. The New Jersey workshop will be tailored to include the Higher Education Technology Bond Fund Planning Guidelines. A complete package of conference registration material will be mailed to your office later this month.

                          Corporate sponsorship from Digital Equipment Corporation and Bell Atlantic has been obtained to reduce costs to $500 per institution

  We look forward to the participation of your institution for we believe this will be a very worthwhile event for the individual participants and for the higher education community collectively in the State of New Jersey.