Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 18 January 30, 1997 - Blythe speaker at open forum

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including The Conductor , a special section of the Spectrum printed 4 times a year

Blythe speaker at open forum

By Netta S. Smith

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 18 - January 30, 1997

Earving Blythe, vice president for information systems, was the featured guest at the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate Open Forum last week. The event was the first in a series of four forums planned for this semester.

Blythe spent most of the first hour of the forum presenting a slide show and a video clip about communications technology at Virginia Tech.

"The way people access education resources will change over the next few years," Blythe said. "I am pleased Virginia Tech is positioning itself to be a major player in this new world."

After his presentation, Blythe answered questions from the audience. In response to a question about "a lot of frustrated people out there" who are having difficulty learning how to use new technologies, Blythe said he hopes to increase the amount of training and support available for the faculty and staff. He added that more training is available at this time for faculty members than for staff members.

When asked about having more centralized control in decision making about which programs and courses to make available on line, Blythe said that, at the present time, the decision is left to individual departments and colleges. He added, "I believe it's got to work the way it is working for a while."

Three more open forums are scheduled for selected Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Owens Banquet Hall. Scheduled are Provost Peggy Meszaros, February 18; Vice President Minnis Ridenour, March 18; and President Paul Torgersen, April 1.