---

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 20, 1993                   TAG: 9301200336
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

---

FIBER FUTURE

THE FUTURE is unpredictable, but let's be reckless. If we assume this region will be successful economically (sorry, not a sure thing), we're willing to bet Virginia Tech will play a prominent role in that success.

Tech's already evident economic impact in the region makes the bet pretty secure. So do current proposals to draw the university closer to the Roanoke Valley via a smart road and public-service activities at the Hotel Roanoke and conference center.

The clincher, however, may be news out of Blacksburg that the plans for an "electronic village" are proceeding. It's a project joining the town government, Virginia Tech and C&P Telephone. It is, to be sure, an experiment with many unknowns and a lot of opportunities to fall short of expectations.

But the idea of developing an information network - for businesses, town residents and Tech faculty and students to communicate over fiber optic lines, and for information-service providers to test market applications - has the future written all over it.

Says Tech President James McComas, the concept "will enable us to take higher education off the campus and put it into the high schools, homes and businesses of the entire community."

You don't need a crystal ball to foresee that taking education off campus might help put Blacksburg, and this region, on the map.

---