UB Buzz

Looking to the Future

Three web exclusives coinciding with University Business' July/August 2010 edition reflect on what the future of current topics or initiatives may bring, with the outcomes seemingly plentiful.

 - The Liberal Arts and ‘Back to the Future’

The recession does not mark the first time in history the value of a liberal arts education has been in question. It either shouldn't be cause for administrators at these respective institutions to make sudden changes to their mission statement. In their piece, Dickinson College (Pa.) President William G. Durden and Neil B. Weissman, provost and dean of the college, advise them to help the public better understand how this type of higher learning can help students in the real world.

- Training the Architects of The Networked Future

In the summer of 2004, George Mason University’s (Va.) Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering partnered with Cisco to sponsor a Networking Academy (the program provides students with networking and technical skills). Don Gantz, chair of the Applied Information Technology Department, describes how the program has established a strong partnership between public and private organizations with multiple benefits for students, the university, and the local economy.

- 10 Predictions for Campus Card Technology

Campus card technology is always evolving. Methods in use today could be gone tomorrow. Robert C. Huber, a campus card systems consultant, offers his insight on what's next in this field.

Living Like the Romans Do

How would you like to wake up in the morning, look out your window and see Gianiculum hill and the gardens where Cristina of Sweden is buried? Or walk through Caesar’s botanical gardens on your way home from school?

 

With the opening of its first residence hall this fall in Trastevere, Rome, students of John Cabot University—an accredited four-year, English-speaking liberal arts school offering an American undergraduate education in the heart of the Italian capital—can do just that.

 

The fully-renovated historic building, once the home of an ancient French family, is called the Gianicolo Residence, and is a two-minute walk from JCU’s main campus. The new furnishings include wood and marble floors, new furniture, air-conditioning, and Wi-Fi connection to the university’s network. Boasting 240 beds, the building includes singles, doubles, triples, and apartments, as well as a common lounge and a quiet study room. A resident assistant will be assigned to each floor to help build community, and students can feel safe with 24/7 security. And with a weekly cleaning service, they can feel clean too!

 

While study-abroad students will be able to live in the Gianicolo Residence, preference will be given to full-time students.

 

Want to read about other impressive residence halls? See our feature Dorms of Distinction.