Emily Bamforth
Cleveland
Articles by Emily Bamforth
Dakota State University names new head of research arm
Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota, on Wednesday announced that Andrea Thompson, a former White House adviser, is the new CEO of its research corporation. Thompson will oversee the Dakota State University Applied Research Corporation, a nonprofit that manages DSU’s Applied Research Lab, which develops classified and unclassified research projects aimed at boosting the United States’ nation security.
Stanford public safety system secured after cyberattack
Stanford University is investigating a cybersecurity incident involving its Department of Public Safety, the university announced Friday. Administrators said the impacted system has since been secured and there’s no indication the attack affected any other area of the university. “Our privacy and information security teams have been giving this matter their concerted attention, in coordination with outside specialists,” the university wrote in the announcement.
Penn State CIO accused of strangulation following domestic dispute
The chief information officer and interim vice president for information technology at Pennsylvania State University is accused of strangling a woman during a domestic dispute on Sunday. According to an affidavit obtained by EdScoop, Keith Brautigam began to strangle a woman in the basement of a home in Patton Township during a verbal argument, in which the two ended up on the floor and the woman sustained a broken tooth.
More college students using ChatGPT to supplement learning, report finds
Pandemic-related learning loss is leaving more students feeling unprepared for college and more students are turning to social media and generative artificial intelligence tools to supplement their learning, according to a report published Tuesday by McGraw Hill. This year, 21% of surveyed students indicated that they felt unprepared for college courses — up from 11% reported last year.
Penn State faculty tapped to advise state AI governing board
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is partnering with Pennsylvania State University to leverage its faculty and research expertise for the state’s generative artificial intelligence board. Earlier this month, Shapiro signed an executive order establishing standards and governance for generative AI use by agencies and employers within the commonwealth.
New York State partners with universities on AI research center
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul this week announced a $20 million investment that aims to advance the state’s artificial intelligence goals through a collaboration between the University of Albany, IBM and a new AI research group with the State University of New York. The collaboration will create the Center for Emerging Artificial Intelligence Systems, where researchers will conduct projects that advance cloud computing and emerging hardware.
New Bloomberg city program targets mental health, housing, climate
A $50 million program announced by Bloomberg Philanthropies on Wednesday aims to provide civic solutions to global issues such as mental health, affordable housing and climate change. The Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange is designed to allow local governments to connect to one another directly and source ideas. Participants will also have access to grants, technical assistance, site visits, webinars and other supports to help implement evidence-backed ideas from other cities.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln launches new upskilling program
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln joined a nationwide initiative to help fill talent gaps in the Midwest’s tech workforce while also providing existing employees professional development opportunities and credentials. The Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry last year formed a statewide initiative, called TechNebraska, in an effort to position the state as a tech innovation leader.
New report offers roadmap to the future of higher ed online learning in California
A report published Tuesday by a higher education advocacy group offers suggestions to bridge gaps between making college courses and degrees more accessible through online learning opportunities without sacrificing quality. Enrollment in online courses and programs in California has steadily increased over the last 15 years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, and the pandemic forced higher education systems to expand and improve remote offerings.
University of Tennessee buys new Oracle student information system
The University of Tennessee System is replacing its former student data information system with Oracle Fusion Cloud Student in its ongoing migration to the cloud. The university system previously used Banner and CAMS systems for student data. The new system with Oracle aims to provide students with streamlined access to their classes, financial aid and other university support.
New Jersey university adds AI to VR research center
Rowan University in New Jersey announced Wednesday it expanded its virtual reality research center with artificial intelligence. According to a press release, the University’s Machine & Artificial Intelligence Virtual Reality Center strives to create immersive VR environments that adapt to user interactions. “We’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible at the intersection of artificial intelligence and mixed reality,” the center’s director, Nidhal Bouaynaya, said in the press release.
Education tech policy groups call on federal officials for AI guidance
Nineteen technology policy and advocacy groups on Tuesday penned a letter to White Officials, responding to recent research findings that student privacy and equity are being eroded by schools’ use of technologies. In a letter addressed to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and White House Director of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar, the groups referenced a report published this month by the Center for Democracy and Technology the sounded alarms about student privacy.
'Just keep moving forward': ASU's deputy CIO talks modernization in higher ed
Technology modernization in higher education can be a daunting task, but there are ways to optimize those initiatives to benefit students, faculty and staff that are meaningful and effective, according to Kimberly Clark, the deputy chief information officer at Arizona State University.
New cybersecurity research and training facility opens in Texas
A new cybersecurity research and training facility opened in Texas this month to provide professional development opportunities and address other industry needs. The Central Texas Cyber Range center was created in partnership between Baylor University and McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. The center, based on Baylor’s campus, will specialize in applied research and education, according to a press release.
Boise State University selects new cybersecurity chief
Boise State University’s Office of Information Technology on Tuesday announced it’s named Brandon Bowlin as its new chief information security officer. Prior to joining Boise State, Bowlin served for three years as director of cybersecurity services at Ascent Solutions, a cybersecurity firm, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also has experience as a director of cloud security practice with Seitel Systems, an IT engineering and consulting firm.
Virginia State University launches 6E network
Virginia State University, an HBCU founded in 1882, is the latest in a small but growing group of higher education institutions offering next-generation Wi-Fi on campus. Virginia State’s Wi-Fi 6E network is now live in some residential buildings, the university said in a press release on Tuesday. More areas will go live in the coming weeks, with all student resident halls expected to have access to upgraded Wi-Fi by Sept. 30.
University at Buffalo completes transition to Brightspace LMS
All courses at the University at Buffalo, New York’s biggest public university, will be delivered using D2L’s Brightspace learning management system this fall, marking the completion of a three-semester transition off of Blackboard Learn.
5G: Making the connection for greater student and faculty success
Susan Kelemen is the Education Marketing Specialist at Verizon, responsible for creating and executing wireless solutions for higher education, K-12 and state/local communities. Tony Dolezal is the Public Sector 5G and MEC (multi-access edge computing) Specialist at Verizon, with 25 years of experience in telecom, datacom and IP-based video.
NSF's research security group urged to adopt 'more traditional' approach
In a blog post on Monday, Educause encouraged the National Science Foundation to place a greater emphasis on cybersecurity as it develops a new organization to protect the research conducted by American universities. The advice follows a request for comment the NSF published this year on plans to create a research security and integrity information sharing and analysis organization, or RSI-ISAO.
Education Dept. opens fund to boost research IT at minority-serving institutions
The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applications for a nearly $50 million fund to improve research infrastructure at historically Black, tribally controlled and minority-serving institutions. The Research and Development Infrastructure, or RDI, grant program, aims to help those institutions improve or build new labs and facilities, hire new research faculty and staff and support research internships and fellowships for students.
Hawaii Community College pays ransomware group | EdScoop
Hawaii Community College last week paid an undisclosed sum to a ransomware group that stole the personal information of approximately 28,000 people and threatened to post it online.
Samsung expands support for digital student IDs
Students with Samsung phones will now be able to access their digital campus IDs using the tech company’s native wallet app — removing the need to download a dedicated university app to access college buildings or make purchases on campus.
Educause pushes back against cybersecurity proposals for research | EdScoop
Educause is seeking changes to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s proposed cybersecurity requirements for federally funded research projects, the higher ed IT group shared in a blog post on Wednesday. The OSTP’s draft cybersecurity proposals, shared in February 2023, would introduce new cybersecurity requirements for higher education institutions that receive more than $50 million in annual federal research funding.
Anthology adds Microsoft AI to Blackboard Learn
The Blackboard Learn learning management system is going to get a series of AI-powered upgrades, parent company Anthology announced during its Anthology Together conference on Monday. Anthology plans to use Microsoft Azure OpenAI to develop tools such as a course-building aide for instructors that will help them create course materials more quickly. Anthology also plans to introduce tools for generating test questions from course content, as well as customizable rubrics for grading students.
New Jersey awards $400M to modernize state colleges
New Jersey’s Office of the Secretary of Higher Education on Monday awarded $400 million in capital facilities grant funding to 30 higher education institutions — supporting the construction of state-of-the-art academic facilities and classrooms, IT network and security improvements, as well as new data centers and cloud computing upgrades.
Cal Poly campus almost ready for full 5G
Technology leaders at California Polytechnic State University are planning to complete a project this month that would fully transform the institution’s wireless infrastructure to 5G. According to Mustang News, Cal Poly’s current Wi-Fi network is stretched to capacity.
University students sue ticketing platform over data breach | EdScoop
The university ticketing firm AudienceView is facing a class action lawsuit from college students who claim it failed to adequately safeguard their personal identifiable information ahead of a data breach this year. AudienceView suffered a data breach in February that affected more than 13,000 U.S. students.
U. Virginia names new chief information officer
The University of Virginia on Wednesday named Kelly Doney, chief information officer of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, as its new CIO.
CUNY and Missouri State switch from Blackboard to Brightspace | EdScoop
The City University of New York and Missouri State University will move to the D2L Brightspace learning management system, the company announced this week. CUNY, the nation’s largest urban public university system with 25 campuses, announced it will begin its transition from Blackboard to Brightspace this fall.
Hawaii Community College targeted in ransomware attack | EdScoop
Hawaii Community College this week announced it’s the latest higher education institution to fall victim to a ransomware attack. The two-year community college said it’s working with federal authorities to investigate the incident. The college temporarily shut down its network after being notified of the attack on June 13. In a blog post dated June 19, ransomware group NOESCAPE claimed to have stolen 65GB of data from the institution.
Students prefer online learning, survey finds
Students are more enthusiastic about online and hybrid learning options than fully face-to-face instruction, a new survey from education research and consulting firm Tyton Partners suggests. The Time for Class 2023 survey, published Tuesday, found that 31% of students prefer face-to-face instruction over other modes of instruction, but the remaining 69% prefer fully online, hybrid, or blended learning options.
Texas university hit by cyberattack over weekend
Leaders at Stephen F. Austin State University in eastern Texas are investigating a cyberattack that hit the institution sometime last weekend, it shared on Twitter Monday. The university disconnected its network from the internet after discovering the attack and are currently working with law enforcement to uncover more details of the incident. The university’s website continued to be offline on Tuesday and the institution has recommended the public turn to its social media accounts for updates.
AWS program to inject cloud skills into tech coursework
Amazon Web Services this week announced the launch of a new global program designed to give college students pursuing IT-related degrees curriculum to develop skills on the cloud giant’s platforms and improve those students’ chances of landing a job. The Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, as Amazon’s calling the program, will offer AWS courses to students at two- and four-year colleges in New York, Illinois and Washington, as well as in Spain and Egypt, reaching as many as 380,000 learners worldwide.
Colleges spent $1B on distance-learning tech at COVID-19 peak | EdScoop
An analysis of college relief spending published last week by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that just over 3,000 colleges received funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund between 2020 and 2022. Of the $76 billion in funding, $58.4 billion was distributed to public colleges and universities, which spent more than $1 billion on distance learning technology — including cameras, computers and software.
Microcredentials far from maturity, Educause poll finds
Microcredentials are still in their infancy at many colleges and universities, according to an Educause poll published this week. While non-degree credentials and certificates have been offered across higher education for years, those programs frequently are not well-established, the poll found.
Educause shares strategies for flexible learning
Learning is not just online, in-person or hybrid anymore — it’s all three, according to a new resource on multimodal learning strategies published Monday by Educause. The resource pulls together reports, best practices and other materials to help higher ed and IT leaders deliver flexible learning experiences that can cater to all students.
EdX launches ChatGPT-powered plugin, learning assistant
The online learning platform edX introduced two new tools on Friday based on OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology: an edX plugin for ChatGPT and a learning assistant embedded in the edX platform, called Xpert. According to the company, its plugin will enable ChatGPT Plus subscribers to discover educational programs and explore learning content such as videos and quizzes across edX’s library of 4,200 courses.
Educause Horizon report calls on colleges to make greener tech choices | EdScoop
The need to adopt sustainable technology practices is “far too often overlooked” by colleges when investing in new technologies, according to the latest teaching and learning edition of Educause’s Horizon report.
Google launches cybersecurity certificate program
Google on Thursday announced a new addition to its growing line-up of career certificates, this time with an offering focused on cybersecurity. The Google Cybersecurity Certificate aims to prepare learners for entry-level cybersecurity positions with less than six months of part-time study. The program was designed by cybersecurity experts at Google in consultation with national employers to address a national skills gap.
Education and tech leaders launch AI education framework | EdScoop
A slew of tech companies and education organizations banded together to on Tuesday launch TeachAI, a project aiming to create a global framework for computer science and AI education that will protect student safety, respect privacy rights and address issues of bias and misinformation.
Vermont State University shelves 'all-digital' library plans | EdScoop
Controversial plans to create an “all-digital” library at Vermont State University are on hold, the Vermont State Colleges System recently announced.
Purdue announces plans to climb computer science rankings
Purdue University announced plans Friday to significantly expand its computing faculty and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in semiconductor and AI-powered robotics research. The campaign, called Purdue Computes, aims to propel the university’s computer science department to a “top 10 national ranking before the end of this decade,” according to a university press release.
Utah governor signs blockchain digital ID pilot into law
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox this week signed a bill requiring the state’s Division of Technology Services to launch a pilot program for digital verifiable credentials that use blockchain technology. The bill, HB 470, requires the agency to provide recommendations to government entities on how to issue a digital ID or other record through distributed-ledger technology.
Inside Purdue’s campus IT reorganization
A major IT reorganization is underway at Purdue University, with three campuses — Purdue Northwest, Purdue Fort Wayne and Purdue Indianapolis — moving from independent to shared IT management under a new organization called Distributed Campus services.
2U sues Education Dept. over third-party vendor guidance
The online program management company 2U last week filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, proclaiming the department’s sweeping new definition of “third party servicers” unlawful. The lawsuit, filed April 4 in Washington, D.C., asks the court to stop the department from introducing new reporting requirements for colleges and many of the third-party vendors they work with, including 2U.
Anti-plagiarism tool Turnitin adds AI detection feature
Making good on a promise made in February, the plagiarism detection platform Turnitin on Tuesday added a new feature that helps educators spot work that was generated using artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT. The company, which claims more than 2 million users, launched the new tool as a means of supporting academic integrity during a period when AI-powered generative-text tools have exploded in popularity.
Students powered design of U. Arizona's student information hub
Figuring out if you’re on track to get good grades at college shouldn’t be complicated, but wading through multiple different systems and login processes can make the task challenging. At the University of Arizona, a new tool called CatCloud aims to streamline this process for students, making it possible for them to view classes and grades, see upcoming deadlines for assignments and quizzes, make an appointment with an adviser, or check their meal plan balance, all in one place.
UA-Fayetteville faculty oppose University of Phoenix acquisition
The majority of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville’s faculty senate is opposing a planned acquisition of the University of Phoenix. In an undated open letter to University of Arkansas System leaders, faculty members from the institution’s main campus at Fayetteville expressed concern about the impact of acquiring the University of Phoenix on the “UA” brand and doubted the sustainability of the university’s business model. The letter was first reported by the Arkansas Times.
Awareness of new Ed. Dept. 'third-party servicer' guidance is low, Educause survey finds
A poll of 185 Educause members suggests that more than half are unaware of the U.S. Department of Education’s new “third-party servicers” guidance. The informal survey, conducted last week and published on Monday, found that 56% of respondents were unfamiliar with the “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the department in February.
Pearson offloads OPM business | EdScoop
The education publisher Pearson is dropping its online program management business. Pearson Online Learning Services will be sold to Los Angeles-based private equity firm Regent LP, according to a press release published by Pearson on Tuesday. The OPM business will be sold in exchange for a share of its future revenue, with Pearson receiving a 27.5% cut of profit annually for six years. Pearson will also take a 27.5% cut if the business is later sold on by Regent LP.
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