The Web as a Campus Wide Information System: Tunnel of Love or House of Mirrors?

Name: Joyce Hicks; Lanie Steinwart

Institution: Valparaiso University

E-mail Address: Jhicks@exodus.valpo.edu

Suggested Title of Presentation: The Web as a Campus Wide Information System: Tunnel of Love or House of Mirrors?

Appropriate Format: Paper Presentation

Suggested Audience: all University user support people

Presentation Outcome:

1. a set of tools (questions) to help determine what the Web's purpose is at their institutions

2. determine their status in the evolutionary process

3. recognize that many institutions share common concerns over this evolving communication tool

Presentation Content:

Campuses are increasingly using the World Wide Web as a campus wide information system to disseminate information to local and global users. Now that many institutions have the technology to connect to the Web in place, they're discovering issues of image, purpose, and content, which present conflicts similar to those related to other University publications. This carnival raises many questions, the most important of which is, "Whose Web is it?" How these questions are answered determine whether the site is a Hall of Mirrors or a Tunnel of Love.

Through tracing the evolution www.valpo.edu, this session will explore questions and issues related to Web construction, control, and management, as well as audience, authorship and aesthetics. After attending the session, participants may be able to determine the purpose of the Web at their institutions, determine their status in the evolutionary process, and recognize that many institutions share common concerns over this evolving communication tool.

I. From Campus Wide Information System to World Wide Web site

II. Proprietorship of the site

III.Responsibilities which fall to IT staff

IV. Key: Letting purpose guide the site