EDUCAUSE Review Articles and Policy and Law: Federal

The author discusses the evolution of the EDUCAUSE Policy conference and program.

The economic and social future of the United States depends on answering the growing demand for very high-speed broadband connectivity, a capability termed “big broadband.” Failure to take on the challenge could lead to a decline in global competitiveness and an inability to educate students.

"What challenges remain with this killer app? I suggest three: (1) user education, especially for adolescents and their parents; (2) new features connecting higher education's missions to the popular site; and (3) legal and policy considerations on a global scale."

"File sharing serves as a tuning fork for an entirely new orchestra of digital communication, interaction, and social expectation. We in higher education must provide a clear, calm, ringing voice in defining
the terms of the new world when we believe our goals and values are important not only to us but to society."

The author discusses the recent changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP), which regulates the discovery of electronically stored information (ESI).

The author reviews the legislative efforts of the 110th congress while keeping an eye on the future.

Political, economic, and intellectual developments have shaped and continue to transform the U.S. agenda for research and information technology, resulting in key computational, networking, and data challenges for tomorrow.

The authors discuss the need for the higher education community to play a larger role in federal technology policy.