During a recent Clackamas Community College Board meeting, the board voted yes to new computers and “SMART” equipment.  We talked to the man in charge, Chief Information Officer Dion Baird, about it getting approved.

The Clackamas Print:  Where is the money coming from?

Dion Baird:  The money comes from the Student Tech Fund.

TCP:  Is the money coming from the tuition increase?

DB:  No.

TCP:  What is SMART equipment?

DB:  Projectors, podiums (including PCs, monitors, document cameras, etc.), speakers, wireless access points for the classrooms and labor to install electrical
in the ceiling.

TCP:  Who is the equipment for?

DB:  The equipment is for the instructors to be able to teach the class; so in
essence both the smart classroom tech and the computers in the labs are for
the students.

TCP: Why do you think this is important?

DB:  I believe this is important because it gives instructors newer technology to
assist them in classroom instruction and will provide each classroom replaced
with wireless access.  I believe that both of these things are very important to
improving the learning environment even more for the students of CCC.

TCP:  How is this an improvement?

DB:  This replaces technology that is currently out of date and adds wireless
capabilities to the classroom as well.

TCP:  How much money is approved?

DB:  $141,859.

TCP:  Is any of the funding going to other campuses?

DB:  This funding covers all three campuses.  The college replaces 15+ SMART
classrooms each year.  The classrooms are on a scheduled replacement cycle,
so the classroom is replaced depending on the age of the current equipment,
regardless of which campus it’s on.

Students study on the current computer equipment in the Streeter Annex computer lab.

Story by: Robin Scott

Photo by: Jack Spencer