The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 36, No. 2 - 95

ResNet Symposium Programs 1995-2006

as the intended audience. This is particularly evident given that nearly all of this literature has been written by IT practitioners and published by IT professional organizations.

spaces and to meet perceived academic and educational challenges and opportunities (Futey & Bender, 2005). Evidence of the rapid growth in the number of network users and the increasing importance of residential computer networks can be drawn from documents published by the Association of College and University Telecommunications Administrators (ACUTA). In their 1995 book, Campus Telecommunications Systems: Managing Change, access to the campus computer network is described as “offering one better way of providing service to on-campus students” (Barta, p. 70). In the 2005 edition of this book, the author states that “access to the Internet or to broadband network service is essential to today’s student” (Magnussen, p. 69). In just 10 years this technology had gone from largely hypothetical to essential. Residence life professionals and scholars have also recognized the growth of computer and Internet use among residential students. As early as 1972, residence life scholars recognized that “the development of remote computer terminals and portable microfilm readers no doubt portends a future where the residence areas are more and more the setting for individual and group learning” (Millman, p. 6). Among the many studies of student information technology use conducted by higher education scholars, some have focused specifically on the use of computers and technology in residence halls. Researchers in residence life and higher education, and other scholars have explored phenomena such as the impact of Internet usage on residents’ campus involvement (Vander Sanden & Wessel, 2002) and the role of the Internet as a distraction from academics (Matthews & Schrum, 2003). Additionally,
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Given the ubiquity of residential computer networks, the historic and continuing financial investment in these networks, and their importance in the academic and social lives of residents, housing professionals must develop some understanding of the major historical and contemporary challenges posed by these networks and their users .

Although individual computers and networked computers or terminals were in residence halls as early as 1970 (Riker, 1976), installation of the earliest documented residential computer networks in residence hall rooms began in the early 1980s. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute began installing their networks in 1982 (Gallagher & Porter, 1988), with Dartmouth College (Byrne & Brown, 1988), Cornell University (King, 1988), and The Pennsylvania State University (Auguston, 1988) following shortly thereafter. Many other institutions began installing these networks in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s both as enticements to lure students into on-campus

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 36, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 36, No. 2