Drexel and Cabrini sign virtual agreement

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This project began six years prior to the coming together of these two academic presidents. In 1994, Dr. John Bielec, vice president of information resources and technology for Drexel, was employed at Cabrini and implemented a plan to keep Cabrini technologically updated. Since then, Cabrini has been interested in staying on top of the latest advances in technology.

"We have a lot of programs that are dependent on technology," Iadarola said.

Classes such as graphic design, information science and technology and journalism are just a few of the programs that must be updated to provide a solid education to all students.

Cabrini can not service the way Drexel can due to the size of this institution. By partnering up with Drexel, Cabrini can now ensure a school that offers the highest of quality in achieving academic excellence.

Cabrini received offers from companies that outsource, but Iadarola felt that a university such as Drexel would have more of an understanding of the values Cabrini upholds. She wanted to do what was best for the students.

"We're a university and we know the business. We respect the academic part of this," Papadakis said. "We are the pioneers, and we challenge our peers to push forward to broaden this program."

In the future, Cabrini is interested in becoming a wireless campus. This means that every student will have their own laptop computer and they will have the opportunity to hook these computers up in the classroom, their bedrooms and even when sitting outside. It will be more convenient for the user to be wireless, and after a year or two, Papadakis predicts that personal computer labs will not be needed. Thereby providing more room and less updating problems.

"The students will benefit the most," Papadakis said.

With Drexel by its side, Cabrini will be able to offer more online courses and give faculty the opportunity to utilize the internet in instruction.

This ceremony included faculty, staff, trustees and students. The students were ensured that these new advances will not have a bearing on the cost of tuition. Papadakis and Iadarola believe that Cabrini and Drexel have paved the way to the future of university and college partnerships. The benefits, they feel, will be a better form of education and that the re- first suits are going to be great. The more schools that get involved the less the price will be as well. Papadakis has never seen a reduc- tion in unit costs in the past, but he feels that these newest advances in technology give them the opportunity to do more with the same amount of money. The entire ceremony can be viewed over the internet at www.cabrini.edu. with no scripts,nothing plaMed ~1i. all lMPROVlSEO