Recognizing his exceptional work on the reform of American higher education and leadership in information technology, the Council on Academic Affairs of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) honored University President Graham B. Spanier at its annual dinner in Atlanta, Nov. 16.
The award cites his leadership in creating opportunities, for expanding access to knowledge, sharing knowledge, and for promoting discovery and learning throughout higher education.
Spanier is particularly recognized for his work as chairman of the Commission on Information Technologies, one of NASULGC's six key policy forming units. It was created to identify and develop policy positions and recommendations on information technology and related policy issues of concern to members and to the nation. As chair of the commission, Spanier testified before Congress last year urging support for Internet2 and the Next Generation Internet Initiative to colleges and Universities, which he said are essential to support basic research, distance education and life-long learning. Internet2, now backed by more than 130 universities, is expected to be 10 times faster than the current Internet and will allow faster transfer of information and better connectivity. The Next Generation Internet Initiative is a three-year, $300-million effort supported by President Clinton which calls for the development of Internet2 and experimentation with the next generation of networking technologies. The NGI goal is to increase the speed of the current Internet 100-fold.
Spanier also is chair of the Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities, a board of university presidents established in 1996 to reform public higher education.
Previous award winners include Georgia Gov. Zell Miller and the late Ernest Boyer, former head of the Carnegie Foundation.