Notes on the EMI Committee and its Precursor

In 1997-98, an admininistrative task force with faculty representation took a preliminary look at distance learning and recommended that Brown monitor efforts elsewhere and consider what steps it might take at some future time. Earlier this spring, Steven Calvert, Vice President for Alumni Relations, began assembling a group of faculty, staff, administrators, and students to consider the future of distance learning at Brown. Before this group met, however, the Provost decided that a smaller faculty committee should try to gauge the level of faculty interest and expertise before any initiatives are undertaken, and that is how the present committee came into existence.

We have called ourselves the Committee on Electronically Mediated Instruction because we see the use of these technologies as the new variable that is encouraging many institutions, including our Ivy League competitors, to become interested in distance education. We are not attempting, however, to survey the many uses of web resources, hypertext, electronic mail, etc. as enhancements to, or even fundamental elements of, regular Brown courses, except to the extent that such work appears to have possible applications for distance education. While we have provided links to many such courses, we certainly cannot claim to have identified every such undertaking at Brown.

Last modified: Mon Feb 14 09:27:00 EST 2000