Louisiana State University
Center for Applied Information Technology and Learning


LSU CAPITAL
External Advisory Panel
(13 November 2001)

This year, through Governor Foster's leadership, the Louisiana legislature has approved funding for an information technology (IT) initiative that is aimed at driving economic development throughout the state. Through this IT initiative, Louisiana State University (LSU) expects to receive just over $9M in new, recurring funding. LSU has been challenged to invest these funds in a number of broad areas that will:

Better prepare our students to enter the modern, IT-intensive workplace;
Focus more of our research enterprise on IT-related fields of discovery;
Promote a more rapid deployment of new technologies into the marketplace.
This is an extraordinary opportunity, not only for LSU but for the state as a whole.

Advisory Panel Membership and Time Commitment

Before deciding how best to invest these new resources, we as an institution are seeking input from key individuals at the highest levels of industry and academia who have demonstrated visionary leadership in the information technology arena. In this regard, the following national leaders have agreed to serve on an LSU CAPITAL advisory panel:

Name Affiliation www
Jack Dongarra University of Tennessee
Richard Gibbs Baylor College of Medicine
John Hopcroft Cornell University
James Mitchell Lucent Technologies

The panel will visit the LSU campus for about a day and a half during the fall of 2001 (presently scheduled for 18-19 November).

Background Information

During its visit to LSU during the fall of 2001, we expect the panel to:

Charge to the Advisory Panel

After several hours of semi-private deliberations on the second day of their visit, the panel will present to Chancellor Emmert specific recommendations regarding ways in which LSU CAPITAL resources might most wisely be invested over the coming five years. Although the panel is welcome to offer suggestions on any aspect of modern information technology and how it relates to the mission of the university, we request that the panel specifically respond to the following questions:

What are LSU's primary strengths and weaknesses in the context of IT research and instruction?
In what areas of basic and applied information technology research should LSU target its efforts to recruit and retain faculty in order to be consistent with the goals of the state's IT initiative (and Vision 20/20) and to simultaneously raise LSU's research profile nationally and internationally?
Which prominent individuals might we target in our initial recruiting efforts?
What new degree or certificate programs should LSU offer (or what existing programs should we enhance) in an effort to significantly grow the proper workforce for IT-intensive areas of current and new businesses for Louisiana?
What must LSU do in order to effectively promote a more rapid deployment of new technologies into the marketplace?
What infrastructure must be built at LSU in order to properly support IT research, education, and business development?

No written report shall be required from the panel, but the panel's visit will be recorded and its discussions partially transcribed for the record.