University Gives Palms to Students

The University of South Dakota (USD) of Vermillion will provide Palm handheld computers to all first-year undergraduate students as well as first-year law and medical school students. The initiative takes place beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year and affects approximately 1,300 students.

USD is working with Palm to implement the program and to select a suite of software applications for use in student coursework. The USD Foundation is underwriting most of the cost of the handhelds. Students will bear a portion of the cost through a small assessment during four semesters.

At a news conference, USD President James W. Abbott said, "The University of South Dakota students live in a mobile society. We must provide a learning environment using the latest technology so our students can take advantage of the benefits of anytime, anywhere learning to better prepare for the future. Palm's mobile technology enables us to extend learning beyond the walls of classrooms.

"Another benefit is that Palm handhelds can be loaded with applications, such as financial calculators, reference books, literature books, coursework organizers and word processors, so we can considerably lighten the 20-pound backpack that the typical student lugs around," Abbott said. "We look forward to working with Palm to develop more and better ways to enhance the educational experience of our students and the teaching experience for our faculty."

Mike Lorion, Palm's vice president of education, said, "Palm handhelds are a great match for today's students because they epitomize their mobile lifestyle."