Technology & Learning
Community
From the Field
September 1998
Sullivan County
Community College Opens
First Community College Cyber Cafe on the East Coast
by Monica Bagna
What does Sullivan
County Community College, NY (SCCC) have in common with UCLA,
NYU, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth and Notre Dame? Answer: A Cyber
Cafe.
Several years ago,
the idea of opening a cyber cafe, a high-tech recreational computing
lounge, at Sullivan County Community College seemed so farfetched
that it was rejected by college officials. Today, SCCC is on the
cutting edge of technology and community college history. On September
14, 1998, SCCC became the first community college on the East Coast
as well as the first State University of New York campus to open
its very own Cyber Cafe.
Above the entrance
to the newly opened Cafe is a glowing neon “Cyber Cafe”
sign, just a hint of what lies behind the glass doors.
Trees, cafe-style tables
and chairs, soft music as well as “black lighting” set
the mood for the “Cyber Cafe @ SCCC.” Fifteen high-end,
Pentium-based multimedia computers are set up on black cafe tables
arranged so that visitors can easily interact with one another.
“We didn't want this place to look like a customary computer
lab,” said Ed Washington, Coordinator of Campus Computer
Services and the longtime employee who envisioned and coordinated
the “Cyber Cafe @ SCCC” project.
“Unique”
is how Washington described the completed project. “It's not
what one would expect to see at a community college. ... We wanted
to give students a new and innovative form of recreation that not
only allows them to explore technology, but to have fun while doing
so,” Washington said.
An array of computer
games, high-speed Web browsing, Internet chatting, digital photo
editing, Virtual make-overs, color printing, WEB-TV, and dozens
of interactive, networked and Internet based games are among the
many activities Cafe goers can explore. Videoconferencing “quick
cams” allow Cafe visitors to view the person with whom they
are speaking. The combination of a big screen TV and Virtual Reality
enables Cafe goers to enter another dimension in computer games.
The availability of food and nonalcoholic beverages puts the finishing
touch on the “Cafe” atmosphere.
Washington credits
the college's new president, Dr. Mamie Howard Golladay, with
the forward thinking and leadership needed to make this innovative
concept come to fruition. “I'm glad our new president is so
technologically minded. Her ideas are right where they need to be
to bring us forward into the 21st century,” Washington said.
“We've always had a commitment to technology here, but the
leadership we needed to go beyond is what we never had.”
“When Ed approached
me with his idea about the Cyber Cafe this past March, I was intrigued
with the concept,” said Golladay, whose extensive background
includes several technological initiatives. “I saw it as a
way to assist students and community members who may not otherwise
have access to a computer.”
The Cyber Cafe is
located between the College cafeteria and the Student Union. “Most
students pass through this area everyday, making it a great place
to greet one another in a social setting,” said Ellen Galligan,
Assistant to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
“The furnishing and lighting are inviting and unlike in the
academic computer labs, conversation is encouraged. This is a great
way to foster campus community spirit, which in turn enhances retention.”
Available to both
SCCC students, alumni and the public, the “Cyber Cafe @ SCCC”
is open seven days a week. A nominal fee is charged for Cafe memberships,
which are renewable every six months. Those not interested in membership
can visit the Cyber Cafe in two-hour time periods for a small fee.
Funding for the $25,000
“Cyber Cafe @ SCCC” project was provided by the Sullivan
County Community College Faculty Student Association. Sponsorship
was provided by many businesses and individuals. To date, monetary
donations as well as materials, such as computer software and a
large screen television, have been donated to the Cyber Cafe. Many
others have given discounts on merchandise for the Cafe.
For more information
about the “Cyber Cafe @ SCCC,” call 914-434-5750, ext.
4272 or 4351, send email to cybermaster@sullivan.suny.edu
, or visit the Cyber Cafe's web site at www.sullivan.suny.edu/cyber.
To contact the author, call or email:
Monica Bagna
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
Sullivan County Community College
914-434-5750 x4351 or 800-577-5243 x4351
mbagna@sullivan.suny.edu
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