PULLMAN Wash. — Washington State University is the most “connected” state university
in America according to a new poll by Yahoo Internet Life Magazine. In its May issue, the
magazine ranks the top 100 “wired” universities based on a wide range of criteria.
Schools ranked in the poll are judged by the high-tech services and Internet access available
to students. Each institution was asked to respond to a lengthy survey that inquired into
detailed aspects of a school’s wired life.
The criteria include computer hardware and access per student, online academic programs
such as distance learning, Web access for the hearing- and seeing-impaired, and free services
like e-mail.
WSU Student Computing Services Manager George Ball says the university has good
reasons to make Web access a priority. “The Web is where it’s at. Faculty and students are
grappling with how this exciting new tool fits into teaching and learning. The Web has exploded
in the last five years and it’s the direction things are going.”
Special features in WSU’s use of the Web include:
— Online application for admission as well as registration for classes. The URL for applications is
— The award-winning CougNet service for students, alumni and friends. The URL is
— The internationally recognized Ask Dr. Universe Web site, where anyone can submit a
question and WSU professors provide answers. The URL is
This makes the third year that WSU has been in the top 100. Ranked 44th last year, WSU
moved to first place in the state university category and to number seven in the overall rankings.
First place in the overall rankings went to Case Western Reserve University, while
Massachusetts Institute of Technology placed second. Other local institutions rated in the poll
include the University of Idaho, ranked as the fifth place state school and 13th overall, and the
University of Washington, ranked number 90 overall.
Yahoo Internet Life Magazine is a Ziff-Davis publication. The magazine is sold at
newsstands and is available on the Web at
hi123-99
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