MDCC Environ Scan- External Technology

Driving Forces	Implications for Miami Dade
Technology will continue to change rapidly.	Need to develop planning and budgeting processes to keep infrastructure, curriculum, and faculty/staff skills up to date.
The lifetime of new hardware and software is finite.	Need formal planning for replacement and maintenance on a 5-10 year cycle.
Information technology will allow other institutions and for-profit vendors to compete for our students.	Collaborative arrangements are necessary. Need long range planning for our own distance education.
The integration of databases (student, finance, personnel, facilities) at the state level will allow legislative "fishing expeditions."	Need to review the existing legislative "wish list", and fight for prior review of these questions for validity.
Technology can be applied to safety issues.	The college should consider this application, including such things as alarms, monitored entrances, automatic lights, etc.