Microsoft, CSU continue to deal­without CETI

Staff reports, On-line Forty-Niner

May 5,1998

 

Although Microsoft is no longer a player in the California Educational Technology Initiative, the computer software giant continues to work with Cal State University to reach, what the Chancellor's Office calls "an appropriate relationship."

 

Apparently the two are restricting their relationship to that of vendor-buyer. The corporation will continue to provide its products to the CSU system at a substantial discount. There is a possibility that a financial partnership might be established with the Cal State system, according to Tom West, assistant vice chancellor for information resources and technology.

 

"Microsoft has been a long-time software provider for the CSU," West said.

 

CSULB Senate Chair member Michael Mahoney, who has been an active voice in the initiative, said that despite popular belief, Microsoft never played a big part in CETI.

"[Microsoft] had only 5 percent of the decision making power of the arrangement. Microsoft was the smallest corporation in on the deal, with a gross of $12 billion this year, whereas Fujitsu grossed $36 billion and GTE $22 billion dollars," he said.

 

Mahoney said that Microsoft has drawn more attention, because of the amount of press it gets on a daily basis.

When it was announced that the software provider would no longer be a part of CETI, he said, some students, staff and faculty became needlessly concerned.

 

Despite conflicting reports, Microsoft's leaving the arrangement was a mutual decision, according to Senate Chair David Hood.

 

"The biggest reason that Microsoft is no longer a part of CETI is because the corporation did not want a partnership with CSU. It was more concerned with selling products to Cal State campuses," Hood said.

 

"What we wanted was an active partner who would go in on special projects with us, invest and take risks," Hood said.

 

Hood said he believes all Microsoft wanted from the CSU system was a customer.

 

It had no interest, he said, in improving the infrastructure on a philanthropical basis. That's expected, he said.

 

"Microsoft is not known to want to be partners with anyone," Hood said.

 

A considerable amount of opposition was voiced by students and faculty, many arguing that Microsoft might try to control CSU financial decisions once the deal was approved.

 

CETI initially was a collaboration between Microsoft, GTE, Fujitsu and Hughes Aircraft to give $300 million toward improving the technological infrastructure of the Cal State system.

 

Microsoft, which dropped out of the deal in early April, declined to comment to the Daily Forty-Niner on its reason for leaving the partnership.