One of the primary educational goals of the Geography, Department at Colgate University is to develop students technical skills in manipulating social and environmental data to identify patterns, establish relationships, test hypotheses and make management decisions. To achieve this goal, we require students to use techniques, such as quantitative data analysis and map development, in several of our courses and have increasingly stressed the use of Macintosh microcomputers to perform these tasks. Although this program is successful, we recognize two important weaknesses. Our computers lack the necessary speed and peripheral support to perform geographic information systems (GIS) and advanced map analysis applications, both of which are increasingly important skills. To address these weaknesses, we propose to create a computer facility equipped with two Macintosh II computers to perform the numerically intensive tasks associated with GIS and advanced map development, four smaller Macintoshes for graphic enhancement and simpler data analysis and some key peripheral devices and software for data entry, data manipulation and product output. The proposed package will not only meet our GIS and map analysis needs but will improve our capability to require students to apply such techniques in other courses.
