In recent years, rapid development in computer network technology has created a huge job market for individuals with network management experience. While most colleges and universities provide their students with access to many of today's cutting-edge technologies and applications due to security and other concerns, network technology has been and remains an area that most students are not allowed to access directly. Between the universities' interest in protecting their networking and other assets, and the students' desire in learning network technology, the Software and Hardware Academic Recycling Effort (SHARE) Project calls to create an instructional and experimental network environment. It recycles existing hardware and software made available through campus upgrades. For California State University at San Marcos (CSUSM), this project would benefit directly all 230 Computer Science majors and minors, and about 1400 students of other majors each year who take Computer Science courses. This opportunity is especially important to CSUSM's high female and substantial ethnic minority population. It would also facilitate the development of a new course that provides students with hands-on experience on networking related topics by sharing their knowledge and experience with each other. In addition, this project would also benefit indirectly thousands of students of other institutions by providing a model to create an invaluable instructional tool for those young talented minds that have the desire to learn the cutting-edge technologies by "doing it." In summary, it is expected that this project would be an excellent model for other institutions which wish to achieve the following objectives: maximizing the usage of valuable computer resources, administering ~ recycled computer network into a precious education tool, and instilling the principles of self-reliance as well as teamwork in a simulated work environment.
