Cornell was not just one of the first universities to be "wired"; it was one of the first to think seriously about what it means to be wired. How do we guide students through the digital universe? What do teachers who use online materials need to know about copyright law? Can we use digital technology in the humanities? Will online learning put us out of business?

Cornell has shared its experience in thinking about these issues by bringing together educators and administrators from across the continent for a yearly Institute for Computer Policy and Law. The 17th annual event, titled "Internet Culture and the Academy," will be held Sept. 19-21 in Statler Hall.

Although the scope is international, organizers urge Cornell faculty and staff to take advantage of the opportunity to attend. "We hope to re-engage the Cornell community in a better understanding of how technology, law, the market and user behaviors intersect in creating today's academy," said Tracy Mitrano, director of information technology policy and director of the institute. The registration fee for Cornell attendees is $375, about one-third of the fee for outsiders. Space will be limited, Mitrano said, but an effort will be made to make room for Cornellians.

Sessions will lead off with keynote speakers, each followed by open discussions. Scheduled speakers are Lori Andrews, distinguished professor of law at the Chicago-Kent College of Law and director of the Illinois Institute of Technology's Institute for Science, Law and Technology; W. Gardner Campbell, director of professional development and innovative initiatives at Virginia Polytechnic Institute; Kathleen Fitzpatrick, director of scholarly communication at the Modern Language Association; Deanna Marcum, managing director of Ithaka S+R; and Howard Rheingold, writer, critic and virtual community pioneer (presenting virtually).

Topics of discussion include:

• Internet law and policy: struggles over copyright, piracy and privacy in a globally connected world;
• Internet privacy as social policy and the significance of social networking and online identity for students and academic professionals;
• Scholarly publications, institutional funding, intellectual property and peer review challenges;
• Integration of new media with teaching, learning and research;
• Academic integrity in the digital age, including debates around how to define plagiarism and the value of technological detection systems);
• Knowledge production, collection and dissemination for academic librarians, and digital and information literacy for all; and
• How the Internet is shaping the culture of the academy.