The 2006 NMC Directors' Meeting was held February 23 - 24, 2006, in Austin, Texas. This year, the event was at the Capitol Place Hotel (formerly Crowne Plaza).

Almost be the beginning of spring in Austin that time of year, and temperatures averaging between 65 and 70 degrees (F). Within walking distance of some of the best live music, food, and fun to be had that time of year anywhere, and wildflowers will be beginning to bloom.
 
Fun is only a secondary goal, of course....our real task was to conduct a business meeting, strengthen connections between NMC campus liaisons and institutions, spend time thinking about how to maximize the benefits of the NMC, and learn from each other.
 
The meeting kicked off Thursday, February 23 with an optional slate of tours of programs at the University of Texas at Austin . The official proceeds began with a reception and dinner at 6 pm, and continued through Friday, February 24, with an all-day program of dialog and discussions wrapping up at 5 pm.

Discussion Topics
We focused our discussions Friday around three themes: Maximizing Campus Impact; the 2006 Horizon Report; and New Media Literacy and Learning.

• Maximizing Campus Impact. The discussions on this topic which began at last year's Director's meeting and continued at the Summer Conference in Hawaii have been captured in a new white paper that will be released at this meeting. We will use the new publication as a springboard for further discussion, and share several success stories.
• The 2006 Horizon Report. This year's report was produced entirely in virtual environments, and the process was illuminating. We'll share the backstory, discuss the six technologies highlighted, and explore ways in which you might pursue similar activities on your campuses.
• New Media Literacy and Learning. The NMC has received a major grant from the MacArthur Foundation to host the MacArthur Series on Digital Media and Learning over the coming year. This project includes more than $300,000 in stipends for authors who will contribute to three volumes of essays and research on the topic. Learn how your campus can become involved!

Campus Tours : The University of Texas at Austin
Our friends and colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin have invited all attendees of the 2006 Directors' Meeting to join them for a look at New Media innovation — UT style!. The tour of the facilities, tools and techniques will be conducted from 10am-3pm on Thursday, February 23. Transportation to and from the University will be provided. Tour details are still being finalized, but will include the following:

• The Virtual Cameraman System - an innovative way that recordings of presentations can be made automatically, and how various colleges are tackling lecture webcasting/podcasting.
• Digital Morphology Project - featuring the High-Resolution X-ray CT facility, tools and methods for efficient image processing, 3D visualizations and foundations for real-time interactive CT data manipulation, and a 3D printer.
• Digital Assets Services (DASE) - the College of Liberal Arts and Fine Arts will demonstrate how this java-based tool can allow faculty and museum staff to store, search and display various types of media assets for prepared or just-in-time presentation.
• Assessment Resources, Tools, Techniques - featuring DIIA's Instructional Assessment Resources, Online Course Assessment, a tool for enhancing undergraduate research, and more.

Make plans now for this one-of-a-kind event open only to NMC Directors and their supervisors and campus champions!
 
Included in the modest "at cost" registration fee ($125 for Regular NMC members; $75 for Plus members) will be the reception and dinner Thursday night, breakfast and lunch Friday, and all refreshment breaks.