USF related info: LIBRARIAN HEADS TELECOM DISCOUNT FUND
ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG)
Mon, 29 Sep 1997 10:42:57 -0400
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 10:42:57 -0400
Message-Id: <199709291448.KAA08980@comet.connix.com>
From: ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH E-MAIL) <ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG> (by way of mgolrick@sclc.org (Michael A. Golrick))
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: USF related info: LIBRARIAN HEADS TELECOM DISCOUNT FUND
For those who do not subscribe to this, here is some USF related info.
Michael
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ALAWON Volume 6, Number 81
ISSN 1069-7799 September 24, 1997
American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
In this issue: (152 lines)
LIBRARIAN HEADS TELECOM DISCOUNT FUND; K.G. OUYE ELECTED CHAIR OF
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES CORPORATION
USAC BOARD CONVENES FIRST MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 22
________________________________________________________________________
LIBRARIAN HEADS TELECOM DISCOUNT FUND;
K.G. OUYE ELECTED CHAIR OF SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES CORPORATION
Kathleen (K.G.) Ouye, library representative to the new Schools
and Libraries Corporation (SLC) board, has been elected its first
chairperson. Ouye, city librarian at the San Mateo (Calif.)
Public Library, was unanimously elected to lead the SLC board at
its first meeting on September 23 in Washington, D.C.
Ouye was appointed by Federal Communications Commission Chairman
Reed Hundt on September 9 as the library representative to the
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) board and the SLC
board. This is the first time that a librarian has been
officially appointed by the FCC to such entities.
ALA President Barbara Ford applauded Ouye's appointment to the
USAC and SLC boards as well as her election as chair of SLC.
"K. G.'s election exemplifies the superb leadership demonstrated
by our profession and its recognition by our colleagues from both
education and industry involved with universal service."
The SLC is one of three companies established by the FCC to
administer the new universal service program. USAC, SLC and the
Rural Health Care Corporation (RHCC) conducted their first board
meetings in Washington, D.C. on September 22 and 23. USAC will
be responsible for collecting and disbursing universal service
funds. The two separate, unaffiliated corporations -- SLC and
RHCC -- will be responsible for receiving applications and
committing funds under the universal service provisions for
libraries, schools and rural health care providers.
"This will go a long way in bridging the gap between the
information poor and information rich communities. Some
libraries will depend on these funds to get started with
essential infrastructure and telecommunications on which to build
services. Other libraries will use these funds to leverage
existing services and bring a wealth of enhancements in
information resources." Ouye said.
Ouye comes to serve in this federal role following serving as
chair of the California Public Utilities Commission Task Force on
Telecommunications Infrastructure for Schools and Public
Libraries. She also served on the California Governor's Council
on Information Technology. Her publications include California
SB 600 Task Force on Telecommunications Infrastructure for K-12
Schools and Public Libraries in 1995, and Linking Bay Area
Communities, a Telecommunications Infrastructure Partnership
Vision Statement in 1997.
The SLC board will soon select the chief executive officer for
the SLC and expedite the availability of discount applications
forms, currently being reviewed by the FCC. The SLC also
approved authorization for the National Exchange Carriers
Association (NECA) to continue work to establish the necessary
systems for processing library and school discount applications.
In addition to Ouye other SLC board members are Ann L. Bryant,
executive director of the National School Boards Association;
Henry Marockie, West Virginia Superintendent of Education and
current president of the Council of Chief State School Officers
and Brian L. Talbott, executive director of the American
Association of Educational Service Agencies. Ken Brody, managing
partner of Winslow Partners was appointed as the independent
director to the SLC board. Frank Gumper, vice-president of
Federal Regulatory Planning at Bell Atlantic, was elected the
provider representative to the SLC. Marockie was elected
vice-chairperson of the SLC. All but Brody will also be serving
as directors on the USAC board.
_________________________________________________________________
USAC BOARD CONVENES FIRST MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 22
The first meeting of the Universal Service Administrative Company
(USAC) board of directors on September 22 at the Federal
Communication Commission included greetings from FCC Chairman
Reed Hundt, FCC Commissioner Susan Ness, and Sen. Jay Rockefeller
(D-WV), an original sponsor of the provision in the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 which mandated the discounts for
schools and libraries.
Hundt spoke of the importance of USAC's work given that modern
telecommunications is on the verge of revolutionizing education,
health care, and the way we live. In reference to legal
challenges by Southwestern Bell and others, he said the
challenges were "wrong law, wrong for the country, and wrong for
kids.
Under the FCC's May 7 and July 17 decisions, USAC has
responsibility for collecting and disbursing funds for the
universal service program, including the telecommunications
discount program for libraries and schools. USAC was set up as
an independent subsidiary of the National Exchange Carrier's
Association by the FCC to be the interim fund administrator.
Commissioner Ness noted that USAC is "the next milestone in
assuring affordable telecommunications for all Americans." As
the only FCC commissioner who will remain on the Federal
Communications Commission next year, Ness pledged to "advise,
guide, and sometimes nudge" USAC on universal service issues.
Sen. Rockefeller recalled his work in implementing the
Snowe-Kerrey-Rockefeller-Exon amendment in the 1996
Telecommunications Act as "the largest thing I participated in to
help my state and the country."
The USAC Board consists of 17 directors--three directors each
represent incumbent local exchange carriers and schools; two
directors represent long distance companies; and one director
each represents libraries, commercial mobile radio services and
paging, competitive local exchange carriers, cable operators,
information service providers, rural health care providers, low
income consumers, state telecommunications regulators, and
consumer advocates.
Both the USAC Board and the SLC Board will meet monthly. The
next public meetings are scheduled for October 20th and 21st in
Washington, D.C.
_________________________________________________________________
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