ACU selected as featured university on iTunes U; only private Texas university

ACU was recently selected as one of 28 universities in the country to be featured on Apple's iTunes U site. ACU is the only Texas private university, and one of only three in the state on this short list of universities.

"Last week, we received a call from Apple informing us of our inclusion on the iTunes U featured list," said Carmen Foster, director of web communication. "We are very excited about sharing the list with such schools as MIT, Duke and UC Berkeley."

In May 2007, Apple announced the launch of its iTunes U category in the iTunes Store, dedicated to colleges and universities to provide free content to the public. Featured content includes course lectures, language lessons, lab demonstrations and sports highlights.

ACU has made available for download different types of content for the public. Speeches, lectures, academic programs, professors' podcasts, student media publications and videos, as well as campus life, ACU history and student bands, can all be downloaded to an iPod, PC or Mac.

"We believe that the content included on ACU's site will appeal to everyone," Foster said. "Whether you're interested in learning something new, or just want to stay connected to ACU, we have something for everyone. And the best part is that it is available to you anytime, anywhere."

As a featured university, users may find ACU content by searching the iTunes U section of the iTunes Store.

In the summer of 2006, ACU was invited to participate in Apple's iTunes U through the ACU WorldWide online degree program. That content was only available behind a login.

Later that same semester, ACU's Adams Center for Teaching Excellence launched a pilot program involving several ACU professors to determine the most effective way to present course content to the general public. After the research was complete, the university committed resources to sharing ACU's academic content on a larger scale.

"ACU's involvement in iTunes U has, and will continue to raise the level of visibility for ACU's academic excellence, strengthen our position as a top quality private university and continue our leadership role in technology and learning," said Foster.

ACU is a part of the New Media Consortium, an international not-for-profit consortium of nearly 200 leading colleges, universities, museums, corporations and other learning-focused organizations dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies.

To view ACU on iTunes U, visit the iTunes Store, or go to http://itunes.acu.edu. iTunes software, a free download from www.apple.com/itunes, is required.

If you are a member of the media who would like more information about this release, please contact ACU's Public Relations Office or call (325) 674-2696.