In his inaugural address nearly 11 months ago, University President Frederick Lawrence emphasized his commitment to "develop a strategic vision with concrete plans to secure Brandeis' place as an elite global liberal arts university." Two overseas trips later—most recently a productive trip to India—and it's clear that we are well on our way to achieving his goal.

In addition to the newly formed academic partnerships Mr. Lawrence has made, this board suggests an additional, innovative approach: iTunes U. The five-year-old program is Apple's attempt to make educational materials available free of charge to the world. It houses a library of recorded courses and their accompanying assignments, all easily downloadable through iTunes. According to the Apple website, iTunes U holds more than 500,000 resources. Hundreds of universities from all over the world participate in the effort, including three from our area: Boston University, Boston College and Harvard University. On one level, an iTunes U account would prove to be an effective admissions tool. The Office of Admissions could include links to an iTunes U account in all of its promotional materials. As a result, students who are interested in the University would be able to easily access a sampling of the Brandeis education.

But more importantly, joining iTunes U would effectively market the value of a Brandeis education to the global community. Showcasing the highest-rated courses and most prestigious professors would illustrate to the world what our university contributes to the liberal arts. It would provide students with a taste of Brandeis—not only in India and Israel, but around the globe. It's possible that an iTunes U initiative would lead to even more academic partnerships, as students and professors from all walks of life would be able to see just what makes us "elite."