New Virtual U

Virtual U: Frequently Asked Questions

Who developed Virtual U?
Virtual U was developed by William Massy of the Jackson Hole Higher Education Group and Enlight Software of Hong Kong.

Is Virtual U useful for teaching graduate, doctoral, and undergraduate students?
Absolutely! It is one of the product's strongest uses and several professors of higher-education administration are already using or planning to use the product in their classes and seminars. Virtual U is also being used by undergraduate and graduate business, finance, and accounting classes.

There is a multitude of uses and approaches for Virtual U in the classroom and for distance learning. We have several special offers and packages for schools and professors using Virtual U for educational purposes. We are also collecting and publishing (with permission) names of professors who are using the product in classrooms. Materials, contacts, and additional information can be found in our Education section.

Is Virtual U tough to learn?
Virtual U is complex and does take time to learn. Several hours of playing time may be needed before you begin to master the basic play of Virtual U. However, part of the fun of playing with Virtual U is discovering of how sections work and the techniques needed to master the many problems you will face as an administrator.

How long does the average playing session for Virtual U last?
A useful session can last anywhere from 30 minutes to all day -- or even weeks. The time spent depends on the experience of the player, the situation the player is exploring or the problem the player is trying to solve, and the overall goal of the playing session.

Is it easy for me to train others to use Virtual U?
It is not extremely easy to train others to use Virtual U due to the depth and complexity of the product and the effort required to master it. However, once you have mastered Virtual U, it becomes relatively easy to facilitate small groups of people and train others in its uses. We are currently working to produce more information and resources that will enable you to build robust and enjoyable training sessions and exercises with Virtual U.

How can I discuss Virtual U with other users?
We have recently started several discussion groups for users of the software and members of the Virtual U community. Please visit our Community page (http://vu.dmill.com/vbulletin/) to discuss Virtual U. If you are a professor of higher-education you might visit a specially created user Web site and community at www.virtualupdate.org.

Is there a demo version of Virtual U available?
Not anymore because download the entire product now from our download page. Press may order for free a boxed copy of the software, manuals and press kit by contact Beth Bryant at 1-888-286-3540.

Does Virtual U support specialized schools such as law schools or medical schools?
No. Virtual U does not support specialized graduate schools such law schools or medical schools. While the program consists of a number of departments, the peculiarities of institutions such as medical schools with working hospitals are not modeled in Virtual U.

Can I build new buildings and grow my campus in Virtual U?
Not specifically. Virtual U is not a "building" oriented simulation. You open with a number of departments (you can choose the mix) and you can build out the number of students, faculty, and overall available space. However, you can't add or subtract departments during play, or design specific new buildings. Virtual U focuses more on management issues and maintaining a healthy balance sheet, scholarly activities, and constituency moral.

How long did it take to develop the first version of Virtual U?
The first version of Virtual U took nearly two years to develop and program. We continue to invest in its development.

What is the public source version of Virtual U?
The public source version of Virtual U is now available and provides access to the very source code and source elements (i.e. graphics, sound, etc.) that comprise the actual Virtual U program. This source code is available for free for non-commercial purposes. Licensing of the source code will be made available to commercial interests (be they commercialized interests on behalf of public/private institutions, or industrial entities). All interested licensees of the source code can contact Ben Sawyer at bsawyer@virtual-u.org for more information.

Is there a tutorial I can use to learn more about Virtual U?
There is a multimedia tutorial on every CD-ROM copy of Virtual U. It is also available for download at www.virtual-u.org/tutorial.php. We have also developed public and private training workshops featuring Dr. Massy, the designer of Virtual U. For information on upcoming workshops, please visit www.virtual-u.org.

Why isn't there a Macintosh version of Virtual U?
Our development team was skilled with Windows programming and thus Virtual U was originally developed for Microsoft Windows. Due to some of the proprietary graphics features and programming used to create Virtual U's unique graphical interface, it wasn't possible during the development of the first version to do a Macintosh version of the software. However, hope to eventually port Virtual U to the Macintosh. We are actively looking for volunteers who wish to port the core simulation kernal to the Macintosh and create a graphical interface suitable to the Macintosh. If you are interested in working with us on this, please contact Ben Sawyer at bsawyer@virtual-u.org.

Why doesn't Virtual U run on Windows NT?
In order to display its graphics, Virtual U uses a special graphical programming API (application programming interface) known as DirectX. Windows NT is only compatible with DirectX 3.0 while Virtual U requires DirectX 6.1 or higher. Because Microsoft never updated DirectX for the NT platform, Virtual U doesn't work with Windows NT. Windows 2000, the upgrade to Windows NT, supports DirectX 7 and higher and thus is compatible with Virtual U.

What are the system requirements of Virtual U?
The system requirements for Virtual U are as follows:

- 32 megabytes of RAM
- 50 megabytes of available hard disk space
- CD-ROM
- Direct X 6.1 or higher with compatible graphics card
- Sound card (optional)

How do I order copies in bulk for my group, class, or organization and is there a site license for Virtual U?
If you are ordering less than 100 copies, see our bulk-pricing sheet found at www.virtual-u.org/ordering.php. For institutions wishing to order blanket licenses for an entire school or staff totaling more than 100 users, please contact Ben Sawyer at bsawyer@virtual-u.org.

Please note that our distribution partner Anker Publishing provides potential further discounts when an order is placed through a college bookstore that will be reselling Virtual U to students.

How can I get a customized version of Virtual U tailored to my institution?
Customizing Virtual U to a specific institution requires us to rewrite the initialization routines in Virtual U. At this time that is a custom piece of software development and data modeling. At this time, a specialized version costs approximately $10,000 to $25,000. If you are interested, contact Ben Sawyer at bsawyer@virtual-u.org.

Where did you get the initial data to develop Virtual U?
The initial data for Virtual U was developed by Dr. Massy with assistance from the Institute for Research in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Much of the data is from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) data collected by NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) and then organized by our developers. Formulas from this data were derived from scholarly research. In cases where no "specific" formula existed, formulas were developed based on empirical observations by Dr. Massy and the Virtual U development team.

Aside from the open-ended play, what are the specific scenarios to play in Virtual U?

Scenario 1 Pay Faculty Better
Scenario 2 Allocate New Money
Scenario 3 Teach Better
Scenario 4 Improve Research Performance
Scenario 5 Win Games
Scenario 6 Reduce Tuition
Scenario 7 Respond to Enrollment Shifts
Scenario 8 Enroll More Minority Students
Scenario 9 Hire More Minority Faculty Members
Scenario 10 Balance the Budget

Details of these scenarios can be found here.