UOR - Since 1981

The University of the Open Road
Since 1981

Thanks to hypertext connectivity, the dream of The University of the Open Road is now becoming a reality.

The University dates back to 1981. The earliest written reference uncovered so far is a personal letter written by Dr. Steve in 1981. While completing his Ph.D. between academic gigs, Dr. Steve attended the 1981 annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association (now the National Communication Association). His badge listed The University of the Open Road for his institutional affiliation.*

The idea stems from a conversation Dr. Steve had in the Ames Public Library sharing knowledge with the person at the computer next to him. The library had two stand-alone Commodore PET computers. They were not connected to each other, though they were both connected to the same power source. That is all.

In the past quarter of a century computers have radically changed communication, society, and human consciousness. The forces which simultaneously reflect and shape the drama of human relations have undergone radical transformation. The University of the Open Road is dedicated to opening up the universe of discourse in the drama.
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*The papers presented at the 1981 SCA conference addressed three aspects of rhetoric, aurality, and consciousness:
(1) The Relationship Between Thought and Sound in Classical Theories of Rhetoric,
(2) Sonic Dimensions in the Rhetorical Theories of I.A. Richards and Kenneth Burke, and
(3) The Synecdochic Fallacy in a Mass-Tecnological Society.