Bing . . . thank you for using AT&T.

Adminstrators have heard it on television, they've heard it when making long distance phone calls and now they're hearing it again.

The University's new alliance with the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. will add $10 million dollars to the University's bank book along with other perks. More importantly, we should all see benefits in our classrooms and on our phone bills.

This deal can be the "on ramp" the University needs to the information superhighway we all keep hearing so much about. AT&T plans to develop the relationship between education and electronics. Conference call education could become a reality, linking some of the best professors around to students miles away. And, perhaps most importantly, Penn State will be entering unfamiliar territory holding the hand of a seasoned veteran.

With the University's agreements with Pepsi and Barnes & Noble in recent memory, it may look like administrators are slowly selling off parts of Penn State, but everyone must realize this newest partnership, along with the Barnes & Noble deal, will bring the best people to work for Penn State. Bringing AT&T into the University family can mean more for our education than scoreboards and soda machines ever will.

And Penn State already possesses a long-term relationship with AT&T. The company is the long-distance server for Penn State, and students already see the benefits through special calling rates. The long distance plans will be extended to the massive alumni base, ultimately saving faculty, staff and students up to $20 million when they "reach out."

But administrators must never forget Penn State's mission. The University's first loyalties should be to the education and well-being of its students. AT&T is a businesss, and its goal is, above all else, to make money. The moment the two missions conflict, Penn State must be prepared and willing to re-evaluate its relationship with the telecommunications giant.

The University must never become too dependent on its new business partner -- or future partners. There is a big difference between working with the private sector to provide better education and selling out to it for a quick dollar and name recognition.

Penn State made the right move in signing on with a business that has a legitimate record of quality and expertise in the communications world. Now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to jump forward -- albeit with caution.