Blacksburg, VA, Jan. 25, 1998 -- "New forms of communication and knowledge dissemination place previously unknown pressures on the conventions of academic exchange that have dominated this century," says Ann Weaver Hart, dean of the graduate school at the University of Utah.

"Scholarly Exchange: The Responsibility to Advance Knowledge," is Hart's topic on Feb. 2 in the "Scholarship in the Electronic Age," seminar series sponsored by Virginia Tech (4 p.m., 30 Pamplin Hall).

To advance knowledge, scholars must maintain the maximum possible level of exchange and interaction, says Hart, who is widely published on the topic of academic freedom.

Hart points to Henry Steele Commager, who in his 1952 book, The Commonwealth of Learning, said that the scholar "is not isolated.... is dependent on his colleagues and associates ... throughout the globe. The scholar of today...is dedicated to the search for truth, but that search is a public affair and a cooperative affair."

"If this statement was true in 1952, it is more certainly true now," says Hart.

Her talk will explore "the nature of scholarly exchange and the advancement of knowledge in graduate education and the perceived needs and desires of colleges and universities, professional societies, research sponsors, communities, and governments to influence and control the structure, timing, and content of knowledge dissemination."

For more information about the seminar series and about Hart's talk and the other speakers' presenations, visit the Web at www.rgs.vt.edu/resmag/seminars.html . Audio will be posted at that site after each talk, and a proceedings will be available after the conclusion of the eight-part seminar series.