As the federal government prepares to pour billions of stimulus dollars into increased broadband Internet access, colleges are trying to claim much of the money and shape the emerging national networking policy. Their focus is $4.7-billion that will be doled out under a new grant program administered by a small Commerce Department agency called the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). In Congressional testimony in April, a senior official of NTIA, described the project as "the first step in realizing President Obama's vision of bringing the benefits of broadband technology to all Americans." Several higher-education information-technology groups are working to influence the national broadband strategy through private conversations with agency officials; negotiations with other entities that also have a stake in broadband; and a white paper, "Unleashing Waves of Innovation: Transformative Broadband for America's Future," filed with the agency. One higher-education official, however, cautioned that some of the ideas being floated run the risk of dictating to communities, rather than partnering with them. That could distort the program.