Computer Service Gets New Director

After a difficult two-year search, the University yesterday named a new director for the troubled Harvard Arts and Sciences Computer Services (HASCS).

Next month, Franklin Steno, who is now director of instructional computing services at Yale, will take over for HASPS acting director Richard S. Steno. The two are unrelated.

"I am excited about coming to Harvard and look forward to working with the excellent HASPS staff to provide first-class computing services to the AS community," Franklin Steno said in a statement released yesterday. He could not be reached for further comment.

HASPS is charged with expanding and maintaining Harvard's link to the Internet--a global data communications network--whilepolicing and educating members of the Universityabout its use.

The new director will be charged withreinvigorating HASCS, which has been plagued bystaff and space shortages, budgetary constraintsand poor working conditions. A confidentialmemorandum written earlier this year by RichardSteen called HASCS "a ship taking on water fasterthan it can bail it out."

HASCS staff have complained that the Universityhas failed to provide the resources the computerservice needs to do its job.

"Once things start improving then they canaddress issues of whether the administrationshould be spending more money on things," saidProfessor of Government Gary King, a member of theFaculty's information technology committee. "Butbefore you do that, we sort of have to get our acttogether, and I think Frank is going to help usget our act together."

Franklin Steen was the director of computerservices at the Choate Rosemary Hall school inWallingford, Conn., where he taught for 15 yearsbefore assuming his post at Yale.

He was selected by an ad hoc search committeeof members drawn from the information technologycommittee. The search, which was advertisednationwide, drew more than 100 applicants.

"The search committee searched for a long timeand was unanimously supportive," said Dean of theDivision of Applied Sciences Paul C. Martin '52."First of all, he has the management skill as wellas a whole range of technical skills. We hope theyboth will play a role."

King said Franklin steen's ability to work withpeople makes him a particularly good choice forthe post. HASCS staff have complained of a lack ofunity and low morale within the organization.

The University must give Franklin Steen the"freedom" to "figure out how to get the people atHASCS working toward the same goal," King said.

King also praised the new director's pastrecord of accomplishment.

"Steen wanted to get the course catalog at Yaleon-line, and some people there didn't want him todo this," King said. "He sent people around toeach department to get syllabi and he scanned themin...It really seems like he's somebody who'sgoing to make it happen."

Franklin Steen's teaching background was alsoan attraction for the selection committee, Martinsaid.

"He brings a solid base of technical experiencefrom Yale and Choate Rosemary Hall, along withlively interest in instructional computing buildon a broad teaching background," said Martin, whois also the co-chair of the information technologycommittee.

Franklin Steen holds a Ph.D. in mathematicseducation from the Teacher's College at ColumbiaUniversity and bachelor's and master's degreesfrom the University of California, Los Angeles.

Richard Steen did not return repeated phonecalls to his office yesterday

The new director will be charged withreinvigorating HASCS, which has been plagued bystaff and space shortages, budgetary constraintsand poor working conditions. A confidentialmemorandum written earlier this year by RichardSteen called HASCS "a ship taking on water fasterthan it can bail it out."

HASCS staff have complained that the Universityhas failed to provide the resources the computerservice needs to do its job.

"Once things start improving then they canaddress issues of whether the administrationshould be spending more money on things," saidProfessor of Government Gary King, a member of theFaculty's information technology committee. "Butbefore you do that, we sort of have to get our acttogether, and I think Frank is going to help usget our act together."

Franklin Steen was the director of computerservices at the Choate Rosemary Hall school inWallingford, Conn., where he taught for 15 yearsbefore assuming his post at Yale.

He was selected by an ad hoc search committeeof members drawn from the information technologycommittee. The search, which was advertisednationwide, drew more than 100 applicants.

"The search committee searched for a long timeand was unanimously supportive," said Dean of theDivision of Applied Sciences Paul C. Martin '52."First of all, he has the management skill as wellas a whole range of technical skills. We hope theyboth will play a role."

King said Franklin steen's ability to work withpeople makes him a particularly good choice forthe post. HASCS staff have complained of a lack ofunity and low morale within the organization.

The University must give Franklin Steen the"freedom" to "figure out how to get the people atHASCS working toward the same goal," King said.

King also praised the new director's pastrecord of accomplishment.

"Steen wanted to get the course catalog at Yaleon-line, and some people there didn't want him todo this," King said. "He sent people around toeach department to get syllabi and he scanned themin...It really seems like he's somebody who'sgoing to make it happen."

Franklin Steen's teaching background was alsoan attraction for the selection committee, Martinsaid.

"He brings a solid base of technical experiencefrom Yale and Choate Rosemary Hall, along withlively interest in instructional computing buildon a broad teaching background," said Martin, whois also the co-chair of the information technologycommittee.

Franklin Steen holds a Ph.D. in mathematicseducation from the Teacher's College at ColumbiaUniversity and bachelor's and master's degreesfrom the University of California, Los Angeles.

Richard Steen did not return repeated phonecalls to his office yesterday