Computers Fall Short

Professors yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with Harvard's computer services during a full Faculty discussion of a committee report on information technology.

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R.

Knowles told The Crimson Monday that he hasalready authorized more than $1 million toimplement one of the report's recommendations, thecreation of a state of the art, high-speed datanetwork.

The committee recommended that the Facultycomplete the network to connect students, facultyand administrators with each other and networksaround the globe.

McKay Professor of Computer Science Harry R.Lewis, a member of the committee, said yesterdaythat the network would give everyone "electronicmail access to the world."

The group also called for the establishment ofa Faculty standing committee to oversee therestructured computer services.

Knowles said that $550,000 will go towards theinstallation of optical fibers to extend Harvard'scurrent computer network. In addition, $500,000will pay for a network for faculty andadministrators.

Another Million

The $1 million is only half of what Committeeon Information Technology Chair Paul C. Martin '52said is needed to update the current computersystem.

The Faculty plans to raise the remaining $1million during its upcoming $2 billion capitalcampaign, expected to begin in the 1993-94academic year.

While agreeing with the report'srecommendations, faculty members criticized theOffice of Information Technology (OIT) and calledfor a uniform centralized system to manageUniversity-wide computer services.

Alford Professor of Natural Religion, MoralPhilosophy and Civil Policy Thomas M. Scanlon, Jr.said that while the OIT computer repair departmentworked well, "as you move away from there, thingsget worse."

Professor of Psychology Philip J. Stone IIIagreed, saying that the University needs a unifiedsystem of dealing with computer technology that"nukes parts of the OIT that are not workingproperly."

"I want an organization that serves me," hesaid, "not makes a profit from me."

Lack of Communication

Scanlon said there had been a lack ofcommunication between OIT and individuals, as wellas departments.

He suggested that a pamphlet explaining thesystem be distributed in order to "speed theprocess of getting a response."

Martin said that the creation of the standingcommittee was "key" because "for too long, we havesimply left it to others."

"The report crystallizes a program that willcarry us a great deal of the way forward to wherewe should be," he said

Knowles told The Crimson Monday that he hasalready authorized more than $1 million toimplement one of the report's recommendations, thecreation of a state of the art, high-speed datanetwork.

The committee recommended that the Facultycomplete the network to connect students, facultyand administrators with each other and networksaround the globe.

McKay Professor of Computer Science Harry R.Lewis, a member of the committee, said yesterdaythat the network would give everyone "electronicmail access to the world."

The group also called for the establishment ofa Faculty standing committee to oversee therestructured computer services.

Knowles said that $550,000 will go towards theinstallation of optical fibers to extend Harvard'scurrent computer network. In addition, $500,000will pay for a network for faculty andadministrators.

Another Million

The $1 million is only half of what Committeeon Information Technology Chair Paul C. Martin '52said is needed to update the current computersystem.

The Faculty plans to raise the remaining $1million during its upcoming $2 billion capitalcampaign, expected to begin in the 1993-94academic year.

While agreeing with the report'srecommendations, faculty members criticized theOffice of Information Technology (OIT) and calledfor a uniform centralized system to manageUniversity-wide computer services.

Alford Professor of Natural Religion, MoralPhilosophy and Civil Policy Thomas M. Scanlon, Jr.said that while the OIT computer repair departmentworked well, "as you move away from there, thingsget worse."

Professor of Psychology Philip J. Stone IIIagreed, saying that the University needs a unifiedsystem of dealing with computer technology that"nukes parts of the OIT that are not workingproperly."

"I want an organization that serves me," hesaid, "not makes a profit from me."

Lack of Communication

Scanlon said there had been a lack ofcommunication between OIT and individuals, as wellas departments.

He suggested that a pamphlet explaining thesystem be distributed in order to "speed theprocess of getting a response."

Martin said that the creation of the standingcommittee was "key" because "for too long, we havesimply left it to others."

"The report crystallizes a program that willcarry us a great deal of the way forward to wherewe should be," he said