Commission Will Guide Plans
For Academic Computing

A new committee charged with assessing academic computing needs across campus will focus on instructional technology, departmental computing and the campus network. Appointed by The Vice Chancellor and Provost Carol T. Christ and called the Commission on Campus Computing, the committee is expected to propose principles to guide planning for information technology at Berkeley. Findings are expected to be released in a July report. "Computing needs have burgeoned and the technology available to meet them has progressed faster than most of us could have anticipated," said Christ. "In spite of the efforts of the Computer and Communications Policy Board, the Information Systems and Technology organization and campus managers who have made major investments in local computing support, it is clear that demand has outstripped campus plans and historic funding patterns." Chaired by mathematics professor Calvin Moore, the committee includes faculty members, administrators and students drawn from a range of disciplines. "The chancellor has said a main goal is to improve the research infrastructure for the campus-library, computing, seismic," said Moore, who also chairs the mathematics department. "We want to chart out a vision for the future of computing. "We're looking at what our priorities should be, what levels and kinds of services should be offered, how they should be funded and how we should be best organized to deliver them," he said. According to Moore, this is the first time in years that academic computing has been examined in such a comprehensive fashion. Areas under review are: Instructional technology, especially development priorities, services to be provided by the campus, and organization of responsibility for services. Computing infrastructure in departments, colleges and schools, including minimum levels of service to be provided to faculty, performance standards for service providers and how funding responsibilities should be divided. Network issues, such as analysis and recommendations on funding models, and division of responsibility for campus network backbone and wiring inside buildings.