September 22, 1994: Vol26n3: FSEC looks at computing resources

By STEVE COX
Reporter Staff
The Faculty Senate Executive Committee took a peek into the future of
computing service delivery systems campus-wide at their Sept. 14
meeting.
	A resolution was presented to the FSEC by Wayne Bialas, an
associate professor of industrial engineering and chair of the Faculty
Senate Computing Committee, that would, over time, give computing a
whole new look, with more computer access and support in the various
departments and a leveling out of resources that are now viewed as
somewhat lopsided.
	The new look of computing services at UB, known in computing
circles as Distributed Information Technology (DIT), will mean closer
scrutiny of resource allocation, but will yield greater access to and
control over computing resources by academic units, particularly areas
that are underserved by computers now, says Bialas.
	Bialas called the current state of computing on campus
"fragmented." Some divisions have their own, modernized computing
systems, while others languish, he explained, "like seperate
information fiefdoms linked by an Ethernet."
	"It's not really a change we choose to make," explained
Bialas, "but rather new technology thrusts it upon us and we must
decide how best to plan for and manage it." While the university's
large mainframe computers used to support its research activities,
that computing power can more efficiently be delivered today in
desktop workstations and local area networks (LANs), he explained. 
	FSEC members welcomed discussion on campus computing needs.
Provost Aaron Bloch pointed out that it was an important issue to
grapple with because it had huge financial implications for the future
of the university. UB now spends between $18 and $20 million annually
on computing, according to Associate Provost Sean Sullivan, and costs
are expected to rise. The bulk of this money is spent on centralized
computing now, he explained, so new proposals to employ more
workstations and LANs will mean spending more out in the departments.
	To meet these increasing financial demands, the proposed
resolution calls for seeking new spending by SUNY Central on
computing, reallocating funds currently administered by the university
Budget Committee and a re-evaluation of funds currently spent on
"functions no longer deemed appropriate" to a DIT-driven computing
system.
	The formal resolution was tabled for further work by committee
members. FSEC Chair Peter Nickerson hopes to bring the resolution to
the full Senate for consideration in late October.
	Between meetings, members of the FSEC will work out kinks in
this proposal, as they do others, via the "virtual senate," a
computerized electronic mail network that allows them to discuss and
modify resolutions and exchange views from their own computer
terminals. "FSEC members need never play phone tag," explained
Nickerson. "We use the E-mail system to keep in constant touch with
each other and circulate meeting agendas."