Computer Problems Spark New Action

Dean of the Faculty Henry Rosovsky has formed a special committee of professors and administrators to address problems concerning the growing use of computers on campus.

The six-member committee will try to come up with strategies for better long-term planning on such issues as using computers in instruction, budgeting funds set aside for computers, and employing computers for administrative purposes, members said yesterday.

In the past several months, complaints from students and faculty members that Harvard's computer facilities are inadequate have risen to a new high.

In the most publicized incident, the introduction of a new sophisticated computer language in Applied Mathematics 110 overburdened the Science Center's system, making it difficult for students to fulfill the heavy course requirements.

Planning Ahead

While acknowledging criticisms about the facilities, committee members said that this spring's difficulties were not a significant factor behind the committee's formation. Instead they cited the need for better long-term strategies to deal with computer problems in general.

"Spring overload at the Science Center is not a new problem at Harvard," the University's Administrative Vice-President Robert H. Scott said, echoing the views of other committee members.

He added that the committee will try to determine "how to plan more effectively and with a longer-term view" the use of computers for a wide range of educational uses in the Faculty.

Scott and other committee members said that the committee's primary goal would be to streamline the administration of computer-related matters, rather than making specific decisions such as which computers to buy.

Overdue

"It's been clear a while that our purchases of computers over the past several years have been last-minute purchases in response to immediate crises," said McKay Professor of Computer Science Harry R. Lewis '68, citing one flaw the committee hopes to help eliminate. He added, "The committee is not primarily a technical, decision-making committee."

Rosovsky said that the committee has met once and will meet regularly in the future, but he said that he has set no deadline on any recommendations or decided what form they would take.

"I've been trying to get on top of this for a while," said Rosovsky, who announced his move in a letter to faculty members earlier this month, adding, "I probably should have done this a while ago."

Besides Rosovsky--who will chair the committee--Scott, and Lewis, the committee includes Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Sidney Verba '53, Dean of the Division of Applied Sciences Paul C. Martin '52, and Professor of Physics Roy F. Schwitters.