University Installs Computer Network

Students and faculty will soon be able to use computers to access information ranging from daily dining menus to school sports schedules.

Next Wednesday more than 70 Harvard public library terminals including HOLLIS will make Veritas Information Network (VINE) available to Harvard and other colleges nationwide.

The network--installed over the last couple months by Harvard University Library and the Office for Information Technology (OIT)--will channel information on academic calendars, faculty and staff office telephone numbers, employment opportunities, and other resources.

"It has a lot of potential. I'm getting a lot of calls to add information to it," said Amy Lozano, VINE project manager.

By channeling their information through VINE, individuals and organizations can reach students and faculty at no cost.

"It allows you to have a wider distribution of information and to update frequently without using paper," said Lozano, who is technical specialist at OIT.

Lozano said very few restrictions are placed on the kind of information that VINE provides.

"We're very accepting of any kind of information," Lozano said "What ever is acceptable to the University will be acceptable to us as well."

A. Marsh Gardiner '96, VINE data base coordinator, said. "There are a lot of privacy issues. That's why the student's name and home number isn't listed."

A VINE steering committee that includes representatives from the College, the Freshman Dean's Office, OIT and Harvard University Library will administer VINE so that privacy is not violated, said Lozano.

Lozano said VINE is case to use. However the technology is not yet sophisticated enough to display graphics.

"It's not graphics oriented It's really just text." Lozano said. "It'd be nice to have a system that can show a map, like the route of a shuttle."

For now, elections information will serve as a grape "VINE" to facilitate communication between students, faculty, and colleges nationwide, Lozano said

"I always think of the grapevine," Lozano said. "I guess we have a kind of ivy vine for Harvard."