Knowles Convenes New IT Panel

Responding to the University's increasing dependence on information technology, a new standing committee on information technology met for the first time last night.

The committee, convened by Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles, includes 43 Faculty members and alumni. The committee is led by co-chairs Andrew K. Ludwick '67, Peter J. Solomon '60, McKay Professor of Computer Science Stuart M. Shieber and McKay Professor of Applied Physics Eric Mazur.

Now that students can register for section, find the availability of an obscure book in the library system, hunt down syllabi, and keep in touch with friends and family by computer, committee members said the University should examine the implications of the new technologies.

"We need to see how to best use information technology in the operation of the University and [find] the best uses for the limited resources of money and human resources," Mazur said.

The committee's stated goals include spending the next few years finding resources and suggesting ways to direct those funds for the maximum efficiency and effectiveness of information technology at Harvard.

The committee will explore topics like e-mail, technology in the library, technology in the classroom and available support for students and Faculty in developing new technologies.

Mazur said his main objective is to "evaluate the usefulness of information technology in education."

"I love technology, but I am skeptical about many of its uses," Mazur said. "Many things look impressive but the educational benefit is untested. Testing leads to better understanding of what information technology can do to facilitate teaching... Information technology should teach what we're already teaching better."

Just seven years ago Harvard was behind in getting students and faculty networked. In 1991, Ludwick and his company, SynOptics, now a part of Northern Telecom, sold Harvard the computer hardware needed to complete the network installation quickly.

Discounted prices and a personal contribution by Ludwick ensured that students were not charged for the hook-up.

According to Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences Computer Services (HASCS), the FAS network is now a high-speed, fiber optic data network with about 12,000 connections. High-speed access to the Internet is available through the Harvard Core Network.

A survey done in the fall of 1997 by HASCS showed that 95 percent of Harvard undergraduates owned a computer. To check e-mail, 83 percent of students used Pine, 42 percent used Eudora, 7 percent used Netscape, 34 percent used Pine and Eudora and 7 percent used other e-mail servers.

Eighty-five percent of undergraduates had computers networked via data jacks in their rooms, In addition, 87 percent of students had a course that used a Web site, the survey showed.

This year, all FAS courses came online with default Web sites, which professors can configure to meet their specifications.