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March 4, 1999

Y2K forum planned to review Pitt progress

Y2K forum planned to review Pitt progress

Pitt is well on its way to exterminating its millennium bugs, according to a University task force.

In contrast to a recent report by a U.S. Senate special committee, which warned that America's economy remains "at risk" from the year 2000 computer problem, Pitt's Year 2000 Task Force recently reported to Pitt trustees that:

* Central information systems, including student registration and financial aid, will be "Year 2000-compliant" by this May.

* PRISM (purchasing, accounts payable and general ledger) applications and databases will be compliant by July.

* Facilities Management has assessed elevators, fire alarms, automatic security doors and other computerized systems, and expects to finish making them compliant by the end of this summer.

* By March 31, Pitt's Internal Audit office expects to verify that the University's outside vendors and service providers, as well as its key revenue sources (the state, federal agencies, banks and investment managers), will be able to process transactions with, and continue payments to, Pitt after Dec. 31, 1999.

Internal Audit is doing compliance reviews to confirm that department-level computers and research equipment will work without any glitches on Jan. 1.

To inform faculty, staff and students about the Year 2000 (or Y2K) problem and Pitt compliance activities, the task force maintains a website at:

http://www.pitt.edu/~y2k

The task force will sponsor a forum, March 17, 2:30-4 p.m. in the William Pitt Union Ballroom, to discuss Pitt Y2K initiatives and answer questions.

The Y2K problem refers to the fact that many older computers may not recognize the year 2000 because they were programmed to note years in two digits. So, when the year 2000 arrives on 00-01-01, many computers may mistakenly report it as 1900, not 2000.

Pitt's Year 2000 Task Force is chaired by Internal Audit Director John Elliott and includes 14 other administrators, staff and faculty.

— Bruce Steele


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