University Times

Acknowledging a large number of computer network disruptions and system failures during this academic term, the provost has recombined two administrative units serving Pitt's computer network systems.

In an Oct. 24 memo to deans, directors and department heads, Provost James V. Maher said that for the immediate future he was "eliminating the separate organizational boundaries between Network Services (NS) and Computing Services and Systems Development (CSSD) and incorporating the staff within NS into CSSD."

The two divisions were created from the centrally administered Computer and Network Services (CIS) in April 1999. At that time, Jinx Walton was named director of Computing Services and Systems Development and Maurice Gordon was named director of Network Services.

Staff members in Network Services, approximately 80 in all, now will report to Walton, who will continue to report to the provost. The name of the combined divisions will be Computing Services and Systems Development, Maher wrote in this week's memo.

Walton could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Network Services staff will continue to be stationed at RIDC Park in Harmarville, where the University's mainframe computer and central relay computing facility is located, and in Posvar Hall, which houses Network Services telecommunications staff.

Gordon and the Network Services managers who formerly reported to him now will report to Walton, according to a spokesperson in Gordon's office. Gordon, who was out of town this week on University business, said through the spokesperson that he had no comment on the new reporting structure.

In his Oct. 24 memo, Maher wrote that the organizational change "would enable [Walton] to deploy resources from both organizations in order to meet the very serious challenges before us."

He wrote that Walton is overseeing "a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the network infrastructure and the enterprise systems to identify points of weakness and potential failure," the first phase of which had been completed.

"As a result, we now have a much greater understanding of the range and extent of our problems. More importantly, we are able to develop a systematic plan to correct each of those problems," the provost wrote.

The memo did not specify what courses of action are under consideration. Provost office officials said that a report will be made either by the provost or his designate at the Nov. 7 Faculty Assembly meeting on the status of the network and proposed remedial actions.

Maher stated in the memo that the administration's priority was resolving three issues critical to the operation of academic programs: providing greater bandwidth (network capacity), improving the performance of CourseInfo and extending external network access. "I am pleased to report that each of these areas will be addressed vigorously during the remainder of this term. At the same time," he added, "we will be developing systematic project plans to correct a number of other areas of weakness," which the memo did not specify.

According to the Provost's office, the purchase of bandwidth, expected at the start of this fall's term, has been delayed due to snarls in ongoing negotiations with an outside vendor.

The administration had hoped to have the bandwidth in place by early this month. Officials in the Provost's office said that the University has purchased the equipment necessary to distribute the bandwidth once the deal is completed.

Officials also said that Pitt computer services personnel were working to improve the CourseInfo system in tandem with Blackboard, Inc., the software vendor that owns the CourseInfo copyright.

Maher acknowledged to Senate Council last month that he had heard complaints from several faculty about CourseInfo, a much-used integrated software package that allows faculty to use web pages for instruction. CourseInfo features tools to administer, grade and record quizzes, and facilitates instructors' efforts to send e-mail, transfer files to and from students and manage an on-line gradebook. About 1,000 Pitt faculty members are trained in the use of the software and the package serves about one-third of the student population.

Provost's office officials said the University is testing a CourseInfo upgrade and exploring multiple options to improve the current system, including replacing or upgrading database indexes, which store, sort and control the flow of information among users.

Upgrading indexes should help speed up access to CourseInfo, officials report.

The administration also hoped to have a deal finalized by now with an information service provider (ISP) to increase network access, but has been stymied by what Vice Chancellor Robert Pack has referred to as "an extraordinarily vexing negotiation." (See Sept. 28 University Times.) Pack is vice chancellor for Academic Planning and Resources Management, and former interim head of CIS.

Under the proposed ISP deal, members of the University community would be given the option of paying a monthly fee for better remote access to their e-mail, the web and other services available through Pitt's network.

In this week's memo, Provost Maher stressed that any remedies to the current computer problems would be consistent with the University's overall information technology plan. Covering fiscal years 1999-2003, the plan addresses Pitt's infrastructure, computing equipment and facilities, and computing support services on the Pittsburgh campus.

Maher also wrote that plans to correct current computer-related problems would be updated regularly on Pitt's technology web site (www.pitt.edu/technology.html).

–Peter Hart