Information Technology

ADMINISTRATIVE SELF-STUDY

COMPUTER CENTER

Committee Members

Lester Bakke (student), Daniel Knighton (Economics), Arden Berg (Bus. Off.) Leonard Meyer (Comp. Science), Sharon Erlien (student), Harriet Powers (Adm. & Records), Martin Holoien (Comp. Ctr.) Roger Sipson (Physics)

1.0 Pertinent Background Information

The Computer Center at Moorhead State College can probably be said to have come into existence the fall of 1966. Previous to that time (since 1962) a data processing branch of Admissions and Records had functioned with Mr. Ronald Sonnenberg as the only employee in that area. In September of 1966, Mr. Richard Corner was appointed jointly as Director of the Computer Center and Instructor in Business Administration. The data processing equipment at that time (all leased) consisted of an IBM 407 Accounting Machine, a Collator, a Sorter, and Interpreter, and a Keypunch Machine. It was about that same time that a full time keypunch operator, Victoria Volk, was hired.

In January of 1967, an IBM 1620/1622 Computer system was purchased from the University of North Dakota at a cost of about $30,000. A second keypunch machine (for student use) was leased shortly thereafter. With the acquisition of a computer, programming courses were offered by the Departments of Mathematics and Business. The development of administration applications spread from those associated with Admissions and Records to include some from the Business Office.

During the 1967-68 academic year, the Computer Center continued to operate administratively under the Dean of Academic Affairs (in particular, the Assistant Dean of Administrative Affairs, who at that time was Dr. Robert Hanson), advised by a Faculty Committee called the Computer Center Committee. There was no Director that year so major responsibility for the Computer Center operations fell to Mr. Sonnenberg.

In the spring of 1968, Linda Green (later to become Linda Stulz) replaced Miss Volk as keypunch operator. In June, 1968, Mr. Marvin Klimek was hired as Tab Machine Operator to assist Mr. Sonnenberg. It was also in June, 1968, that Mr. Martin Holoien was appointed Director of the Computer Center.

During the summer of 1968, federal funds (resulting from a proposal to the National Science Foundation in 1967 by Mr. Corner) were used to purchase additional core memory for the 1620 computer. This additional core plus new circuitry required to later attach a printer to the computer cost about $30,000.

In February, 1969, Deona Basaraba (later to become Deona Grondahl) was hired as keypunch operator with Linda Stulz requesting half-time status. In July of the same year, a second programmer (the position also held by Mr. Sonnenberg at that time) was hired, Mr. Wayne Hoeschen. It was also in July that the 407 Accounting Machine was replaced by a leased high-speed printer attached to the 1620 computer.

The equipment in the Computer Center by the fall of 1969 consisted of the following items:

  • IBM 1520 10K-memory system with 100 l.p.m. printer
  • sorter
  • collator
  • reproducer
  • interpreter
  • 6 keypunch machines

Four of the keypunch machines were for student use in connection with programming courses and two were for staff use.

In January, 1970 preliminary work was started to obtain a computer system with mass storage (disk and tape) capability. It was also then that a proposal was submitted (later funded) to request funds for an initial installation of a small time-sharing computer. In January, 1971, a Honeywell 115 computer system with two disk drives, two tape drives, and a high-speed printer was installed. In February, 1971, a PDP 8/I 5-terminal timesharing computer system was also installed. The PDP 8/I was (and is) used entirely for academic purposes, i.e., classroom teaching and problem solving in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering, Computer Science, and other disciplines. Besides college departments, time on that system is leased to the three local High Schools.

Since January, 1971, the Computer Center staff has expended major effort in converting and modifying systems from IBM 1620 computer operations to the Honeywell 115. That effort is still going on but is essentially complete. With the addition of a third programmer (Mr. Glen Guida) in August, 1971, the Computer Center should have adequate staff to maintain existing applications as well as develop new ones awaited by several college departments.

2.0 Present Situation in Computer Center

Applications presently using Center facilities:
  • Complete registration system
  • Student record and reporting system
  • Business Office transactions with students
  • Records for Housing Office
  • Roommate assignment for Housing Office
  • Production of mailing labels for numerous departments
  • Library book-order accounting
  • Payroll for student employees
  • Financial Aids records and reports
  • Building facilities information system
  • Personnel information system
  • Test-scoring program
  • Research assistance in the form of statistical analysis
  • Teacher-aide assignments for Education
  1. Numerous miscellaneous tasks
    1. Administrative Structure
      1. Internal organization

Director

        Senior Systems Programmer Programmer

        EDP Programmer EDP Techician Keypunch Operators

        2.2.2 Organization within the College

        President

        Dean of Dean of Academic Aff. Adminis. Aff.

        Director of Computer Center

    1. Physical resources
      1. Computer
    1. Honeywell 115 (leased)

      2. 24-K memory

      650 l.p.m. printer

      2 tape drives

      2 disk drives

      card reader/punch

    2. PDP 8/I (Leased)

      3. 8-K memory

      5 teletypewriter terminals

    3. IBM 1620 (Owned)

60-K memory

card reader/punch
      1. Unit Record Equipment
    1. IBM 083 Sorter
    2. IBM 519 Reproducer
    3. 7 Keypunch machines
      1. Space

About 2,100 sq. ft. partitioned into 1 large room, 1 average size office/storeroom, 2 small offices, and one room for the Honeywell computer system.
    1. Personnel
    1. Part-time director (30%)
    2. 3 programmers
    3. 1 technician
    4. 2 keypunch operators (1.6 FTE)
    5. 3 part-time student employees
    1. Budget 1971-72
    1. Salaries

Regular Staff $49,700.00

Students 2,450.00

$52,150.00

2. Equip Rental & Maintenance 81.750.00

3. Supplies                                 3,500.00

4. Equip. purchase                         725.00

                                              $138,125.00

    1. Services Rendered

See Section 2.1

Accomplishment of the tasks by the Computer Center

THIS SECTION MUST BE DETERMINED BY THIS COMMITTEE

      1. Factual, objective evidence
      2. Subjective judgements

Projections of the tasks of the Computer Center

Physical resources

    4.1.1 Computers

  1. Within the next year or two, expand the Honeywell system to 40-K memory and add a third disk drive. At about the same time, add communications equipment so that Bus. Office and Registrars Office can have on-line capability.
  2. Release the PDP 8/I in February, 1972, and replace it with timesharing terminals attached to a large computer (CDC 6400) at the University of Minnesota.
  3. Sell the IBM 1620 if a reasonable price can be obtained. If not, keep it for hands-on use by faculty and students.
  1. Unit Record Equipment
  1. Keep the sorter and reproducer
  2. Replace 2 or 3 keypunch machines with 4 or 5 off-line teletypewriters if plans regarding the University timesharing computer materialize.
   3.   Terminals
  1. Within 2 years, add CRT terminals in the Registrars Office and Business office.
  2. Within 1 or 2 years, add at least 1 CRT terminal and 5 teletypewriter terminals for academic purposes.
  3. As student and faculty use of computer terminals increase, add additional terminals.
    4.    Personnel
  1. One additional Keypunch operator will probably be needed in another year or two.
  2. Within five years, probably one more programmer and still another keypunch operator will be needed.
    5.    Budgetary Support

The features proposed under 4.1.1, 4.1.3 and 4.2 would increase annual budget requirements as follows.

    1. 16-K additional memory 6432.00

    2. Communications Equipment 7944.00

    3. Cost per terminal 840.00 (CRT or teletypewriter)

    4. Cost per keypunch operator 4800.00

    5. Cost per programmer 8400.00

Services rendered
  • Besides maintaining the present services, the following areas need consideration:
    •
    1. Refinement of registration procedures probably to an on-line one.
    2. Provide additional support to the Business Office, again probably in the area of developing an on-line approach to student transactions.
    3. Automate various tasks for the library
    4. Develop computer programs to aid college administrators in decision-making tasks.
    5. Develop a system to automate many functions of the Alumni Relations Office.
    6. Provide programming support and statistical inference skills to assist faculty and students in research projects.
    7. Provide assistance to any department wanting to utilize Computer Center facilities.