Subject: Y2K

Date: January 4, 1999

To: Academic Chairs and Department Heads

From: The Y2K Coordinating Committee

Please post or share this memo with other members of you department.

By now, everyone has heard about the Year 2000 risks, the software and hardware bugs that may cause computers and other devices like calculators, telephone answering machines or fire alarm systems that are dependent on electronic coding to malfunction when electronically coded dates reset to "00" on January 1, 2000.

The purpose of this memo is to let you know where Smith is with what is known as "Year 2000 compliance" and to introduce you to the Smith Year 2000 (Y2K) Committee. Smith has been working on Year 2000 readiness for some time on such things as the telephone system, alarm systems and, of course, computer systems. The Y2K committee, made up of faculty and staff from several areas of the college, was appointed to coordinate continuing efforts in such areas as surveying and educating the community about Y2K and assisting with the identification of problems, priorities and solutions as the millenium approaches.

Addressing Year 2000 is a responsibility of all college employees; however, it is particularly important that department heads take responsibility for problems falling within their areas. Year 2000 should be a management problem not an information technology problem. Smith is an organization comprised of hundreds of people and activities. Thus, it is not possible for any one person or group to understand all the risks that may be associated with Y2K.

In addition to assessment, setting priorities and raising community awareness in order to ensure that those with Y2K problems are seeking solutions, the Y2K committee will:

• help people make effective use of college resources as solutions are identified;
• help monitor progress and develop contingency plans;
• and help ensure as smooth a transition as possible to the new millenium.

Soon the committee will distribute questionnaires that will help academic and administrative departments evaluate possible trouble spots and set priorities. We will provide information and guidance to the community by a variety of means, including news bulletins, AcaMedia stories - perhaps even a continually updated Web site and open discussion forums. We also have an email address - Y2K@smith.edu - or you may email any member of the committee with questions, comments or suggestions:

Jim Hardy, Purchasing, Chair of the Y2K Committee

Merrie Bergmann, Computer Science

Brenda Bolduc, Science Center

Eric Brewer, Science Center

Beth Carmichael, FC Risk Manager

Cheryl Donaldson-Davis, ITS (ITS Y2K-Liasion)

Amy Holich, Physical Plant

Tricia O'Neil, Registrar's Office

Karen Pfeifer, Economics

Ann Shanahan, College Relations

Y2K Committee
 
 

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