CAMPUS COMPUTING LABS RECEIVE UPGRADES, ADDITIONS OVER SUMMER

by Mike Kissel

Computer labs all over campus went through improvements during the summer months. The majority of the changes were made in the Social Science 103 lab and should already be completed.

According to campus officials, the IBM PS/2 computers have been replaced with HP Pentium 200 computers. The HP Pentium 200 computers have 16MB of memory, making them nearly six times faster than the old PS/2 computers.

Pentium Pro 200 computers were also added to the lab. The Pentium Pro 200 contains 64MB of memory, the most of any computer on campus. The old computers needed approximately a minute or longer to run most programs whereas the new Pentium Pro computers will take only four seconds.

The Macintosh computers were replaced by Power Macs which are six to eight times faster than the older machines. This brings the number of Power Macs owned by the campus to 69.

Karl Steger, manager of instructional computing and the man behind the SSB 103 lab improvements, is trying to give the lab a more instructional feel.

"Over the next year, we will try to go from: 'here's a computer go use it,' to more training in the labs," Steger said.

They are also working on a student resource center in the SSB lab. The resource center will have scanning, color printing and computers with projection screens so students can practice presentations.

"We do not have all the ideas yet, but the resource center will be available for special large scale projects," Steger explained. "It probably will also require reservations, so students will be assured of a work station."

The schedule classroom in SSB 103 went from eighteen to thirty five computers. This is an area where professors can bring their students to the lab for a day when computers are needed for that class. A projector is made available to the instructor so the class will be able to see the instructor's notes. When class is not in progress, the room will be available for lab use.

There will be an additional teacher's assistant area located directly behind the lab consultant's desk.

"This area will make it easy for the students to work with the assistants from class, and the schedule of the teacher's assistants will be posted in the area," Steger said.

A new lab in SSB 452 will be completed by mid to late September. It will contain 35 Pentium Pro computers. The lab will be run by graduate students who have knowledge in statistic analysis, social science and economics. Students can go there for help with assignments when things are unclear.

"This will give students access to personnel who are there specifically to help you with homework, rather than the other labs where the consultants are there to guide you through computer related problems," Steger explained.

The improvements made on the SSB lab are the culmination of two years of planning.

The lab will have 156 computers upon completion, as well as wheelchair accessible computers and a facelift which gives the aisles a wider look.

The changes bring the number of campus computer labs from five to six.