Computing began at Rice University with the first computer project on campus about 1958. In 1960 a computer center was formed. Today's Institute for Computer Services and Applications serves Rice administration, departments, faculty, and students by writing systems, maintaining files, entering data, retrieving information, etc. (MLW)

A software package aided a Colorado school district's conversion from one computer system to another. (MLF)

Issues and strategies for developing a campus data communications system are discussed. It is suggested that individual microcomputer (MC) workstations will occasionally have a need for (1) access, via a data communications network, to a more powerful processor; (2) specialized software; (3) sophisticated output devices; (4) central data sets; or…

The evolution of computer hardware for college computing has mirrored the industry's growth. When computers were introduced into the educational environment, they had limited capacity and served one user at a time. Then came large mainframes with many terminals sharing the resource. Next, the use of computers in office automation emerged. As…

A university information system should be designed to serve both the transaction processing needs and the information needs of management. This paper includes a chart illustrating the general flow of a system that serves both the transaction data and the planning systems. Faculty data is used for input. The paper describes a sample data base and…

The University of Arizona has begun to reorganize campus computing. Six working groups were formed to address six areas of computing: academic computing, library automation, administrative data processing and information systems, writing and graphics, video and audio services, and outreach and public service. (MLW)

Current plotting techniques offer new ways for decisionmakers to look at data via graphs, pictures, maps, and 3-D models. (Author)

Discusses organization design as context for office automation; mature computer-based systems as one application of organization design variables; and emerging office automation systems (organizational information management, personal information management) as another application of these variables. Management information systems models and…

A comprehensive study of five institutions, selected as leaders in the field of administrative computer technology in higher education, is analyzed. Results are presented in the following areas: administrative tasks, information organization/technical structure, institutional operation, personnel, and cost/value. (Author/MLW)

The Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) is revising and enhancing its data-processing capabilities with the development of a large-scale, multi-site, on-line, integrated data base information system known as the Advanced Logistics System (ALS). A data integrity program is to be built around a Data Base Manager (DBM), an individual or a group of…

Outlines the development of a computerized purchase requisition system for schools that is more efficient, cost effective, and dependable than a manual purchasing system. Includes two tables, one a model form for entering purchase orders, the other a purchase order detail form. (MD)

An office automation audit is a comprehensive review of the existing and planned office hardware, software, staffing, and management. Factors reviewed include: standards, physical setup, storage facilities, disaster recovery, equipment protection and utilization, software adequacy, and staff training and adequacy. (MLF)

The revised organizational structure for computing at The Medical University of South Carolina, the planned computer and telecommunications architecture, and the current state of implementation of these projects are discussed. Recommendations concerning resource management, software, and hardware are presented. The college had several different…

Suggestions are provided for college development offices interested in linking an office word processing system with the institution's main computer system. These include researching needs, leasing versus purchasing, obtaining equipment, and making the most of the system obtained. (MSE)

The promise of mainframe computers in the 1970s for management information systems (MIS) is largely unfulfilled, and newer office automation systems and data communication systems are designed to be responsive to MIS needs. The status of these innovations is briefly outlined. (MSE)