OIT Cuts Costs, Services

The Office of Information technology (OIT) will simplify its operations and reduce costs under a new plan introduced in July by Allen J. Proctor '74, vice president for finance.

Over the next two fiscal years, OIT's budget will be cut by nearly $2.4 million. OIT, which is the largest single technical provider in the University, will "unwind" some components in order to phase out services which are not functioning productively, according to a University press release.

Under the plan, OIT will no longer set telephone rates to guarantee an annual surplus of $1.5 million. A task force will decide how high new, competitive rates should be set.

OIT also plans to restructure and consolidate operations of the highspeed data network (HSDN) and local area networks.

OIT will no longer administer local area networks now that schools and departments have the capability to handle their own networks.

The HSDN, which currently connects nearly 90 percent of campus and Medical Area buildings, will be reduced to a "backbone" operation, offering only basic network and support services.

OIT will also join the Office of the University Publisher (OUP) this fall to provide the University with below market prices on printing, network and copy services. The groups estimate that $262,000 will be saved by eliminating redundant services and machines.

The new joint OIT/OUP facility will be located at 219 Western Ave.

The Proctor plan also calls for phasing out a redundant mainframe operating system by the end of fiscal year 1997.

The discontinuation of the second operating system is expected to allow OIT to redirect operations and technical support resources and provide better support for the remaining main-frame system.