UCC Jan 1983.Pdf (856.1Kb Application/Pdf)
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Notes from the Director In an attempt to discover for unsponsored research grants where the University Computer to faculty. Center is going in these times of In addition to the income we technological innovation and eco generate, our plans for the future nomic uncertainty, we spoke with include assisting researchers in all UCC's director, Dr. Peter Patton, fields to obtain grants that will about recent developments and pay computing costs for their future plans as he sees them. We projects. This assistance may take brought along questions we'd the form of inserts for grant pro heard voiced by users and staff posals that outline our costs and members, as well as a few of services, and projects like our our own. Grant Proposal Primer, which When asked about UCC's pur will aid researchers in putting to chase of the CRAY-1 supercompu gether proposals that include ter (which indicated to some computing. people a commitment to a few In the long run Dr. Patton large users at the expense of Peter Patton hopes that the University many smaller ones), Dr. Patton when they purchase a micro-· Computer Center will become in reiterated his commitment to the computer. volved in a government-univer entire University community and Our short courses, too, will sity-corporate research consortium elaborated on the primary reason change their focus as we do our that promotes technological inno for the CRAY's purchase: it is an best to anticipate the needs of vation in a variety of areas, in extremely cost-effective machine. our user community. And it's cluding his own research interest, Not only can it solve large prob also possible that we may have application generators, a new lems too difficult (or time con to restructure our documentation kind of software that develops suming) for other machines to so that essentially the same ma specific applications without cus handle, but it can also solve terial is available for different tom programming. small problems with super effi audiences whose computing Dr. Patton remains optimistic ciency. All those who use the knowledge varies widely. about the future of computing in CRAY should find their costs cut The Computer Center has expe general and of UCC in particular. significantly. rienced serious cutbacks, like all He believes that UCC has a spe Dr. Patton believes that com units of the University. Our fund cial responsibility to the total puting's future lies in two areas ing from the University has al University community, both those supercomputers like the CRAY and ways been limited to educational who demand stability and those microcomputers, which will soon computing, and recent University who seek innovation: maintaining have the capacity of small main retrenchment has eliminated funds the tension between those two frame computers. The demands for research grants to promote forces provides an atmosphere on UCC services will shift even new usage. Thus UCC is seeking conducive to both creativity and more into the user services area. other kinds of income so that we productivity. By developing ways Many people untrained in com can continue to grow and to to support research that encour puting are purchasing personal serve our users as well as we ages innovation, while at the computers, some of them with possibly can. Public service re same time providing the neces extremely sophisticated capabili search computing on the CRAY, sary stabi I ity for successfu I opera ties. Part of UCC's resources may for instance, generates income tion, he believes that UCC will be devoted to "start-up" support that can be put to work to en continue to offer the hardware, and consulting: helping those hance our facilities and services who need tutorial assistance for all users and provide funds Patton to 6 January 1983 COMPUTER STORE for all your computing needs • floppy disks, cards, paper • short course registration • microcomputer access cards • software • documentation 211 Experimental Engineering DOUBLE AND SINGLE SIDED DISKS East Bank, University of Minnesota 5% and 8 inch sizes double density 373-4877 9-3 M-f, 5-7 M-Th SUPER LOW PRICE RoFESSIONAL SERVICEs 01v1s1oN graphics development: computer graphics for data presentation statistical analysis: full range of services available system analysis and design: analysis of existing systems; design of new systems financial analysis: forecasting, accounting data base development: design and implementation using state-of-the-art technology tape conversion: conversion of off-site tapes to UCC internal format customized programming: COBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal for virtually any application research applications: scientific or social research environments If you qualify for a University Computer Center account, and are interested in our services, please contact us. ~[!~Dt.**~ ~ f'*.. 376-1764 o 227 Experimental Engineering o 208 Union St. S.E. 2 January 1983 The Fiscal Picture at UCC Like many University depart Exhibit 1. Summary of equipment allotments to CYBER system and computing grants ments, UCC prepares a budget during spring quarter for the next Summary fiscal Non-recurring Computing grants fiscal year. In early 1981, we an fiscal equipment fund years fund allotment for research ticipated that new services (CRAY 1967-69 $420,000 $540,941 and VAX) we would offer in the 1969-71 840,000 648,572 1982 fiscal year would allow us 1971-73 730,000 485,814 to continue budgeting a 20% in 1973-75 450,000 301,019 crease in revenues and corre 1975-77 400,000 389,345 sponding expenses. The projected 1977-79 250,000 414,442 1979-81 200,000 353,296 increase was below the 22% av 1981-82 100,000 188,513 left to grant erage we had achieved in the Total 3,390,000 3,321,942 68,058 previous five fiscal years. Needless to say, the recession 1982-83 (est) 0 188,000 and cutbacks in grants to univer 3,390,000 3,509,942 sities changed the final picture of fiscal 1982: instead of increasing looking for additional ways to charge for pub I ic service use of by 20%, revenues were down lower our CYBER service costs and the University's computers and five percent (a revenue difference to pass on such savings to you. internal use) could finance these of $1,275,000) from fiscal 1981. To achieve this end, we have grants unti I a more solid fiscal As we became aware of the sent out a request for bid on a arrangement could be made. Ex problem, we reduced expenses CYBER mainframe to replace the hibit 2 delineates this increase in and used a hiring freeze to cut dual CYBER 730/74 sometime this revenues from 1977-1982. For full time equivalent employees spring or early summer. If reve UCC, this differential revenue has from 148 at the beginning of the nues continue at the current been steadily increasing since the fiscal year to 128 at the end. pace, we should be able to installation of the CYBER 172 in These reductions in expenses move on to some of our deferred 1978. We previously used these (about $725,000) left a deficit of projects and services. funds to provide subsidies to in $550,000. In addition, the ex structional computing and for in pense of the CRAY installation novative new projects that did ($325,000) made the final fiscal Research Funding Grants not have committed revenues. 1982 deficit approximately UCC's grants program for re The use of this differential for $875,000. search computing has been based research grants sets up a causal To generate the revenues we on the non-recurring equipment relationship that means more re needed to eliminate that deficit fund that the University provided search grants will be available during fiscal 1983, we prepared to University Computer Services. only if more public service use is and are executing an austere That is, the University Computer made of the University's computers. budget. This means that several Center receives an allotment spe long-term projects such as a laser cifically for equipment; in return Exhibit 2. Increase in Differential printer and comprehensive broad it provides an equivalent dollar revenue. band communications must be value of service at no cost to re Fiscal year Differential revenue postponed until the next fiscal search users. The total value of 1977-78 $ 48,382 year. We are still implementing the grants to users can be equal 1978-79 113,298 projects, such as lower mainte to the accrued value of the non 1979-80 161,360 nance costs and phone service recurring equipment allotment. A 1980-81 187,819 charges, that will reduce final ex cumulative summary appears in 1981-82 210,825 penses. In addition, many stan Exhibit 1. dard UCC projects and services Starting in fiscal 1983 (July are being done on a "best effort" 1982), the non-recurring equip University Supported basis by our reduced staff; as a ment fund allotment has been result, software installation dates eliminated as a result of budget Use and Services have been delayed and other ser cuts. Our University Computing Direct University support sup vices are more limited or slower Services director, Dr. Frank Ver plies about 20% of our income. than in past years. brugge, in consultation with his This income is used only for ed The good news is that for the Computer Advisory Committee ucational purposes and is a ma first half of fiscal 1983, we have and computer center directors, jor component in making UCC a been making our $75,000/month has looked to other sources of University-wide facility. Most of debt retirement payments and we revenue to fund research comput this support takes the form of have sold our VAX/UNIX system for ing at the University.