In 1877, Harvard was on the cutting edge of communications technology.

"Students had phones at Harvard the year they were invented," says Steven C. Hall, who directs the Office of Information Technology (OIT).

In recent decades, however, Harvard has fallen behind other college and universities in the implementation and use of innovative computer technology.

"The University as a whole likes to be thought of as playing a leading role in [developing and using] tools for research. Harvard is not yet playing its leadership role in the varied use of computers." says John A. Armstrong '56, who chairs the Board of Overseers ad hoc committee on information technology.

Now, administrators say, Harvard has finally begun preparing to reclaim the leadership role it once held in putting technology to use in an academic setting.

Wide Range of Possibilities

When computer experts are asked about the future of information technology at Harvard, their light up as they sketch out the range of possibilities for the University in the future.

Hall speaks animatedly about the wonders of electronic mail (e-mail) and networking.

Steve Brenner '92, president emeritus of the Harvard Computer Society, recounts his group's unflagging efforts to improve computer literacy and to promote the use of computers at the College.

President Neil L. Rudenstine seems equally enthusiastic on the topic, even mentioning the likelihood of appointing a new vice president to shepherd the University through the introduction and implementation of the latest computer technology.

"I think it's virtually impossible to have that kind of accelerated, increased level of activity without having someone who has something like vice president status to run the show," Rudenstine says.

But while there is broad consensus that the University needs to update its computing facilities and to expand their accessibility to faculty and students, many issues still need to be examined before the University can upgrade its current equipment.

Multiple committes are thus investigating the University's present resources and future needs in the areas of information technology.

Rudenstine recently appointed Professor of Business Administration Richard L. Nolan to head the University's committee on the subject. A separate Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) committee, led by Dean of the Division of Applied sciences Paul C. Martin '52, is also considering the topic.

Nolan's committee will work with the Overseers committee led by Armstrong on formulating "the outlines of a master plan for developing the different aspects of information technology and computing at Harvard over the next five to 10 years," Rudenstine says.

Nolan says that his committee, which is expected to make a final report to the president in January, will study each school's level of computer use and then try to determine "where we are relative to the best of the best practices" at comparable institutions throughout the nation.

Setting Priorities

One of Harvard's first priorities is likely to be the installation of a network system or systems extending throughout the University, Nolan says.

Network technology, linking computers via fiber optic cables or satellite so that they can transmit and share data, has in recent years accounted for many of the most significant advances in academic computing.

"Networking comes first only because it enables a wholes bunch of things," says Armstrong, a vice-president of IBM. "It's a prerequisite for synergy between schools and departments."

One of the most important features of networks is that they allow individuals to participate in electronic mail systems. These systems allow students with personal computes to send messages directly to the computers of other students or professors in seconds.

Though many members of the Harvard community currently make use of such networks, the University does not provide widespread access to network services.

A networked University could mean a more efficient University in terms of communication. "It takes days to send campus mail and seconds to send e-mail," notes James C. Fitchett, director of information services at the Medical School.

And some say it is essential for Harvard students to have widespread access to networks as more and more universities go "online."

"Increasingly, information passed through this new technology that people don't publish in scholarly journals," says Arthur A. Hartman '47, a member of the Armstrong committee and chair of the Oveseers' committee on the Harvard College Library, which is itself undergoing further computerization.

In addition to e-mail, network systems allow students to access the on-line catalogs of libraries not only their own universities but of other universities on the network.

They also make it possible for students to share costly licensed software and to access "bulletin boards" and database offering information on a wide range of topics, form Supreme Court decisions to DNA sequences.

At Dartmouth College, where computer terminals in dorm rooms have been connected to all computers on the campus as well as to the worldwide "internet" system since 1985, computer use has saturated daily life.

Students and faculty send e-mail--called "Blitzmail" on the Hanover. N.H. campus--to each other very easily. In fact, the practice has become so popular that " 'Blitz' has become a verb at Dartmouth," says Lawrence M. Levine, director of Dartmouth's computing services.

Levine says that when members of the FAS computer committee visited Dartmouth earlier this year, "They seemed very positive."

"They seemed to wish to achieve what Dartmouth has achieved," he says.

Preparing to Move Ahead

The University already has a head start in terms of physical preparation for installing a network. When OIT workers rewired the University's telephone system in 1990, they also installed wires in every phone jack capable of linking personal computers to network cables.

Thus the infrastructure for a networking program is already in place.

"The network is physically already completed," Hall says.

In addition, four undergraduate houses--Currier, Leverett, Lowell and North are currently participating in a pilot network program. For a monthly fee, residents can access a network system with a Macintosh computer.

Once the decision to go forward is made, the University can complete the installation of a basic system in as little as a year, Nolan says.

Since taking office last July, Rudenstine has emphasized the need for increased inter-faculty collaboration.

He says he believes that such collaboration would work well in areas ranging from academic planning to the sharing of institutional resources. And networking, some say, is a project that will require the cooperation of the entire University.

"We certainly believe that networking is an appropriate area to do joint planning. If each faculty and department had a different phone system, it would not be conducive to sharing ideas for research," Armstrong says.

"There's room for a lot more cooperation between different parts of the University," Armstrong adds.

Collaboration has already begun on a pro gram called Vine, designed to provide basicfacts about the University--for instance, coursedescriptions and academic requirements--as well asdaily announcements form all the schools of theUniversity.

Yet many believe that it will be difficult towean the University from its long tradition ofdecentralized government.

When the time comes to decide to what extentthe schools should work together and investjointly in networking programs, Nolan says heexpects "lively debate."

The schools will have to undergo "long, hardsoul-searching to discuss inter-faculty goals,"says Fitchett.

"Doing anything shared between schools iscontrary to the philosophy [of decentralization],"says Nolan.

In addition, Martin notes that the schools willlikely end up financing the bulk of their computerimprovements separately.

Accordingly, many of the faculties are alreadyacting independently to network on their own.

The Medical School, for instance, has had arather extensive high-speed data network in placefor over a year, says Fitchett.

The network has made it possible for studentsto access software programs that aid study and forthe school to share information with four of itspartner hospitals.

In its final report, to be issued later thismonth, the FAS committee will recommend that allof FAS--dormitories and other unlinkedbuildings--be hooked up to a high-speed datanetwork, according to Martin.

"Networking is something we think is importantand we hope can be done quickly," Martin says.

Determining `Critical Mass'

But before committing millions of dollars tothe installation of a network system and hiringthe extra support personnel to maintain such asystem, administrators say they must be certainthat people will actually use it.

One question that concerns both Hall and Nolanis that of "critical mass." Nolan says that thoughstudents and faculty are increasingly computerliterate, he is great enough immediate demand fornetwork services.

"How would this University, given the costissue...get value form our investment?" asksNolan.

Essential to creating an increased demand forthe network will be making it as user-friendly aspossible, says Steen.

It is important "to have more people becomeaware of what tools and services are available tohelp them do their thing," Hall says.

The pilot network in the four houses has metwith mixed success, says Brenner.

Brenner says that because the network FAS hasinstalled in the houses uses an "ancientprotocol," the system is very slow and itsfeatures are not as comprehensive as many studentswould like. The system is only accessible byMacintosh computers. And FAS charges students a$12 monthly fee to use the network system.

Therefore, few students chose to subscribe tothe network last year.

In making network use as appealing as possible,the University faces a number of considerations,from whether the system will be accessible for IBMowners to whether the FAS budget should absorb thecosts of providing access to individual users,says Martin.

Depending on the number of network featuresdesired, hook-up costs can range between $30 and$250, says Richard S. Steen, acting director ofFAS computer services.

"Our hope is that everyone agrees on the levelof networking required. Our hope is that it can bedone with as little direct charge as possible,"says Martin.

Many, however are not worried that there willbe a lack of demand for the services. Brennerpoints out that more than 750 members of the Classof '95 signed up for e-mail accounts at theScience Center computer room despite last year'sabolition of the computer portion of theQuantitative Reasoning Requirement.

Martin, too, is optimistic on this count. "Oursense is that if everyone were tied in they'd useit," he says.

But no matter what the demand for the services,Martin points out that the implementation of anycomputer networking plans will be contingent uponfinding funds in a time of financial difficulty.Last year, FAS ran a deficit of $11.7 million.

"We don' write checks. We makerecommendations," Martin adds.

Nevertheless, University administrators andcomputer experts alike seem confident thatHarvard's first steps toward reclaiming leadershipin information technology are imminent.

"It will not be long before under-graduates intheir rooms and faculty in their offices can tapinto the [library] card catalog and a whole rangeof information," says Rudenstine.Crimson File PhotoStudents at work in the current ScienceCenter computer room.