Nearly one-quarter of all undergraduates have already secured in-room network connections.

Last year at this time, fewer than one-eighth of College students had done so. Harvard Arts and Sciences Computer Services (HASCS) and the Harvard Computer Society (HCS) worked together to connect 1413 student computers to the University's network so far.

Only 428 requests remain to be fulfilled -- compared with 650 still waiting at this time last year. At that time only 550 students had been connected.

Higher numbers of connections and quicker service are the result of in-room assistance by HASCS user assistants and HCS members, as well as the preconnection of datajacks in the Yard and Quad, said HASCS Director Franklin M. Steen.

"Basically, the goal was to get as many freshmen as possible connected to the network," said "Get Connected! 95" organizer Justin T. Lin '98.

Approximately 30 HASCS user assistants and 20 HCS network group members participated in the project, through which 294 first-years obtained in-room network connections, Lin said.

He said the primary reasons for the improvements over last year were: a more ambitious schedule; a better means of communicating with assistants in the field; and a better training program.

According to Steen, the new electronic scheduling software and the radios for communication with field assistants allowed HASCS and HCS "to handle over four times the number of requests for in-room assistance as they did at this point last year."

Richard B. Osterberg '96, director of the HCS network group, said the group assisted roughly the same

Student Room Connections

HASCS and HCS are connecting students to the network at a much faster rate than lost year when they had made about 550 connections at this time.

Number of in-room connections completed by HASCS staff. Firstyears    Sophomores    Juniors    Seniors 153  0% Total  22% Source: Harvard Arts and Sciences Computer Services

number in one day this year they did all through orientation week last year.

The "Get Connected" project will continue throughout September and October, Lin said.

"I can't think of a better partnership on a specific event between a student organization and an arm of the University," said HCS President John E. Stafford '96, who is a Crimson editor.

"Each of us brought skills that the other needed, resources that the other needed," he said, "and the result was better than even I expected."

Steen said that the process was expedited because many students--all those living in the Yard and Quad--had jacks that were preconnected.

"This year, we expect this to go much faster since our staff will only need to travel to the river, rather than to the Quad and Yard as well," Steen said.

He said he expects the total number of room connections to be between 3000 and 3500 when the process is finally complete.

"It will take several weeks until all the requests for connections we receive in the first days of the term will be completed." Steen said