Mostly, Y2K planners are trying to take advantage of emergency plans that the individual schools have already developed.

"In many areas, as you can imagine, there are already structures in place for emergency response and preparation, so we are recommending that the Y2K coordinators use these as the foundation for their efforts," Eagan says.

Even within the realm of what Harvard could fix, if it had the time, much will escape detection.

Even though the biggest areas of concern have been handled for the most part, smaller areas--scientific labs and desktop computers in particular--remain vulnerable.

Dean R. Gallant, Y2K coordinator for laboratories and research centers, says some researchers have expressed concern over the possibility of corrupted equipment or databases, as well as jeopardized lab subjects.

"But we're confident that animal colonies are in pretty good shape," he says. "They can drift for awhile without power because the building's well-insulated, and we can augment natural airflow with open windows, or heat with steam."

He adds that it is still a bit early in the planning to have all the details ironed out. Researchers will be addressing site-specific lab contingencies more closely over the summer.

Fineberg also says there may be more potential for Y2K-related emergencies in the singular environments of the research centers than in larger, more cohesive areas of the University.

"There is more uncertainty about every last individual laboratory and software program," Fineberg says, adding that the costs of the Y2K bug on even the smaller areas could be devastating.

"If it's the last reagent of its kind on earth, you can't afford to lose it," Fineberg says.

But, as Huidekoper says, "You can't test everything."