NOTE: This document was generated from the 1995-1997 UIUC Programs of Study. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but be advised that requirements may have changed since this book was published. Errors may have also been introduced in the conversion to a WWW document. Thus for items of importance, it might be wise to seek confirmation from either the paper version or a live human being.
Members of more than 100 University departments use CCSO facilities. The graduate curricula are heavily dependent on computing support, and a large percentage of thesis research requires some computer use. Approximately two-thirds of the use is related to graduate programs and research. Areas of strength include computer music, networked information management, and computer art/design, in addition to computer use in more quantitative disciplines.
Administration of computing facilities is guided by the principle that users should have easy access to computer support. Access to CCSO's systems is provided through formal allocations for courses and research and through free accounts for students, faculty, and staff to use electronic mail (e-mail) and access to network news and information. In addition to its own facilities, CCSO arranges access to other computing facilities within the University. CCSO also coordinates the UIUC Computer Training Center and video-conferencing services.
In order to provide easy access to computing resources, CCSO maintains public computer sites across the campus; these sites offer computer systems, software, and printing services. CCSO works with faculty, staff, and departments to provide software in support of many classes in a wide range of curricula. CCSO public sites are located in the Illini Union, Illini Hall, the Digital Computer Lab, Everitt Lab, English Building, Lincoln Hall, Oregon Street Computer site, Psychology Building, CRH Snack Bar, and Commerce West. CCSO departmental sites are located in Turner Hall, Noyes Lab, the Psychology Building, and the Undergraduate Library.
The University owns a vast array of computer resources, including microcomputers, workstations, minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers. This equipment is networked by UIUCnet and departmental LANs, which deliver basic services--electronic mail, file transfer, access to remote networks, access to the library card catalog, a timely weather report, the online student/staff directory, a campus information server, and several commercial databases. Hardware components based on national standards are used, providing a firm basis from which to build a ubiquitous campus network.
CCSO offers a full complement of computer-related user services through a Resource Center located in the Digital Computer Laboratory, which also houses CCSO offices and mainframe operations. User services include consulting on mainframe systems, microcomputers, software packages, hardware, e-mail, and other uses of the campus network. Consulting is offered on both a walk-in and a phone-in basis. Computer training courses and seminars are taught by the staff. The Resource Center also provides demonstration systems on which users may try various software packages or may copy free public-domain software.
CCSO has developed several outreach projects to attempt to deliver quality computing services to all sections of the campus community. The Office of Computing and Communications for the Social Sciences (OCCSS), located in Lincoln Hall, is a joint effort between CCSO and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to provide support for teaching and research in the social sciences. Although focusing on the social sciences, this facility and its services are open to the general campus community. OCCSS provides statistical consulting, access to various data archives, and specialized assistance for members of the social sciences or humanities fields.
CCSO operates a Network Operations Center (NOC) to monitor and support the campus network. A Network Design Office (NDO) coordinates the connection of buildings to UIUCnet and assists the departments with LAN designs. Recognizing the distributed nature of campus computing, CCSO offers a Computer Consultant Support Program (CCSP) to provide training and supportive contracts for the human network of departmental computer consultants.
The long tradition of employing computing technology in research and teaching at Illinois has led to the strength of computing resources both within CCSO and across the campus.
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