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Computing Center (University of Michigan) records, 1952-1996 (majority within 1959-1987)

42.5 linear feet — 1 GB (online)

Online
Established in 1959 to operate academic computing facility and provide computing services for faculty and students. Developed Michigan Terminal System (MTS) operating system and other software for mainframe computers. Merged into University of Michigan Information Technology Division in 1985. Administrative records including minutes, correspondence, budget material, and reports, documenting management of the center, purchase and operation of mainframe computers, development of MTS and other software, and computer networks. Also includes paper and digital MTS distribution documentation.

Records of the Computing Center have been received in three major accessions ? 1994, 1996, and 2011. Arrangement of the records in each accession is intended to reflect complimentary series. Each accession is described separately, and there is some overlap between the two.

The 1994 accession of the Computing Center record group primarily documents the founding and operation of the University of Michigan Computing Center from 1959 to 1987. It also includes some information on computing activities at the university prior to the founding of the Computing Center, dating back as far as 1952. Researchers should note that there is overlap between this accession and 1996 accessions. There is also overlap with the Information Technology Division record group, particularly after 1986 when ITD was created to bring together the Data Systems Center and the Computing Center under the purview of the Provost for Academic Affairs.

The records, which were in a very disorganized state when accessioned into the archives, were arranged into eight series: Historical Files, Administrative Records, Topical File, MTS (Michigan Terminal System), Word Processing Project, Vendors, and Photographs.

The 1996 accessions from the Computing Center add 32 feet of additional material to the record group. The records bring (in various formats) both breadth and depth to the earlier accessions, filling in major gaps and adding new documentation. The records are organized into nine series, generally corresponding to the arrangement of the earlier accession: Administrative Records, Computer Files, MTS (Michigan Terminal System), Merit Network, MAD (Michigan Algorithm Decoder), Word Processing Project, Vendors, Software Contracts, and Topical Files. Researchers should note that there is considerable overlap between Computing Center accessions and the Information Technology record group, particularly between 1985 and 1990 and especially for financial material and major committees.

Folder

Committees

The Committees subseries consists of minutes, agendas, and related material for the principal policy and management committees of the Computing Center. These include the UCCPU (University Committee on Computer Policy and Utilization), Committee "A," the Computing Center Advisory Committee, and the Computing Center Executive Committee, among others. The UCCPU was a university-wide committee charged with developing broad computing policy across campus. All purchases of major computing systems by academic and administrative units had to have UCCPU approval to insure some level of compatibility and coherent development. The UCCPU files in the Computing Center record group cover the years from 1979 to 1983. (Minutes for the years 1965 to 1977 are located in a separate UCCPU record group at the Bentley Library. See finding aid for "University of Michigan. University Committee on Computer Policy and Utilization.") The minutes document both broad policy questions and reviews of requests by university units to purchase particular computing systems. The Computing Center record group also includes files of several UCCPU subcommittees: Computer Ethics, 1979; Computing Center Priorities, 1979-1980; Micro-Computer Policy, 1983; and Word Processing, 1980.

Committee "A" was established by director Aaron Finerman in 1978 to serve as the Computing Center's primary internal management committee and was composed of senior computing center administrators. The files, 1978-1986, (1.2 linear feet) include minutes, agendas, reports and correspondence. The Advisory Committee consisted of senior Computing Center staff plus six to eight other staff members who served on a rotating basis. The committee's function was to advise the director on operation of the Computing Center. The records, 1978 to 1980, include some long-range planning materials. The Executive Committee was created in 1959 to serve as the Computing Center's governing board. It was composed of the Computing Center director and university faculty and administrators. The committee files, dating from 1959 to 1966 and 1979 to 1985, provide an overview of Computing Center activities. The Review Committee files, 1984-1986, contain minutes, reports and correspondence relating to the university's review of the Computing Center.

In: Computing Center (University of Michigan) records, 1952-1996 (majority within 1959-1987)Administrative Records
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