Tuesday, September 17, 1985/The Battalion/Page 9
OFFICIAL NOTICE TO TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
SHOE by Jeff MacNelly
In the past, certain information has been made public by Texas A&M University
as a service to students, families, and other interested individuals.
Under the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974", the following
directory information may be made public unless the student desires to withold
any or all of this information.
Student's name, address (local and permanent), telephone
listing, date and place of birth, sex, nationality, race,
major, classification, dates of attendance, class schedule,
degrees awarded, awards or honors, class standing, previous
institution or educational agency attended by the student,
parent's name and address, sports participation, weight and
height of athletic team members, parking permit information,
and photograph.
Any student wishing to withhold any or all of this information should fill out,
in person, the appropriate form, available to all students at the Registrar’s
Office, no later than 5 p.m. Friday, September 20, 1985.
R. A. Lacey
Registrar
Warped
by Scott McCullar
Computers
(continued from page 1)
tion (before the hiring of Dinkle),” Eaton says, “but I
wanted to put it on a lower level of management.”
Dinkle says the University linked the Computing
Service Center and the Academic VAX — including the
Student Information Management Systems Project and
the Academic Computer Center — under his adminis
trative control.
The Academic VAX is a large two-machine system
that provides access to what Dinkle describes as “inte
raction machines” — or ordinary microcomputers —
which give an immediate response to the computer
user.
He says the VAX system was designed for scientific
use, with a network of 10-12 other machines available
for faculty use.
“The VAX system is basically for number crun
ching,” Dinkle says, “but it can do other things too.”
Most students are probably more familiar with the
SIMS project created to gradually computerize Univer
sity student registration. SIMS was first used in August
for late fall registration. Students have the advantage of
making schedule changes right at the Pavilion com
puter terminals.
“SIMS was just recently tested under fire,” Dinkle
says, “and it was extremely unusual for the first imple
mentation of a new system to go so well. It looked very,
very good.”
Dinkle says by combining all the separate computer
programs under his direction, A&M can concentrate
on taking the next organizational step — creating a
workable computer system for both the ordinary stu
dent and the administration.
“A major component of planning is for the network
ing of the system — the telecommunications segment
(of the system),” Dinkle says.
By networking, Dinkle is describing a program
where the different A&M computer systems would
have the ability to move through tne entire system.
Dinkle says there are four mainframe computers, 60
super-minicomputers and about 2,000 microcomputers
currently on campus.
And the necessity for networking is increasing as the
number of computers keeps growing.
“Networking the system will be done carefully, but
it’s d major item on the agenda,” Dinkle says. “With the
variety of equipment on campus, it requires some plan
ning. A year from now I can probably give you an an
swer on that (how well networking is doing).”
Dinkle’s new post is administrative and not a new de-
artment creation. Dinkle says he was chosen because
e had what the University was looking for.
“I think I have the academic credibility (to do the
job),” Dinkle says. “In other words I went through the
ranks.”
Dinkle also has a record of administrative command.
He served as the head of the Department of Business
Analysis from 1980-83, before becoming the associate
dean of the College of Business Administration where
he served until September.
The Academic Computer Center was under Dinkle’s
jurisdiction while associate dean.
Dinkle says his job is to pull all the dangling ropes to
gether.
“In the next year or so, we are planning to make a
statement on computing at A&M,” Dinkle says. “It will
tell people what the computer environment is here, and
tell about the telecommunications segment.”
A second goal for Dinkle is to produce a computer
system that balances the needs of both the students and
tne administrators.
“The student computer needs are for unlimited ac
cess for smaller jobs’,” Dinkier says. “Administrative
needs are for a large data base, an immediate response
time, and you get into things like the need for security.
“That means you have a natural tug for resources.
“It’s difficult for instructors to get what they think is
the necessary amount of computer time for students
(weighing resources and budgetary restraints). If you
have 500 students and you want to give each student
$10 worth of computer time, then that’s $5,000.
“Add in the other different programs and thbt fig
ure grows quickly. It’s hard to balance those needs.”
Another thrust of Dinkle’s office is making the Uni
versity community aware of the many A&M computer
resources.
“We have a lot of powerful tools that have not been
as heavily used as they will be in the future,” Dinkle
says.
He says one way of spreading the word and getting
feedback from computer users is through computer
groups on campus.
“I’d like to make a personal plug for the Texas A&M
Computer User Group,” Dinkier says, “thbt will meet
Thursday, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. in 701 Rudder.
“It’s open to all computer users on campus, and will
be a forum to communicate ideas on all aspects of com
puters, mainframes and minicomputers.”
And Dinkier is hoping that the human side of the
A&M computer network will become an important ad
dition to his “software.”
MSC
Cafeteria
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With
These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods.
Each Daily Special Only $2.69 Plus Tax.
“Open Daily”
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.-4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
MONDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Salisbury Steak
with
Mushroom Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Your Choice of
One Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Coffee or Tea
TUESDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Mexican Fiesta
Dinner
Two Cheese and
Onion Enchiladas
w/ Chili
Mexican Rice
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
WEDNESDAY
EVENING
SPECIAL
Chicken Fried Steak
w/ Cream Gravy
Whipped Potatoes and
Choice of one other
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner
SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE
Parmesan Cheese-Tossed Green Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing-Hot Garlic Bread
Tea or Coffee
YOU GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY WHEN YOU DINE ON CAMPUS
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
Fried Catfish
Filet w/ Tarta
Sauce
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of One
Vegetable
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Yankee Pot Roast
Texas Style
(Tossed Salad)
Mashed
Potatoes
w/ Gravy
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
|“Quality First”
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
Roast Turkey Dinner
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Coffee or Tea
Giblet Gravy
And Your Choice of any
One Vegetable
National Business
Fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon
Orientation Meeting Wed., Sept. 18, 7:00
502 Rudder
So What’s PSE?
• Sales & marketing oriented
• For all majors
• Carrier opportunities
• Insight to the Real World
• Speaker presentation
Ad sponsored by:
— ferguson
and company
THE FULL-SERVICE HAIR SALON
(409) 846-1019
809 E. University Dr., Suite 410, at Creekside • College Station, TX 77840
x
x
X
X
X
-X
X
-X
X
-X
-X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
AGGIE G.O.P.
The Republican Party of Texas A&M
General Meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 17,1985
7:00 pm
302 Rudder
Guest Speaker: State Rep. Richard Smith
? NEW MEMBERS WELCOME
*
*
*
*
*
If
*
*
If
*
*
*
*
*
5
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*