To the Editors:

This letter is to announce that CIT will permanently close the Biggs Lab in Stevenson Hall on June 1, 2004.

For some time now, CIT has been working with the Dean of Students Office and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to seek resolution of serious space issues. Often in these discussions, the Biggs lab has been discussed.

This lab has been used less and less each academic year for classes. Its main purpose most recently has been as a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week computer facility for students.

We have discovered that this lab, at various times during the day, is also used very lightly by students. It has, therefore, become quite difficult to justify its continued existence as a lab, especially when faced with dire office space needs.

Thus, we are faced with closing the Biggs Lab. This will allow for the
relocation of Residential Life and Services offices from Peters to Stevenson. This then will free up the space in Peters for much-needed Arts and Sciences faculty offices.

This creates a dilemma for CIT as we also recognize that students desire access to computing facilities on the north end of campus, especially facilities available 24-seven.

However, it also creates opportunities to come up with some innovative ideas for providing computing services. Here’s what we’re planning thus far:

Wireless:

We’ll be installing wireless capability (802.11b) throughout East Hall during the summer; we’re also planning to add wireless to additional locations on campus, funding permitting, in the 2004-2005 academic year.

Internet Café cluster(s) in Stevenson:
We’re planning to install some computers in Stevenson — perhaps in the dining hall itself — to provide stations where students can quickly check their e-mail and surf the web.

We’d also like to ask for your suggestions. Consider the following as you think of new ideas: the Biggs Lab closing is a given; we don’t have the space resources for another large lab on campus; labs in residence halls mean increased use by non-residents and using available lounge space for labs has often been met with resistance. Also, try to be creative! We’re viewing this as an opportunity to try some unique things.

Please provide your comments directly to me at John.Bucher@oberlin.edu or go to our website (http://www.oberlin.edu/cit) and complete the Computers-on-Campus ideas form.

–John Bucher
Director, Center for
Information Technology