The Y2K Partners group, an Institute-wide initiative formed to foster an educated awareness of Year 2000 computer issues and expand Y2K compliance efforts, is being convened this week by MIT's Year 2000 Team.
The purpose of the group is to educate representatives of all departments, labs and centers (DLCs); provide updated information about Year 2000; and gather information about local compliance efforts and further awareness of Y2K effects on the Institute's educational, research and business functions.
The Y2K Partners will meet the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11am. Data will be gathered regularly from all Y2K Partners about local compliance efforts. Based on this information, reports will be made to MIT's senior management about the status of Institute-wide compliance efforts.
MIT is committed to a goal of "no material disruptions" related to the start of the year 2000, and work on vital data systems has been going on for more than two years. However, with as many as 30,000 desktop computer systems on campus and thousands of digital (noncomputer) systems in laboratories, much work remains to be done. Campus-wide participation in this effort is crucial to MIT's Year 2000 goals.
DLCs which are not currently represented in the Y2K Partners program are urged to designate a representative as soon as possible, and to communicate that information to the Year 2000 Team at y2k-help@mit.edu. Questions and requests for further information may be sent to the same address, or refer to the team's web site.
This document is a "Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure" as defined in the Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-271, 112 Stat. 2386).
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on December 16, 1998.
