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Loomis named to post Penn State collaborates with Governor's Office in year 2000 outreach initiative By Celena E. Kusch
Dr. Frederick D. Loomis is directing the Pa2K, Pennsylvanians Working Together, campaign designed to raise awareness of the year 2000 computer challenge and provide organizations with the tools to address this problem.	As part of an increasing commitment to Gov. Tom Ridge’s technology action plan, Penn State has joined with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology to promote public awareness of the year 2000 (Y2K) computer challenge. This campaign, titled “Pa2K, Pennsylvanians Working Together,” calls for aggressive public education to raise awareness and provide tools enabling organizations to take effective steps to address the problem.   Dr. Frederick D. Loomis, director of administration, planning and information technology for Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension, has been appointed project director for Pa2K. He is serving in the Governor’s Office of Information Technology and working on behalf of the Commonwealth to bring a variety of educational outreach resources to bear on the public year 2000 computer problem. He also is chairing a Pa2K Coordinating Council and serving as a liaison to other state, county and association offices to manage and coordinate the educational campaign.   “The Pa2K campaign allows Penn State to use its educational delivery systems and faculty and staff expertise to partner with state, local, federal and professional organizations to address the year 2000 problem,” Loomis said.   The year 2000 computer challenge refers to the possible shutdown of computers around the world if computer systems are not upgraded. Businesses across the globe are bracing for the effects on their computer operations after midnight Dec. 31, 1999. Software programs that use a two-digit format to record years could interpret the year’s two zeros as the year 1900 and crash.   The problem could also extend beyond computer systems. Any device containing an embedded computer chip that still reads the date in two-digit format could malfunction, including heating/air conditioning systems, credit card readers, production equipment, fax machines, cash registers, production machinery, elevators, security systems and more.   The Pa2K campaign will develop and disseminate accurate and consistent educational information on the year 2000 computer challenge to be used by all partners who interact with communities and organizations throughout the Commonwealth. The campaign will build on the successful publication titled Executive Survival Guide for the Year 2000, which was produced last spring by the Governor’s Office of Information Technology and Penn State.   In addition to promoting year 2000 information materials, the Governor’s Pa2K campaign includes public presentations, a public Pa2K Web site and on-line resource center and a database to track the reach of the Pa2K campaign among organizations across the state. The program will focus particular attention on the needs of small business owners, hospital administrators, school superintendents and local government organizations.   “A key theme of the Pa2K campaign is Pennsylvanians working together to solve the year 2000 problem. By following up with communities and organizations who are working toward year 2000 compliance, we hope to share successes, while we raise awareness. Many communities are showing great promise in searching for common solutions to this problem,” Loomis said.   “We see the Pa2K program as an opportunity to demonstrate the way Penn State can fulfill its mission of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through educational outreach,” said Dr. James H. Ryan, vice president for Outreach and Cooperative Extension. “By bringing our technology expertise and educational perspective to this problem, Pa2K communicates not just information but understanding delivered to promote action. With Pa2K, we are responding to a major statewide initiative and mobilizing all of our outreach resources to bring rapid deployment and relevance to an important public issue.”   Penn State outreach units are already engaged in the year 2000 challenge through current projects: Continuing Education and Management Development Programs and Services offer on-site year 2000 training, as well as public workshops scheduled around Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP), a technology transfer and outreach service, has begun a free assessment service for Pennsylvania small businesses that want to test their computer hardware and software inventory for year 2000 compliance. Penn State Public Broadcasting is providing support to produce and distribute audiotapes and video tapes. All Penn State campuses, Cooperative Extension offices and the Governor’s Office of Information Technology continue to promote and distribute the Executive Survival Guide and other resource materials that comprise the Pa2K Toolkit.   For copies of the Executive Survival Guide and more information about Pa2K, call 1-800-PSU-TODAY (1-800-778-8632) or visit the Web site at www.pa2k.org.
	Pennsylvania summit on year 2000 computer challenge wins award By Celena E. Kusch
	The State and Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Summit on the Year 2000, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Administration, has been honored with an Award of Excellence for Noncredit Program Development. The award was given by Region II of the University Continuing Educational Association (UCEA).   High-tech support for the October 1997 summit, hosted by Gov. Tom Ridge in Pittsburgh, was a collaborative effort involving Penn State, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Penn State played a leadership role in organizing the summit and providing computer facilities, consultation, training and information technology support.   “I’m pleased to see these Pennsylvania universities receive this recognition for their efforts supporting our national year 2000 summit,” Ridge said. “Their work on the summit helped to jump-start a much-needed national dialog on the year 2000 threat.”   The national summit, which established an initial state and federal strategy for addressing the year 2000 computer challenge, brought together 107 CIOs representing 43 states and U.S. territories and 21 federal agencies. During the one-day working summit, participants standardized data systems, year 2000 policies and solutions across all government agencies.   “For Penn State and the other universities involved, this summit was an opportunity to fulfill their service mission to the Commonwealth. This summit was a great success,” said Dr. Frederick D. Loomis, director of administration, planning and information technology for Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension. He is now project director for the state Office for Information Technology’s “Pa2K” outreach campaign.   The Award of Excellence acknowledges the summit’s success. The University Continuing Education Association is an international association of universities and colleges working to expand higher education opportunities for part-time and nontraditional students. Each UCEA region presents annual awards in a number of categories. Penn State is a member of Region II.   “The UCEA award recognizes the importance of collaborative partnerships designed to address a societal need. That’s exactly what this summit did,” Dr. James H. Ryan, vice president for Outreach and Cooperative Extension, said. “I am extremely pleased with Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension’s role in helping to increase awareness of the year 2000 challenge.”   Summit team members included: Larry Olson, deputy secretary for information technology, Governor’s Office of Administration; Dr. Frederick D. Loomis; Harold Horton, manager of instructional technology services, Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension (O&CE); Dr. Richard Zelonka, assistant professor of management development, Penn State O&CE; Len Brush, assistant vice president for administrative computing and information services, Carnegie Mellon University; and Dennis Galletta, associate professor of business administration, and Kenneth Sochats, co-director, Center for Electronic Recordkeeping and Archival Research, University of Pittsburgh.