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MAJOR GIFTS AND Y2K READINESS
CSU, Chico's College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology has received a number of million-dollar equipment and intellectual property gifts over the past two years, but none has been more significant than the software package given to the college by Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (See related story on the back cover of Chico Statements, spring 1999.)

Last fall the Silicon Valley high-tech firm formally presented university officials with a suite of software design tools for fifty UNIX and seventy-five NT computer work stations. Thaddeus Salter, manager of university relations for Cadence (and a 1988 CSU, Chico alumnus), put the value of one full suite of tools per work station or design seat at $4.8 million, with the total value of the software gift to CSU, Chico at $251.9 million. The software has been installed in computer labs in CSU, Chico's O'Connell Technology Center.

The Cadence software is used by IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and other technology leaders in designing and analyzing circuits and components. It is considered to be the leading design simulation software in the industry. We are only one of a handful of top universities, including MIT, UC, Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, University of Maryland, and USC, that have the Cadence software. Having the software gives engineering students a special opportunity to learn circuit building. Young engineers must know simulation, and Cadence software will transform our curriculum and create new partnerships with other technology firms.

Roughly $10 million in other software gifts has also been received recently by the college. The gifts include more than $4 million worth of software from Para-metric Technology Corporation, for computer-aided design and manufacturing; Platinum Technology software valued at $1.2 million, for object-oriented modeling and design; and two gifts of animation and computer-aided graphics software worth $500,000 from Newtek and Silicon Grail, respectively. This state-of-the-art software gives our students tremendous leverage in the job market; it enables them to become quick learners and creative thinkers. Thanks to Cadence and other technology firms, we are offering our students computer labs equipped with software second to none.

CSU, Chico has long been a favorite campus for major companies to recruit our graduates. These exciting demonstrations of faith in our ability to prepare graduates will undoubtedly increase the demand for them by employers. Clearly, the above examples relate directly to the quality of our College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology, but increasingly the overall high quality of our academic programs is becoming recognized. During 1997-98, the university received cash and in-kind gifts in the amount of $14,500,000, a new record for the campus. In the future, intellectual property gifts will become increasingly important in providing our students an up-to-date curriculum and the necessary skills to succeed in their chosen careers.

On another note, I want to update you on how CSU, Chico is working to resolve the year 2000 (Y2K) problems. Because the problem has the potential of affecting all electronics-based technology, it could threaten many aspects of our communications, services, instruction, and research, including systems and equipment with embedded chips, such as heating and cooling, security and alarms, voice communications, instructional lab equipment, food services, and housing.

Information Resources began working on the Y2K problem several years ago. The university's mainframe computer was upgraded, and we have been working since then to bring systems and software into compliance. In addition, the Enterprise Systems Committee formed a Y2K compliance team in 1997 to develop and implement a university-wide plan to mitigate the Y2K problem, assist units in dealing with Y2K issues, and assure compliance in mission-critical applications. We are, of course, concerned primarily with health and safety factors, but administrative computing systems and student information systems, financial aid and registration, desktop hardware and software, voice communications, networking, and embedded systems are also of critical concern.

The Chancellor's Office has charged CSU, Chico and the other twenty-two CSU campuses with collecting information regarding Y2K assessment, resolution, and cost estimates to remedy systems affected by the millennium change. Since CSU, Chico proactively prepared for Y2K, Chico's reporting template was used as the standard for other campuses.

Because technology has become an integral part of our student-centered learning environment, we are making certain the electronic components of a CSU, Chico education will continue to operate as we cross the millennium and will provide the same quality educational services in January 2000 and beyond as we do now. For information on CSU, Chico readiness, visit the CSU, Chico Y2K Web site at www.csuchico.edu/inf/Year2000.html