Academic Information Systems

Academic Information Systems (AcIS) assists members of the University community in meeting their academic computing and information needs. It supports faculty, staff, and students with a wide variety of services, including free e-mail, time-sharing on a central server, data services, training, consulting, and assistance with the development of Web pages. It also operates the Morningside campus network, connects departmental and other campus networks to each other and the Internet, maintains Columbia's World Wide Web, and manages computer labs, electronic classrooms, and public workstations on the Morningside campus. AcIS reports to the Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian.

This section of the Handbook provides an overview of the most important of its services. Officers may obtain a more detailed description of AcIS from its site on the Columbia Web at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/. Assistance is also available from the Computing Help Line at (212) 854-1919 or in the Computing Support Center in 102 Philosophy Hall.

Facilities

AcIS operates a large cluster of central computer systems for instruction, academic research, and information and network services, as well as clusters of public workstations, microcomputers, and printers. A group of central computers, called the CUNIX cluster, provides instructional and research computing, electronic mail, network access, and information services for faculty, students, and staff. Faculty are entitled to free CUNIX accounts, which provide e-mail, access to AcIS computer labs and the Internet, unlimited connect time, and substantial allocations of disk storage space. They may establish their accounts via the Web through the login screen at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/compcomm.html.

Several clusters of microcomputers and terminals support instructional and student computing needs. These facilities include Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX workstations providing Mac OS, Windows, and UNIX environments; color X-Terminals; projection facilities; and high-volume Postscript printing. For information on their locations, individuals should consult the listing at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/facilities/labs/.

Faculty may also take advantage of multimedia classrooms that are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, including connections to the campus-wide network and the Internet. In addition to maintaining the equipment in the classrooms, AcIS provides training and ongoing support in their use. Information on the classrooms may be found on the AcIS Web site at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/classrooms/.

Support Services

AcIS provides members of the University with a variety of ways to obtain help. Users may call the Computing Help Line (854-1919) for immediate assistance or referral or send electronic mail to consultant@columbia.edu, where questions are usually answered within 24 hours. The Computing Support Center in 102 Philosophy Hall offers personal assistance to individuals with questions or problems with AcIS, AIS, or personal computing. The Support Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Fridays. The Help Line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. Consultants are always available in the computer labs to answer questions about both UNIX and microcomputer systems.

AcIS offers short courses, in-class presentations, and other forms of training that provide basic network literacy and more advanced instruction in instructional and research computing. An on-line newsletter, "The Ink Never Dries" (http://www.columbia.edu/acis/ink/theink.html), highlights changes and additions to these services. AcIS staff publish other on-line documents on its facilities and services through its home page. These are also available in printed form at the Computing Support Center.

Networking

AcIS operates the Morningside campus network and the links to networks on other campuses or outside the University, including the Internet. The campus network extends into every office and every residence hall room on the Morningside campus, allowing convenient connection in any Morningside location that has a phone jack. AcIS also operates a pool of modems that provides off-campus access to the network. Information on connecting to the network is available on the Web and at the Computing Support Center.

Information Services

AcIS supports the University's World Wide Web and Digital Library, called ColumbiaNet, which are now the primary means of distributing information to students, faculty, and staff. Most University documents are now published on ColumbiaNet simultaneously with their appearance in print. Some are no longer disseminated in printed form. AcIS offers space and advice to faculty, departments, and offices wishing to publish on the Web. Information on Web publishing is available at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/help/.

Columbia does not sponsor, review, or monitor the contents of the personal home pages of faculty, students, or staff on World Wide Web sites using University facilities, nor does the University endorse the contents of any personal home pages.

Computer Use Policy

Academic Information Systems (AcIS) has adopted a series of policies to govern the use and security of its systems. Those policies may be found on ColumbiaNet at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/policy2.html or by typing 'policy' after the '$' on any CUNIX system. They also have been reprinted as Appendix L of Working at Columbia.

Users of AcIS facilities are expected to be familiar with its policies. Violations can lead to the suspension of computer accounts, pending investigation of circumstances. AcIS will refer serious violations to the appropriate academic or outside legal authorities. The penalties for improper use of AcIS facilities may be as severe as suspension or dismissal from the University and criminal prosecution.

Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital have adopted a joint policy to safeguard their information resources. This policy defines the responsibilities of users and providers for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the information resources of the two institutions and for using them properly. It is reprinted in Appendix K of Working at Columbia, and is available on-line at http://www.ais.columbia.edu/ais/html/body_cu_information_security.html.