1.Special Request and Financial Incentive for WWW Conference
From Glen Mueller:
As next week's 6th International WWW conference approaches, I notice that from a registration point, ITSS remains under represented, from my perspective. I know we are all very busy with high priority services and projects, but I would again like to encourage you and key members of your staff to attend as much of the conference as possible. This is a unique academic/research community event. The main conference runs Tues-Thursday.....Monday is tutorial day and Friday is developers day.
Online conference registration is still open.
Some staff have mentioned that they would like to attend parts of the main three-day program, but can't justify paying for the full three days. Therefore, I am making a special financial incentive/subsidy available to all ITSS staff. For any ITSS staff registering starting today, the Office of the CIO will credit your operating budget 50% of the registration fee. The procedure is as follows:
1. You go to the conference on-line registration and register paying full cost for the portions of the conference you or your staff will attend and submit for normal reimbursement.
2. By the end of April, we will journal entry a credit to your operating budget.
3. This offer will not extend to those ITSS staff already registered, but is intended as an incentive to increase opportunities for attendance and create an opportunity for staff who would not otherwise be able to attend.
2. Today's TGIF: Searching the Web
Are you having trouble finding what you are looking for on the Web? Bring your tricky search topics and we'll look at various searching options as well as tips on approaching a subject.
When? Today - Friday, April 4
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Where? Turing Auditorium
No Registration - Just Come on Over
For more information check out the TGIF program.
3. In Touch Content Moves to Stanford Report
Beginning with the April 9 issue, Stanford Report will expand its coverage of staff members and staff-related issues. The newspaper also will go on the World Wide Web. The stepped-up coverage comes at the recommendation of a university-wide task force that met during Fall Quarter to develop strategies to improve communication with staff and increase recognition of staff contributions to the university.
The enhanced Stanford Report will absorb the content of the In Touch newsletter and some components of Total Compensation News.
A final, abbreviated version of In Touch ("Staying In Touch") will reach your mailboxes on April 7. The issue contains more details on the new communication process, including information on how to submit information to the Stanford Report.
4. Autosys Training Class for Automated Job Scheduling
OSS has spent the last year looking at a Platinum product called AutoSys that will replace ContolM for job scheduling. The product is now installed in a test environment and we are preparing for our first conversion.
We trained a preliminary group of 12 users, and would like to offer additional training on April 17 and 18 in Phil. The format of the course is a combination lecture and hands-on lab. It starts at 9:00 a.m. and generally completes by 4:00 p.m.
The following topics will be taught:
Autosys Architecture
Autosys Job Definitions and Job States
Defining Jobs with the GUI
Defining Jobs with Date/Time Dependencies
Defining Jobs with Job Condition Dependencies
Running and Monitoring AutoSys Jobs
Defining and Running Autosys Job Streams
Please contact Barbara Sidor at bsidor@leland if you would like to attend or have any questions.
5. Stanford Celebrates Founders' Day: Sunday, April 13
Founders' Day at Stanford commemorates the founding of the University and the legacy of the Stanford family. Over the years, the intent of the day has been expanded to encompass an evolving conception of the University. This year, the Founders' Day Committee has completely revamped the event to include even more programs and attractions to appeal to the university community.
The day's activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a formal program at the Mausoleum. The featured speaker during the program will be W.B. Carnochan, Richard W. Lyman Professor of the Humanities, Emeritus. He will address the topic, "The Paradox of the University: 1906, 1997."
Stanford dignitaries and student flag bearers will then lead a procession from the Mausoleum to Memorial Church for a Founders' Day ceremony. The festivities will culminate with a gathering in the Quad, including a traditional luncheon, historial Stanford photo displays, and musical entertainment.
For further details on the Founders' Day celebration, check the Web.
Did you know....
* Leland Jr showed an interest in history, math, and engineering at an early age. With the help of staff mechanics, he built a miniature railroad at the Palo Alto Stock Farm.
* Leland Stanford's brother, Thomas Welton Stanford, generously supported the University, but never once laid eyes on it. He lived in Australia and the story was that his voyage there was so difficult he could never bring himself to make the return trip.
* Jane Stanford served as the President of the Board of Trustees.
* All of the black squirrels on campus are descendents of two squirrels that Leland Jr. brought back from a trip to Europe. After his death, the staff let the two go free, and they have prospered and multiplied on The Farm. The grey/brown squirrels are native to this area.
For more Founders' Day trivia, Check the Web.
7. Spring Forward This Weekend
Don't forget to set your clocks one hour AHEAD this weekend, (Saturday night or first thing Sunday morning), as we make the switch to Daylight Savings Time.
From the Payroll/CHRIS News:
Work is beginning on an update to the payroll manual. If you know of any changes you would like to see, send email to as.mft@forsythe. The update will be available in the early fall.
9. Orientation Web Site Unveiled
The full day Staff Orientation program was recently assessed and a new program and Web site implemented as a result.
The goals of the redesigned program are to give new staff members what they need to know, when they need it (and at their desktop, if desired). Providing a Web-based training site and shortening the current program will more closely meet the needs of both new and returning staff and meet departmental needs to orient the new staff member to his or her new job as quickly as possible.
By mid-May, the current full day format will be replaced by a half day format to be held on Mondays, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The new format will include resources and handouts outlining the resources available via the Web site, as well as a full orientation to health and retirement choices.
Registration is still required to attend the in-class session of Staff Orientation by calling Training and Organizational Development at 3-0657 or registering online at the orientation Web site.
(Contact: Barbara Grahn, barbara.grahn@forsythe)
10. ITSS Employment Opportunities: Five New Positions
In CCS:
Telecom Attendant Trainee (#J970542-TCC). Salary range: A00, open, 80%. Bargaining unit.
The Attendant Trainee classification is intended for newly hired telecommunication attendants who require training and skill development to perform the required job functions proficiently. Successful completion of training must occur within 12 months of hire for continued employment. The position is expected to learn all required job skills, demonstrate consistency in job skill performance and perform all operator duties assigned in support of the University and Medical Center profiles. Provides directory listings and information; may arrange conference calls; may quote long distance call rates; may support the Medical Center operations by paging doctors and staff for incoming callers; answer the off-hours telephone repair line, general trouble tickets and update unit logs for utility maintenance shops; operate computerized equipment.
Systems Software Developer, Principal (#J970602-PAR). Salary range: C08/C07, $4207-6193/$3606-5249. Exempt.
This is a senior technical staff position in the Distributed Computing Group (DCG) of Computing & Communication Services. DCG operates several campus core services, as well as operating the Leland Distributed Computing System. Leland's client base exceeds 25,000 faculty, students and staff. Leland is used for instruction and unsponsored research throughout the Stanford community. Leland provides infrastructure support for the distributed applications that support the Stanford administration. The incumbent works closely with the members of DCO and other members of DCG, being responsible on a rotating basis for the day-to-day operations of the distributed services provided by the DCO team. Responsible for maintaining the UNIX environment, developing system software and utilities, ensuring that the existing software is functional, safe, up-to-date and as bug free as possible and for diagnosing and reporting to the Team Leader any system problems.
In OSS:
Systems Software Developer (#J970593-PAR). Salary range: C06, $3161-4017. Exempt.
The Systems Software Developer in the Operations Systems & Services division of ITSS reports within the UNIX Systems group. This group has responsibility for supporting hardware, software production, physical data storage and tape/oper automation. This position provides direct support and service to all areas of OSS and works, as necessary, with other groups within ITSS. The job requires on-call support around the clock to insure the quality and consistency of service to clients. Duties include developing and maintaining and extensive database of Forsythe Hall hardware; developing programs and program scripts in support of this multi-function product and providing support to the users.
Information Systems Specialist (#J970597-PAR). Salary range: C09, $5073-7442. Exempt.
Database Administration involves planning, support, and administration of database software and services. This is most often, but not limited to, relational database management systems (RDBMS) such as Sybase. The Database Administrator (DBA) is responsible for database design and performance optimization, including base definition, structure, documentation, long-range requirements, operational guidelines and protections. The DBA formulates and monitors policies, procedures and standards relating to database management and is responsible for overall design and implementation of the database server platforms. The imcumbent is expected to evaluate technical strategies, select appropriate solutions, establish hardware and software component requirements and configure and integrate project components.
In AA&I:
Information Systems Specialist (#J970603-PAR). Salary range: C09, $5073-7442. Exempt. New position.
Coterminous with funding. The Core Financials project is a multi-year implementation of the Oracle Financials integrated package suite. The incumbent will report directly to the Technical Program Manager, and is a senior technical member of the infrastructure integration team. This team is responsible for the successful development, delivery and implementation of the infrastructure components within the scope of the Core Financials project. Duties include providing in-depth technical knowledge, expertise and leadership in Oracle - application and database security options, API's and architecture; applying Oracle and client/server knowledge and skills to resolve complex enterprise infrastructure interoperability problems arising from the implementation of the Oracle financial applications; designing and implementing solutions.
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.
- Amelia Earhart