PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University’s preparations for Y2K
appear to have paid off. There were no major problems reported from the
so-called Y2K computer glitch and, as a result, preparedness for future
emergencies improved.
University officials are still being cautious until all systems and software have
been fully exercised during the next two weeks. To date, only scattered minor
problems have surfaced and were easily corrected.
WSU spent $1.5 million dollars on remediation efforts. As of November 1999,
all mission-critical applications had been tested and certified. This included
financial, student, employment, financial aid, auxiliary, asset management and
physical plant systems.
Approximately 36 staff years went into checking 4.8 million lines of code and
21.7 thousand modules that have been certified as Y2K compliant.
Jerry Gordon, assistant director of Institutional Research, credited the
extraordinary efforts made by many individuals working together. “Without
this investment in dollars and people, it might have been a different scenario,”
Gordon said.
“The entire exercise became a learning experience that now helps us prepare
for the future,” said Craig Benjamin, assistant director of Facilities Operation.
“Obviously, we thought through some interesting scenarios, but also were
able to test some of our conclusions and operate in some modes never before
experienced.”
Benjamin said there was a great deal of cooperation from faculty, students and
staff who were asked to turn off or unplug electrical devices before Dec. 31.
Their response reduced electrical loads significantly and helped technicians
prepare the on-campus generator for potential outages.
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