Finding Aid for ILLIAC IV Project File, 1967-1974 | University of Illinois Archives

Title: ILLIAC IV Project File, 1967-1974

ID: 7/21/3

Primary Creator: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Center for Advanced Computation

Extent: 3.3 cubic feet

Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Subjects: Center for Advanced Computation, Computers, Illiac Computers

Languages: English

ILLIAC IV Project File (1967-74), includes correspondence, reports, memorandums, technical manuals and specifications, meeting minutes, work logs, and conference transparencies recieved from or sent to ILLIAC IV Project staff, faculty, representatives from the Rand Coporation, the Burroughs Corporation, and the NASA Institute for Advanced Computation, concerning the development and implementation of the ILLIAC IV computer, particularly the Glypnir and Pandora programming languages (1969-74); the Burroughs Corporation's B6500 software (1967-72); the establishment of the Center for Advanced Computing at the University of Illinois to house the ILLIAC IV project (1968-71); system guides for ILLIAC IV users (1969,1973); and the ILLIAC IV's transfer to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's AMES Research Center in Moffett Field, Calfornia (1970-73). Correspondents include Ray Borelli, Arthur Carroll, David McIntyre, David Slotnick, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Thayer, and Major William Whitaker.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on June 17, 1970,¹ and by the Illinois Board of Education on November 3, 1970, the Center was conceived to facilitate full utilization and exploitation of the potentials of the ILLIAC IV computer by acting as a liaison facility between computer technologists and experts in the physical, life, and social sciences. Construction of the ILLIAC IV was removed from this campus to California. The Center had access to computational resources including the ILLIAC IV via the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. It promoted interdisciplinary and applied research by developing numerical techniques and provided the educational, software and hardware development necessary to research faculty using the Center and the ARPA Network.²

The Center was abolished as an independent administrative unit on June 30, 1978. Ongoing programs were placed under the administration of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.³

1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 55th Report, June 17, 1970, p. 943.

2. Graduate College Catalog, 1974-76, p. 12.

3. Letter from George Russell, Dean of the Graduate College and Vice Chancellor for Research, to Morton W. Weir, Acting Chancellor, October 13, 1977; "Statement to inform the Senate of termination of the Center for Advanced Computation as an administrative unit" (undated, unsigned).

The Center for Advanced Computation will be terminated as an independent administrative unit effective June 30, 1978. This action does no affect the continuity of ongoing programs; no personnel layoffs are anticipated as a result.This action is based on experience in recent years which has shown the Center for Advanced Computation administrative structure to be ineffective in relating its research programs to other campus academic activities. This judgment is not a reflection on the quality of the individual programs of the center. Those programs are expected to continue under the auspices of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.The Research Board and the Executive Committee of the Graduate College have been consulted on this question and both concur in this recommendation of the Acting Dean of the Graduate College.

Oct. 12, 197, Russell to Weir:

"Following our discussions concerning the future of the Center for Advanced Computation, I have discussed the matter with the Executive Committee of the Graduate College and the Research Board and asked for their vote on a plan to abolish the Center over the next year. Both of these Graduate College bodies voted unanimously to support such action. In accordance with the statutes I am, as Dean of the Graduate College, and with the support of the Executive Committee and the Research Board, recommending that you take whatever action is required to abolish the CAC as of June 30, 1978."

Center for Advanced Computation
Computers
Illiac Computers

Repository: University of Illinois Archives

Access Restrictions: Content relating to personnel in box 2 is restricted. Please contact the University Archives for more information.

Other Note: 5 pages.

URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/0721003.pdf

PDF finding aid for ILLIAC IV Project File (7/21/3)