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University Relations 202 Eielson Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7520
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fynews@uaf.edu

LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW FIRES UP UAF FOR MILLENNIUM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 21, 1999

Fairbanks, Alaska - As the clock strikes midnight Dec. 31, most of the world will welcome in the New Year with toasts and good cheer shared with friends and family. But for Officer Sam Beaudreault with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Police Department, the dawn of a new millennium will be just another day on the job.

Beaudreault is one of an estimated 100 employees— including computer technicians, scientists, police officers and firefighters— who will greet the New Year working on the university campus. Most employees will be monitoring computer systems with the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center and UAF's Department of Computing and Communications, others will be on hand to make sure there are no glitches when the rollover to the year 2000 takes place.

UAF began preparations for the rollover into a new century several months ago by reviewing critical systems necessary to continue to meet the institution's teaching, research and service missions. The university's Y2K Task Force identified critical functions that rely on computers and computer applications. Systems that failed testing were upgraded, repaired or in some cases, replaced. University Y2K watchers are confident the institution will move into the New Year without any major disruptions.

The only explosions or loud kabooms staff, researchers and the few students who choose to stay on campus over the break are likely to hear will come from the annual Fairbanks Fireworks Show at 8 p.m. on UAF's West Ridge. Sponsored by the Fairbanks Lions Club, local Chevron dealers and other businesses, the show will be six times larger than last year, according to event coordinator Mike Thomas.

With more than 3,000 people expected on campus for the fireworks show, UAF fire and police officers are gearing up for the influx of visitors. A temporary parking area will be plowed out near the UAF Agricultural Farm and Experiment Station to accommodate extra visitors to campus. And fireworks enthusiasts will be able to warm up in the UA Museum lobby, with staff serving hot chocolate and cookies from 6:30 - 9 p.m. The museum will be closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day, but will remain open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays and from noon - 5 p.m. weekends during the holidays.

Aside from Fairbanksans wanting to view the fireworks, university police officers will also have some company ringing in the New Year— Fairbanks North Star Borough emergency services staff. UAF's University Dispatch Center has been named incident command for the borough, and will remain as the center staging and organizing area for any emergency that may occur on Dec. 31, 1999 or Jan 1, 2000.

FNSB emergency manager Bill Schechter will give updates from the center to state and national emergency agencies on the status of Fairbanks area facilities throughout the 24 hours before and after the year changeover.

Although most of campus facilities will be shut down during Christmas Day and New Year's Day, many departments will be open for business from Dec. 27-29, a change from previous years. Included in the list of facilities open limited hours are the Financial Aid Office, Office of Admissions, Registrar's Office, UA Museum, Rasmuson Library, and the Department of Residence Life, which keeps Moore Hall open to students residing on campus through the winter break.

However, several university offices and departments will be closed during the winter break from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, including Career Services, the Advising Center, the Graduate School and the Business Office. The Banner System, UAF's computer information network, will not be available for student telephone registration from Dec. 23 at 5 p.m. through Jan. 3, 2000 at 12 p.m. All long-term parking lots on the campus will be closed, with the exception of the Nenana Lot across from the Patty Center.

Visitors should call and check to see if specific offices are open or closed before coming to campus. For a listing of facilities that have provided their hours of operation during the winter break, a website is available at: www.uaf.edu/univrel/holiday.html

CONTACT: Senior Public Information Officer Debra Damron at (907) 474-7122 or by email at: fynews@aurora.alaska.edu

JCS/DPD/12-21-99/00-034