Media Advisory

TO                         News Directors, Education Reporters, Assignment Editors

FROM                     UAF Department of Mathematical Sciences

SUBJECT                Quarter Million Dollar IBM Equipment Donation and Hiring Plan for UAF Computer Science Students Unveiled

LOCATION              Room 205, Sydney Chapman Building, UAF Campus

DATE & TIME          2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997

Representatives from IBM in Rochester, Minn. will be in Fairbanks next week to help UAF's computer science department take delivery of a new IBM AS/400 computer valued at about $300,000. IBM officials will also finalize an agreement with UAF which will guarantee placement of UAF computer science students after graduation, and as interns while the students are still attending the university. Details of the agreement will be announced during a presentation Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. at UAF's computer visualization lab, 205 Chapman Building.

According to IBM's Todd Kelsey, a partnership with UAF will benefit students and the company he works for.

"IBM Rochester has recruited people from UAF for several years. They've done an excellent job, which is reflective of UAF's curriculum, faculty and educational system."

Donation of the system was sponsored by MicroAge, a systems integration company based in Anchorage. Over the years MicroAge has also established an internship program for UAF computer science students and donated Hewlett Packard PCs to UAF.

UAF's computer science program recently received reaccreditation by the national Computing Sciences Accreditation Commission and is one of only 151 CSAC-accredited programs in the country. The program was first accredited in 1991, the only in Alaska to do so.

CONTACT: UAF Mathematical Sciences Department Head Cliff Lando, (907) 474-7118

RMJ/9-25-97/98-016ma