OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Date: December 10, 1976Ed FeigenbaumTo

Mike RobertsFrom

Subject: External Advisory Committee

I note from the CSAC report that "the Committee did not get a rounded viewof SCIP's effectiveness, and hopes that the presentations on computing willbe better planned next time." Chuck and I had the distinct impressionfrom the previous year's gathering that too much time had been spent onSCIP, so we scaled it back, and hit only the high spots. It may also bethat with a high turnover rate, and three new members primarily interestedin our end of things (Young, Zuendt, and McCredie), that we underestimatedthe need for full presentation. At any rate, when agenda time rolls aroundnext spring, let's coordinate the schedule so they get what they want.

cc: W. F. MillerW. F. MassyC. R. Dickens

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E MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Date: December 8, 1976

To Provost William Miller, Vice Provost William Massy,Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. Michael Roberts

From Carolyn Taynai

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Subject: Report of the Advisory Committee for Computer Science

The attached report was just received from Professor RichardKarp, and Professor Feigenbaum thought you might want to seea copy right away in case you don't have one.

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

BERKELEY "

DAVIS

" IRVINE "

LOS ANGELES

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RIVERSIDE

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SAN DIEGO

" SAN FRANCISCO SANTA BARBARA " SANTA CRUZ

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA

94720DEPARTMENT OF

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

AND COMPUTER SCIENCESCOMPUTER

SCIENCE DIVISION

December 3, 1976

Professor Edward FeigenbaumChairman, Computer Science DepartmentSerra HouseStanford UniversityStanford, Ca. 94305

Dear Ed:

Enclosed is the CSAC report. I would like to thank you for theeffort you exerted in planning the excellent presentations of academicand research activities. The committee did not get a rounded view ofSCIP's effectiveness, and hopes that the presentations on computingwill be better planned next time. Perhaps a parallel session format,with the committee split into subgroups on computing and academic matters,would be appropriate for part of next year's program.

Very truly yours,

'Ck cu £-«- yRichard M. KarpPast Chairman, CSAC

RMKrbbEncl .cc: Frederick P. Brooks

David EvansPeter D. LaxDonald A.B. LindbergJohn W. McCredieDon RosenheimRobert W. TaylorJohn A. YoungWilliam F. Zuendt

U. FEj<

Report of the President's Computer Science Advisory Committee

Summary

The committee was encouraged on its recent visit by many signs ofprogress. The unification of CSD in suitable space on the Quad is nowassured. Strong new faculty have been recruited and further recruitmenthas been authorized. The FTE support of CSD has been augmented. LOTShas become a reality and SCIP has made a complete and orderly transitionto a 370/168 system. At the same time, a number of serious problemsexist. Faculty strength in CSD and DSL is not adequate for the studentdemand. Attempts to recruit urgently needed faculty in computer systemsand programming languages have met only partial success. Cooperationbetween CSD and DSL is at an all -time low. Computer science studentsare deprived of adequate interactive computer facilities. The loss ofthe Vice-Provost for Computing position creates a concern about thefuture sources of policy and initiatives with respect to computer facili-ties. SCIP continues to optimize for its present clientele, withoutsufficient evaluation, technical planning or development of new applica-tions. The LOTS facility is likely to saturate at the very outset.

The following discussion and recommendations are grouped under threeheadings: relations between CSD and DSL, the quality of graduate educa-tion in CSD, and computer policy.

Relations Between CSD and DSL

The committee is concerned about the failure of CSD and DSL tointeract effectively. Professor McCluskey is the only faculty memberactive in both organizations. The groups are geographically separatedand, more seriously, will remain separated under the present plans forthe relocation of CSD. Professor McCluskey, Director of DSL, andProfessor Feigenbaum, Chairman of CSD, have expressed a sincere desireto cooperate, but the hierarchies above them have done nothing to fostercooperation.

This separation is especially serious because it hinders facultyrecruiting in the crucially important and badly undermanned areas ofprogramming languages and computer systems. The CS. and E.E. Departmentsconduct their recruiting in these areas independently, and with a minimumof consultation. It will not be possible to hire, retain and effectivelyuse faculty in these areas if their morale and effective functioning arehindered by artificial barriers. We recommend that

(1) A joint CS-EE committee be set up to coordinate the search for newfaculty members in programming languages and computer systems

and

(2) A serious effort be made to provide space for DSL faculty, studentsand staff in the new quarters being planned for CSD.

2

The Quality of Graduate Education in CSD

Stanford has a great computer science faculty. The strong andcohesive faculty teams in the areas of analysis of algorithms andnumerical analysis are especially impressive. There are several first-rate well funded research projects. The reputation of CSD is high, andthe incoming graduate students are superbly qualified. But the qualityof graduate education in CSD is commensurate neither with the stature ofthe faculty nor with the promise of the graduate students. The researchfiefdoms connected with CSD fail to interact as a community. Facultymembers are overextended and have too little time for students. Keyareas such as programming languages and systems are inadequately covered.The facilities for interactive computing are inadequate.

We address these problems in turn.

Cooperation Among Research Groups

The access of a CSD graduate student to travel money, computing andother resources depends less on his need than on the financial status ofthe grant that supports him. We recommend the following modest steptoward greater cooperation:

A pool of funds should be established, seeded by the Department bJtalso subsidized by research grants, to cover research costs of CSD~students. Priority in the use of these funds should be based solely onthe merit of the proposed expenditure.

Faculty Size and Coverage

While student enrollments in CSD have grown significantly in thelast eight years, the faculty headcount has remained almost unchanged.The student-faculty ratio in DSL is even more adverse. The CSD facultyis overbalanced toward theory, and fails to cover adequately the areas ofprogramming languages and computer systems. The Stanford administrationhas shown its concern for these problems by increasing the allocation ofFTE to CSD, and by encouraging further faculty recruiting. To capital izeon this development, we recommend that CSD undertake a vigorous programof faculty recruiting. Excellence should be a major criterion, but it isalso essential that new faculty members cover areas of long-term need.

The large grant-supported research community surrounding CSDdistinguishes it significantly from other H & S departments. Seniorresearch staff members contribute greatly to the training and supervisionof CSD graduate students. The H & S administration has been reluctantto recognize this contribution to graduate education. They were persuadedto grant Bruce Buchanan's Adjunct Professorship only by massive andoverwhelming evidence.

also essential that new faculty members cover areas of long-term need.As mentioned above, recruiting in areas of overlap with DSL should be ajoint undertaking.

We recommend that research staff members of exceptional calibershould have a realistic prospect of being appointed Adjunct Professor.

3

Interactive Computing Facilities

Graduate students in computer science and computer engineering donot have sufficient access to interactive computing. The Sumex and AIfacilities are close to saturation. SCIP provides only text editingand semi-interactive FORTRAN. LOTS is tc serve the entire campus, andmust not be dominated by CSD users. We recommend that serious considera-tion be given to the acquisition of a Stanford-supported interactivecomputing system for graduate students in computer science and computerengineering.

Computer Pol icy

SCIP

An orderly changeover to a completely unified 370/168 operation hasbeen made. We did not have enough time or information to evaluate thestatement that the changeover was successful. In particular, there wasno opportunity to speak with users of the 168. It appears that the systemis already heavily loaded. There may be some room yet (as Chuck Dickenssuggested) for tuning, but at the moment the machine is not grosslyoutperforming the 67 as expected on the actual daily loads encountered.We recommend that SCIP make a careful evaluation of the 370/168 operation

The major computer management task on the campus during the next twoyears must be planning for the order of magnitude greater computing loadto come at SLAC. This is a welcome problem stemming from the great successof SCIP support to SLAC physicists. Yet the success means an absolute .end to all previous hopes that SLAC would ever export computing to thecampus. Thus the SLAC facility must make its chief contribution to thegeneral computer environment as a real world laboratory for advancedthinking, planning, and systems development in computing. We get thedistinct impression that less collaborative work occurs now between SCIP/SLAC and relevant persons in CSD and DSL than in past years.

The SCIP management's clear understanding of SLAC's needs is notcharacteristic of their approach to planning. In the hospital, for example,they have optimized for the present group of users and applications, whoare concerned primarily with accounting. The clinical areas have beenneglected.

Several new activities were presented briefly to the committee. Thepreliminary plan for a network to support dedicated minicomputers attachedto SCIP looked good. The SCAN switch seems a good move, and one whollycompatible with the decision by SCIP in earlier years to investigate howit could "serve as a broker of computer services to the Stanford campus".

An allied venture is the Educom connection. We did not get a crisppicture of the nature of the enterprise. The residual questions stillseem to be: does Stanford expect or want to be a net importer of computerservices (in which case, of what sort?), or does it expect to use Educomto export services such as BALLOTS as an income yielding operation? Whatare the manpower needs and dollar costs of the experiment?

relative to the present and anticipated loads.

4

SCIP's ventures into new facilities planning and the development ofnew applications are invariably a side activity of persons with substantialline responsibilities. To increase the thrust of such initiatives, thecommittee recommends that SCIP assign a full time technically expertindividual to advanced planning. This planning activity will guard age.instSCIP's tendency to take a static model of the user population. In the samespirit, we recommend that a Stanford user group separate from SCIP managementtake an active role in advising about priorities among services. Such agroup may exist, but it was not represented at our meeting; the committeeshould hear a report from this group at its next meeting.

LOTS

LOTS is now about to become a reality. It has the potential tocontribute substantially to Stanford's five-year goal of stimulatingundergraduate education. Gene Franklin, John McCarthy and the othercontributors are to be congratulated.

Like any new computing operation, LOTS will require a shakedownperiod before reaching its maximum performance level. Delivery schedulesfor memory and terminals have already slipped, and further delays arelikely. Demand for the 20/40 facility will be heavy from the outset.The LOTS advisory committee will need to play an active role in establishingrealizable objectives, setting priorities and planning for expansion. Weemphasize that CSD students can contribute importantly to LOTS, but mustnot dominate it. Their needs for interactive computing will have to bemet in some other way.

President's Advisory Committee on Computer Science

Frederick P. BrooksDavid EvansRichard M. Karp, ChairmanPeter D. LaxDonald A.B. LindbergJohn W. McCredieDon RosenheimRobert W. TaylorJohn A. YoungWilliam F. Zuendt

RMK:bb12/3/76

November 3, 1976

Provost William Miller

Professor Edward A. Feigenbaum

Computer Science Advisory Committee

The attached was part of the President'sAdvisory Committee meeting, and I thoughtyou would like to see the response thecurrent chairman had to the presentation.

JH3LTsI^

27 October 1976

Dr. Ed Feigenbaum, ChairmanDepartment of Computer ScienceStanford UniversityStanford , California 49305

Dear Ed:

Thanks especially for the SUMEX presentation. Iam not easily impressed by AI efforts, for so much as gone inand so little has come out. I find your work very impressive,however. lam firmly convinced that your dedication toapplying AI to real problems is absolutely right and indeed,essential to progress.

I should like to invite both you and Bob Englemore,together or separately, to visit our lab, see our protein/nucleicacid graphic system, and share your insights on the problemwith our team. Next time you come East, why not drop down tosee us?

I should also appreciate it if you could arrange tohave me sent the following reports:

Lederberg, DENDRAL-64 CR. 57029 Part ICR. 68898 Part II

and Part 111, no CR number listed.

My expense account is enclosed.

Cordially,

Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.Kenan Professor and Chairman

FPBJnsem

EnclosuresNU

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IBM

B<3ll

□ AVID

C. EVANS

October 19, 1976

Professor Edward A. FeigenbaumChairman, Computer Science Dept.Stanford UniversxTyPolya Hall 215Stanford, California 94305

Dear Professor Feigenbaum:

I regret to inform you that I will not be able toattend the President's Advisory Committee Meeting onComputer Science, October 24, 25, 26, due to unforseencircumstances. Please accept my sincere apologies.

lam returning herewith the V.I.P. parking permits.

Please cancel the reservations made for me at Rickey'sHyatt House.

Thank you for giving this your immediate attention

Sincerely,

JDCE:ph

THERLAND

COMPUTER CORPORATION

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RESEARCH ROAD

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SALT

LAKE CITY, UTAH

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David C. EvansPresident JUy

OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Date: October 6, 1976

To Professor E. J. McCluskey

From Professor E. A. Feigenbaum

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Subject: President's Advisory Committee on Computer Science

You are scheduled to speak at 4Serra House.

00 p.m. , October 25, at

I would like for you to give a status report on DSL CSFaculty and Research acitivities for 20-30 minutes followedby discussion the rest of the hour on the issues raised bythe Advisory Committee on coordination of tenure appointmentsbetween CS and DSL. We should broaden the discussion togeneral issues between DSL and CS.

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OFFICE MEMORANDUM STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM " STANFORD UNIVERSITY " OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Date: September 13, 1976

Charles R. DickensEdward A. Feigenbaum

To

From William F. MillerVice President and Provost

Subject:

Dear Chuck and Ed:

This is to ask you, as- Chairman of the Computer Science Departmentand Director of SCIP, to assume joint responsibility for meetingsof the President's Advisory Committee on Computer Science. Thisresponsibility includes arranging agendas, schedules, and dates forthe meetings.

I attach for your information a July 27 memo from Gene Franklin out-lining membership and proposed agenda for the upcoming meeting, andan August 23 memo from Mike Roberts outlining an information packagefor the new members of the Committee.

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o-n-nnEd Feigenbaum, as Chairman of the Computer Science Department, should

assume primary responsibility for the activities of the Committee. am5Oya>zacS

Thank you for taking on this important task.

Best regards,

llki'iWilliam F. Miller

Attachments

cc: G. J. LiebermanW. F. MassyW. E. Stone o

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OCT 6 876E. A. FEIGENBAUM

WELLS FARGO BANKNATIONAL ASSOCIATION

COMPUTER SERVICES GROUP

WILLIAM F. ZUENDTVice President

535 MARKET STREETSAN FRANCISCO. CALIFORNIA 94105

September 10, 1976

William F. MillerVice President and ProvostStanford UniversityStanford, California 94305

Dear Bill,

I accept your invitation to join Stanford's AdvisoryCommittee on Computer Science.

As we discussed on the telephone I would appreciatereceiving any reading materials you would consider to be worth-while background on the activities and recommendations of theAdvisory Committee.

I look forward to joining the Committee in October.

Best regards,

RECEIVEDSEP 2 7 1976

"OFFICE

OF VICE-PRESOSSTAN9

PROVOST"

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uu /6DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,

EDUCATION,

AND WELFARE E' A. FEIGENBAU/VI

PUBLIC

HEALTH SERVICE

NATIONAL

INSTITUTES OF.HEALTHBETHESDA. MARYLAND 20014

September 23, 1976

Dr. William F. MillerVice President and ProvostStanford UniversityStanford, California 94305

Dear Dr. Miller:

Thank you for your kind invitation to serve as a member of StanfordUniversity's Advisory Committee on Computer Science. I regret thatI cannot accept. My responsibilities within the National EyeInstitute are such that frequent scheduling conflicts between yourmeetings and my regular commitments surely would be the rule ratherthan the exception. It seems in neither of our interests for me tobe only an occasional participant.

I appreciate your thinking of me. Best wishes for a continued pace-setting role in computer science and its applications.

Extramural and Collaborative ProgramsNational Eye Institute

RECEIVED

SEP2 719T6

"OFFICEOFVICE-PRESIDENT

AND PROVOST"

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Sincerely yours,

William F. Raub, Ph.D.Associate Director for