It started in 1957 ...

From its humble beginnings as a few dedicated staff within the School of Agriculture who saw the need to help analyze data collected by the College Experiment Station, Enterprise Information Technology Services, as it is called today, has through its 50 years of existence been true to the mission of the University to educate its students, to conduct research, and to provide service to the State of Georgia and beyond. Chronicled in the posts below are the trends and highlights for each of the 5 decades that computing and technology have been contributing to the growth and continued success of the University of Georgia.

Please post any comments you have to this general post. Following this general post are postings detailing the five decades, with associated themes, and a post seeking comments for the future of computing at UGA.

1957-1967: The Decade of Decision

In 1957, the Department of Experimental Statistics in the School of Agriculture, later to be known as the University of Georgia Computer Center, began operations in the Annex of the Agricultural Extension Building with a 602A Punch Card Calculator (programmed by plugging wires into a plug board) and a staff of two. At that time, the main purpose for the computing equipment was to analyze data collected by the College Experiment Station.

Dr. James L. Carmon in the Animal Husbandry Department at the University of Georgia became Head of the Department of Experimental Statistics and Director of the Computer Center.

HIGHLIGHTS: Center moves to Lumpkin House, 1960; First purchased computer (IBM 1620), 1962; Around-the-clock operations, 1965; NASA'S Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC) started, 1966.