MAISD computer passes Y2K test, but
                    won't restart 

                    Tuesday, December 7, 1999

                    By Teresa Taylor Williams 
                    CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER 


                    Computer repair workers have been "camped out" at the
                    Muskegon Area Intermediate School District the last few days
                    trying to resuscitate a computer system after it passed a recent
                    "Y2K bug" test but failed to restart.

                    The problem is in the payroll system, and district officials are
                    trying to make sure area teachers and staff get paid this week.

                    Programmers at MAISD took the computer system down Friday
                    for a test to make sure the accounting and payroll programs were
                    ready for Y2K.

                    The end of the year has raised concerns that some computers
                    will not function properly on Jan. 1 because of a problem known
                    as the "Y2K bug." Older computers may not recognize the last
                    two digits of 2000 as the new year, but may read it as 1900.

                    Businesses, utility companies and government agencies in the
                    U.S. have spent an estimated $100 billion in advance of the new
                    year to keep computers from crashing, and most experts believe
                    problems will be minimal.

                    Various functions of the accounting system were tested, and
                    results indicated it was "absolutely (Y2K) compliant, as we
                    knew it would be," said Rosemary Cary, director of the regional
                    technology center at the MAISD.

                    But the operation failure occurred when they tried to bring the
                    system back up.

                    "We began reloading the system from backup tapes late Friday,
                    and that's when we had the operating system failure. We weren't
                    even aware there was a problem until midday Saturday," said
                    Cary.

                    "Since then we've been stomping out fires, trying to explore why
                    this is occurring," she said.

                    During the past five years, MAISD technology experts have
                    changed hardware and converted software of its network, which
                    reaches 34 school districts in Muskegon and six other counties.

                    Because they had to rewrite the software, some area school
                    districts are experiencing frustration as school officials try to
                    smooth out the rough spots.

                    "Whenever you go through a major software conversion,
                    frustration levels are high. They already have full time jobs, they
                    don't need more work," Cary said. "We're working as fast as we
                    can and as smart as we know how. We've got a wonderful staff
                    literally camping out here."

                    This morning marked day four of the downed computer system.
                    There are constant phone calls to IBM, nine computers on loan
                    from local paper mill Sappi Fine Paper Co. and representatives
                    from three school districts were working on payroll at the
                    MAISD.

                    The system is expected to be back up and running later today.
                    But if it isn't, MAISD officials say they will do everything within
                    their power to keep school district payrolls on schedule.

                    "We've got people working knee-deep in payroll," said Cary.
                    "We're communicating with our customers hourly via e-mail and
                    on the phone. We're prepared to do whatever we need to so
                    payrolls get out this week."