The countdown is on

DANIEL McCABE | Tanya Steinberg doesn't understand why you don't keep in touch.

You're not returning her phone calls. She hasn't received any e-mail from you. What gives?

Steinberg is the project manager for the Year 2000 Project. At a presentation earlier this week, she worried that, with only two months to go, some staff aren't giving the Y2K issue the attention it deserves. If she has asked you for a report on how your unit is dealing with Y2K, please respond, she pleaded. And if you have any questions about Y2K, you better start asking them now.

If Steinberg can't answer your query herself, she can at least direct you to someone who can.

Steinberg says McGill has been focusing its attention on "mission critical" systems for Y2K: telecommunications, computing services, the libraries and other systems that are crucial for the day-to-day running of McGill. "We want to make sure that in January, students can register and we keep getting paid."

Over the Christmas break, Steinberg will be spending much more time at the University than she would like. The same goes for administrators such as Vice-Principal (Information Systems and Technology) Bruce Pennycook, Telecom director Gary Bernstein, Computing Centre director Alan Greenberg and a battalion of computer experts, security officers, electricians, plumbers and heating technicians. "We will be waiting to see if the lights go off," explained Steinberg. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to find a caterer," she joked.

If something does go wrong, McGill wants to be able to address problems immediately, Steinberg said. For instance, dozens of portable generators will be available and a diesel gas truck will be parked on campus to fuel them if need be.

She said that one of the more serious threats associated with Y2K comes dressed in conservative, three-piece suits -- lawyers.

"The legal profession is just waiting for this," said Steinberg. "Somebody is going to make a lot of money."

McGill's researchers have signed over 100 contracts with corporate partners that promise "deliverables" from the McGill teams to the companies. If, as a result of poor Y2K planning, a report gets obliterated or a valuable specimen melts, these clients might be in the mood to sue. If so, the researchers and the University could be in a lot of trouble.

"We're legally liable," warned Steinberg. "We must be able to demonstrate diligence."

The situation with granting agencies is a little less dire, but Steinberg counsels that you get in touch with the Research Grants Office if you're uncertain about your responsibilities to the agencies.

Steinberg says Y2K mishaps have already been occurring, either as a result of testing systems to see if they are Y2K compliant, or as a result of organizations switching to new systems because of the Y2K threat.

Hydro-Quebec directors were locked out of their building because the security system believed their codes had expired. Four thousand pieces of luggage went missing when Air France attempted to change to a new system. A 104-year-old woman in Minnesota received a letter from a local school board inviting her to register for kindergarten.

Less amusing, millions of pounds of raw sewage flooded some Californian towns as a result of a Y2K glitch.

Her final piece of advice to the community might seem mundane, but she insists it's crucial. "Whatever you do, back up your computer files. Make copies. The last thing you want is to come back to work and find that your computer has burned out on you and you've lost everything."

Steinberg's talk was co-sponsored by Management Forum and the Computer Users' Committee.