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C00002 00002 TITLE PAGE: MARCH 1974
C00004 00003 CHARACTERISTICS:
C00007 00004 MOTIVATIONS:
C00010 00005 ASPECTS:
C00012 00006 RESEARCH PROGRAM:
C00013 00007 CURRICULUM:
C00014 00008 BUDGET:
C00015 00009 TRANSITION:
C00016 00010 CALENDAR:
C00018 00011 ANNOUCEMENT TO POTENTIAL STUDENTS.
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TITLE PAGE: MARCH 1974
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CALICS: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
IGSCS: AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATE SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
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Abstract:
This file, CALICS[1,BGB], is an adulterated and extended
version of IGSCS.PLN[ESS,JMC] and concerns turning the Stanford
Artificial Intelligence Project into an independent graduate school
of computer sciences called the California Institute of Computer
Science (or some other name). The acronym would be CALICS, which
should be pronouced as a word rather than spelled out.
Contents:
CHARACTERISTICS.
MOTIVATIONS.
ASPECTS.
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
CURRICULUM.
BUDGET.
CALENDAR.
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CHARACTERISTICS:
This is a plan to form an independent graduate school of
computer science called IGSCS with the following characteristics:
1. It will be an independent PhD granting institution doing
graduate teaching and research.
2. Its initial area will be computer science with a strong
initial emphasis on artificial intelligence, mathematical theory of
computation, language and compiler design, time-sharing system
design.
3. It will strive for a first class teaching and research
faculty. There will be no tenure at first.
4. It will expand as talent and resources become available.
Its expansion will not be limited by considerations of the total job
market for computer scientists as long as there are high calibre
students wishing to learn, high calibre faculty to teach them, and
research support. It will expand according to opportunity in the
research or teaching area without trying to maintain a fixed ratio
between these activities.
5. The initial personnel will be a subset of those presently
attached to the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
6. We hope to buy the premises from Stanford University and
also to get contract support from ARPA and NSF to carry on the
research we are now doing in∨the Stanford AI Lab.
7. There will be a strong emphasis on research with
applications. The criterion is that the researcher himself must
believe that the work has applications within a time frame and
through developments that he can envisage.
8. CALICS may undertake such development activities as will
help put the results of computer science research into practical use.
MOTIVATIONS:
Our motivations for starting IGSCS are based on the following
facts:
1. Many American universities including Stanford where we are
mostly located have decided not to expand further, because they see a
reduced demand for engineers and scientists. In our opinion, the
number of scientists and engineers society can profitably employ is
limited by the number of people with the requisite talents and
interests rather than by the amount of work there is to do. This
conviction is based on being able to say many areas where much more
engineering and science will benefit society rather than on some
abstract principle.
2. Computer science because of its newness is especially
badly affected by this policy. The faculties are relatively young
having been hired recently and few will retire to make room for new
people in the near future. Besides that, the present faculties are
relatively ill-trained being mostly immigrants from other fields, so
we believe that the quality of people available to be computer
science faculty will improve sharply over the next ten years.
3. University faculties have become less and less interested
in the needs of society and opportunities to serve society by
developing new technology. We believe that much good can come from
an institution specifically dedicated to teaching and research aimed
at these goals. Computer science itself contains a large number of
such opportunities.
4. No-one has formed a new first class technological
educational and research institution in many years and it is time to
try.
ASPECTS:
Here are some aspects of the initial plan.
1. We propose to acquire the building and facilities now
occupied by the Stanford AI Lab. Stanford wants to sell the
building. The building is located about five miles from the Stanford
campus. It has room for about 250 people to work. The location and
facilities and room for expansion are excellent.
2. Besides research contract and grant money, we shall need
some capital. The amount of capital absolutely needed is not known
but is somewhere between one and five million dollars.
3. IGSCS will be operated with very few administrative and
clerical people and will rely heavily on its computer facilities to
make this possible.
4. The initial board of trustees of IGSCS will consist of the
President, outstanding outside computer scientists from other
universities and from industry and of other supporters of the school.
{Naming names - nominations for the board:
Minisky, Fredkin,
RESEARCH PROGRAM:
The initial research program of IGSCS will emphasize the
following areas in which the initial staff have already substantial
experience and accomplishments:
mtc,robotics, theorem proving, representation theory, language and
compilers, graphics and drawing, vision.
Mathematical Theory of Computation
Robotics,
Theorem Proving,
Representation Theory,
Language and Compilers,
Natural Language,
Graphics and Drawing,
Vision,
CURRICULUM:
The initial course offerings of IGSCS will include the
following: (can we get them some non-CS courses? perhaps w/help of
Stanford and/or Xerox).
A PhD will be obtained as follows:
A Masters of Computer Programming:
(certified programming wizard)
BUDGET:
Finacial Statement:
Present Assets
Breakdown on needed capital:
A preliminary budget as follows:
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List of potential sponsors:
ARPA
NSF
DEC
HP
IBM
TRANSITION:
CALENDAR:
February 1974: Planning and writing.
March 1974: Annoucement of intention to create a school.
Scramble for initial quantities of money, board members,
faculty members for a first year of operation, September 1974 to June
1975.
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Well now there are only two possible starting dates:
September 1974 and September 1975. First, let's be optimistic and
energetic and assume that we are really going to be running some kind
of computer science school with the first class beginning at 8 AM;
Monday morning 30 September 1974. Then what things must be done
by whom and in what order ?
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STEP A: First class. September 1974.
STEP B: Annoucement to potential students. March 1974.
STEP C: First year faculty roster.
ANNOUCEMENT TO POTENTIAL STUDENTS.
description of the school.
degrees offered and degree requirements.
description of the courses.
entrance requirements.
applications.
tuition.