Proposed CPSR Year 2000 Working Group Role

This open letter to CPSR members and cpsr-y2k list subscribers explains what our role as professionals should be
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MEMORANDUM
Saturday, October 18, Copyright 1997, 1998,
TO: All CPSR Members and Subscribers to the cpsr-y2k list
FROM: The CPSR Year 2000 Working Group

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There has never been and may never be another computer-related crisis like the Y2k problem. CPSR has an opportunity to have a huge impact on this issue. Therefore, we submitted a proposal for a CPSR Y2k Program to the Board. It is presented in the attachment to this memorandum. On October 3, Copyright 1997, 1998, the Board discussed the proposal at its regular meeting. Marsha Woodbury, our liaison with the Board reported the following on the outcome of the discussion:

"We agreed with you that this is an extremely important issue, and we figured out the best way to work from here. CPSR runs via volunteer effort, and our solution to getting this issues (gender issues, encryption, workplace, etc.) attended to is through empowering people to speak and work through CPSR, using the CPSR name. Thus the things that you listed as action items are well suited for a CPSR Y2K Working Group. What you would do is form such a group--you need only five CPSR members among you and a Board liaison (which I would be happy to be)."

We have agreed to begin the formation of a Working Group and initiate the actions called for in the Plan. Anyone interested in participating as a volunteer to help with any of the indicated tasks should send an e-mail to Norman Kurland (kurlandn@crisny.org) giving your full name, professional affiliation, whether or not you are a CPSR member (not a requirement), and what aspect of the work you would be most interested in.

Information on Working Groups can be found at the CPSR site: http://www.cpsr.org

We maintain a public discusussion list on Y2K.   cpsr-y2k@Sunnyside.COM For information on how to subscribe, see  http://www.cpsr.org/lists/list-subscription.html  

We would, of course, welcome your comments on the entire Project. You may send your comments to the chairman, Norman Kurland kurlandn@crisny.org, or the webmaster Dan Howard (howard.dan@ic.gc.ca).