Fonds I0026 - Computing Services fonds

Computing Services provided computing, information management and data communication services to the University community until 1998. Before their merger that created Concordia University in 1974, Loyola College and Sir George Williams University had their own computer facilities, Loyola had the smaller ones. In the fall of 1974, they were combined to form one single unit with a central office in the C Annex (on Sir George Williams Campus), where the main computers were, and two branches, Loyola and offices in the Hall building. In 1989, the Concordia Computer Centre became Computing Services. In 1998, Computing Services was merged with the Audio-Visual Department to create Instructional & Information Technology Services (IITS).

The Computer Centre at Sir George Williams University (SGWU) was developed by Professors Jack Bordan (Engineering), Kurt Jonassohn (Sociology) and Graham Martin (Engineering) in the early 1960s. Kurt Jonassohn was a chief instigator in the acquisition of the first computer, an IBM 1620. The SGWU Computer Centre was formally organized in September 1965 with Graham Martin as its first Director, reporting to the Vice-Principal Academic. In August 1966 the Centre was given a proper place in the new Henry F. Hall Building. During the events that led to what is known as the Sir George Computer Centre Incident, the computer equipment had been severely damaged and a fire had broken out in the Computer Centre on February 11, 1969. The main computers of the Centre were subsequently housed away from the Hall Building for the next 25 years.