Only a week after it began, a new computer service failed, sending representatives from the Office of Information Technologies (OIT) scrambling to correct periods of malfunction associated with IrishLink, the University's Web-based information application for faculty and students.

Troubles began last week and were not widespread, according to Larry Rapagnani, assistant provost for computing.

Rapagnani said the problems only affected Notre Dame professors attempting to use IrishLink to compile information on students in their classes. More specifically, the difficulties were limited to faculty members who on Tuesday tried to prepare class lists accompanied by students' pictures and biographical information.

Rapagnani explained that the University stores class lists and student information in one administrative computer system and photos, taken from student identification cards, in another.

"The problems arose when professors attempted to blend the data from the two systems," Rapagnani said.

He noted that in order to print class lists with pictures, it takes the cooperation of four inter-linked computers working in sync. Rapagnani blamed a performance error in one of the computers for last week's failure.

By last Wednesday, OIT officials had resolved the issue, much to the delight of many professors. Foreign language instructor Odette Menyard said she uses the available technology to become familiar with her students and to gauge their in-class participation.

"I am terrible with names and use it as a way to get acquainted with students faster," said Menyard, who on Monday printed a roster with photos of students in her second-year French class.

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