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| S C T E CHN I CA L CO L L E G E S Y S T EM ’ S
F I R S T 5 0 Y EAR S
I’ve come to help you/With your problems/So we can be free/The
problem’s plain to see/Too little* technology
—Dennis DeYoung
Robots
were
the rage so why not take advantage of the craze.
Executive director Dudley went to the Budget and Control Board
to make the budget pitch. “We decided to use Piedmont’s robot
as an introduction to the ‘Design for the Eighties’ fiscal proposal
to the Budget and Control Board,” said Zobel. After some intro-
ductions and routine business transpired, Mr. Roboto’s moment
arrived. “The robot walked to the end of the table and launched
into its spiel, ‘Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Chairman, we’re here
today—’”
A walking, talking robot! It made for an impressive presen-
tation, but unlike the Dustbot, it had no sensors. The next thing
the committee heard was a loud crash. Zobel recalls, “The robot
turned too sharply and fell to the floor. Everybody scrambled to
pick the robot up, but it had made its point. It may sound corny,
but we had to use everything in our power to show, you know,
that we were real.”
“DESIGN FOR THE EIGHTIES”
So what exactly was this forward-looking eighties concept?
At its base level, it was collaborative, a reaching out to busi-
ness and industry leaders to see what their needs might be.
Announcing the program, Dr. Jim Morris said, “The board will
seek suggestions from business and industry officials before
completing the $10 million plan to upgrade the tech system
and make South Carolina more attractive to high-technology
prospects.”
Morris refers to “listening sessions” that were held across
the state to garner insight. “We decided that instead of going
into the communities and trying to sell business and industry
on ‘Design for the Eighties’ we would try to assess the short-
term and long-term needs of business and industry. We need a
better feel and more precision in terms of where we need to go.”
“Try to assess ... a better feel ... more precision in where we
need to go” ... Looking back the vagueness and uncertainty
make sense. Computers were invading all aspects of life, and
often no one knew exactly what role computers would play, only
that their magic was needed and desired. Computer uncertainty
and craving pervaded everything. Records exist from this time
of confusion. Someone at the state board assumed the task of
curator. This diligent person (or persons) preserved newspaper
stories from the 1970s, 1980s, and beyond. Thick ring binders,
covered in red cloth embossed with gold titles, house yellow
newsprint laminated for posterity. In the loose-leaf 1985-1989
ring binder, you’ll find three special reports on one of the sys-
tem’s colleges, microcosmic Aiken Technical College (ATC).
This college illustrates how the computer’s arrival muddled
things.
The
Aiken Standard
headline for the first installment, July 2,
1985, read, “Aiken Technical College: President Concerned by
The 1980s
A D E S I G N F O R T E C H N O L O G I C A L C H A N G E
1980 1981
1980:
“Design for the Eighties” resource centers went in place
during fiscal year 1980-1981 to train faculty and staff in
state-of-the-arts technologies.
1981:
Tri-County Technical College headquarters
Microelectronics. York Technical College became
the Robotics Resource Center.
* With apologies to DeYoung, the original lyrics read “The problem’s plain to see/Too much technology”
