IIRC, in order to manipulate the settings on the control room gauges with your mouse, you have to first access them by right-clicking on the icon for the appropriate officer or crewman in the lower left of your game screen.
The gauges visible from the standard F2 Control Room screen are eye candy only and you can't manipulate them. You can only look around the room with the free camera.
The only switch I remember being able to operate without right-clicking the person was turning the radar on and off after pressing the "R" shortcut key to jump to the radar room.