Editorial

Something to Talk About

For once, the University community has something every faction agreed on--at least, in theory, that is.

The Internet's development at the University has been practically flawless. This can be attributed most directly to the overwhelming support it has received from all sides of the University community.

The administrative, for example, created imposed a $50 a term technology resource fee in an effort to modernize our campus. They have gone into business with a local cable company to provide ISDN lines (direct connections to the Internet) in every room of University Housing. They have also supported the Computing Center's ideas to keep current, if not occasionally cutting edge. The administration has done all of this with some of the tightest budget years to date.

The ASUO has also done its part. The Student Senate provided many student groups with "free" computers. The ASUO Executive came out in support of the technology fee after some initial hesitation. Now both the ASUO Executive and the Student Senate have their own Web pages.

Faculty members definitely like the Internet. Many classes now require students to participate in class Usenet groups or to do extensive on-line research. Some classes even require the student to develop a Web page, and none of these classes are in the Computer Science department.

Students take the cake as both the greatest supporters and beneficiaries of Internet development. Every student has an e-mail account provided with their tuition, and with this they are encouraged to build a Web page. Even if the student has no computer, there are plenty provided around campus to service their Internet-related needs. Students living in dorms get ISDN lines, and there is ne'er a peep about the technology fee.

In fact, no one complains about anything Internet related at the University. On an "activist campus" it seems unusual for everyone to agree on something as controversial as this. Perhaps this is because everyone has found something of interest on the Net. Most likely though, none one at the University complains about the wealth of unsavory data on-line because it is such a clear-cut First Amendment issue. Even in this day and age it is quite difficult for a leftist institution to come out decidedly against the freedom of speech.

We should have known something was amiss when the technology of the future seemed to pervade the lone bastion of 60's culture. Our campus-wide silence about the Internet proves only one thing--contradiction. How can the University community support the Internet so easily when they are so quick to limit the bounds of acceptable speech on campus?

The administration has imposed harassment and hate speech rules upon the student body. The faculty will seldom permit the discussion of politically incorrect ideas in class. Student unions cry racism and claim everything is a stereotype. Student government officials write columns arguing for the elimination of campus publications with controversial content. The students themselves think all of this creates a kinder, gentler community.

It seems like a paradox, but to the general public ideas like freedom only look good from afar.