Department reserves the right to monitor use of the campus network closely, but usually limits observation to users who abuse Internet privileges.
By Jordan Morris
Staff Writer
Immediately upon moving into the dorms, students realize that most of the privacy they enjoyed while living at home is lost. They endure such trials as sharing one bathroom with up to seven people, adhering to strict telephone restrictions and sleeping within a couple of feet from a complete stranger.
Furthermore, all of their Internet activity can be monitored.
According to the Computer and Network Usage Policy on Pepperdine’s ResNet Web Site, “there is no guarantee of privacy associated with (students’) use of university network and computer systems.”
The policy goes on to restrict a variety of network activities, including distributing material deemed obscene or inappropriate by law or university authority, running an organization for profit or nonprofit and downloading copyrighted files without consent from the owner of the copyright.
It also states that the university may not only view electronic data on the network, which includes e-mail and downloaded data, but also allow viewing privileges to third parties and enter it as evidence in legal matters.
Many students were shocked by this policy. Junior Laura Cepeda, a computer science minor, works in the computer lab at Payson Library. She said she felt “threatened” by the policy’s language.
“I feel that it is an infringement of my privacy, and I believe they should do something to make sure everyone knows about it,” she said. “They should give clear instructions to students about how to protect their data on the computer.”
Junior Lindsey Krusen said the policy surprised her, too.
“I think it may be necessary for the system to work that way, but I don’t think they should have the right to use it against someone,” she said.
Johan Martensson, senior field technician and co-manager of Field Support, is the direct supervisor of ResNet from the Field Support department. He is in charge of all network violations and monitors the network “to a certain degree,” he said.
“We don’t monitor e-mail,” Martensson said. “In fact, we can’t really.”
The only rationale for searching the network is for researching illegal activity, he said.
The red flags of such activity are the use of high amounts of bandwidth, indicating the possibility that many students are sharing copyrighted music or movie files or a complaint from a major outside corporation, he said.
Martensson said he makes several phone calls each week to students whose network connections cause suspicion.
“It usually stops after the first call,” he said. “But after the second offense, I usually have to turn it over to the disciplinary committee.”
Senior Eddie Quezada experienced a confrontation with Field Support this summer when the Motion Picture Assoc. of America contacted Pepper-dine, threatening to file a lawsuit over the sharing of copyrighted movie files on the network. Field Support searched the network and traced the source of these movies to Quesada’s computer.
“I found a place online where you can download new movies before they’re released,” Quesada said. “I advertised the movies on chat channels … and people could download them from my computer.”
Field Support suspended Quesada’s network access immediately without notification.
When Quesada notified ResNet, he said he was warned about his activity and told that he could be kicked out of school if it continued. His access was then reinstated.
Although he was outraged at the actions of the MCAA, he said Pepperdine’s actions were understandable.
“Pepperdine has to cover itself from a lawsuit,” he said. “But it just shows how hard it is for anyone to regulate intellectual property.”
Rather than seek out students such as Quesada, Martensson said the primary goal of Field Support is to handle hardware, desktop support and some software issues.
Seaver graduate Peter Awad, last year’s senior ResNet technician, said the Field Support team rarely watched network activity.
“Except in cases of port scanning or hacker-related activity, the network was hardly ever monitored,” he said.
Junior Diana Dodson said she understands Pepperdine’s position.
“I do go to school here,” she said. “It doesn’t bother me that much. People can just use their telephone lines if they have a problem with being monitored.”
Marco Ramirez, who succeeded Awad this year as senior ResNet technician, said that only Field Support takes part in watching the network.
“The goal of ResNet is to help the students as much as we can,” he said. “We are here to solve computer-related problems on campus, rather than making students drive so far away from school.”
Martensson added that ResNet’s duties are limited to connecting students and faculty on campus to the network, solving minor printer and virus problems and helping students access documents or other lost information in the event of an emergency.
All other computer-related problems are usually deferred to Field Support, he said.
He assured that the majority of Field Support’s actions are positive and seek to benefit the students and administration.
As a result, he said he plans to rewrite the Computer and Network Usage Policy so that all students and faculty understand Field Support’s capabilities and motives.
In addition, he urged all students to utilize 1-TRAC for convenience at ext. 4357.
“1-TRAC is the central point for all Information Technology,” Martensson said. “We just have one number for all technical support questions, including T.V. and telephone questions.”
All calls to 1-TRAC are then transferred to ResNet, Field Support or any other applicable organization.
Focus groups help students understand technology
By Massiel Ladron DeGuevara
Staff Writer
For most at Pepperdine University, complex computer jargon mixed with simplistic student life equals nothing but confusion.
Frustrated with the perplexity technology sometimes causes, many students turned to Information Technology for help only to be disappointed.
“Information Technology sucks,” senior advertising major Anna Lamson said. “They can’t help you because nobody there knows what they are doing.”
In response to comments like that, Chief Operating Officer of IT Kathee Robings is trying to make student frustration with her department a thing of the past.
Armed with a revamped mission statement, IT is taking on a proactive approach to the technology needs of students by making sure they are able to speak with someone who could help them rather than providing repair services via online support programs.
Preliminary focus group sessions held this summer comprised of SGA members tackled questions IT had on how to further improve its services. A proposal for a 24-hour computer store was the result of the meetings.
“We discussed opening a 24-hour computer store on campus,” SGA President Ben Elliott said. “We felt more students would benefit from having a computer store open all night as opposed to a store open from 9 to 5.”
The proposed store would carry items such as ink cartridges, paper and computer programs. Cingular phone deals and a potential 24-hour computer repair service were also discussed as a possibility among the focus group and IT.
IT is an organization designed to provide technical services to Pepperdine’s five schools, focusing on networking, telephone services, support, computer acquisition and repair. Six different organizations fall under the IT umbrella..
The first is University Technical Support, which focuses on the general use of computer facilities and equipment, including computer classrooms, work and study areas and school technology labs at Pepperdine. 1-TRAC is another division of IT that focuses on computer repair and support. The IT Business Center focuses on services such as technology billing, photocopy services, one card services and hardware/software acquisitions while the Web and Multimedia Services Division focuses on improving Pepperdines’ Web presence. Application Development works to enhance Pepperdines’ document processing and system verification programs. Finally, Technology Infrastructure is a division of IT designed to keep up with the Pepperdine community’s needs in maintaining servers that support technology applications required to function online. Collectively, these organizations assist students in every aspect of technology.
IT dedicated itself in its new mission statement to improving students understanding of computers through Tech-Support because it anticipates a laptop requirement for all Seaver students in the near future due to the dependence on computers throughout campus and the increase of laptop use in classrooms, Robings said.
“The Graziadio School of Business is currently the only Pepperdine campus with a laptop requirement,” Robins said. “In the future, however, we see it will probably be required of all students, therefore, something must be done.”
The benefits of a laptop requirement are that each student is able to have immediate access to the Web and various computer programs instantly rather than having to wait for a computer lab. Power Point presentations by professors are also effective when used with the laptop requirement since it allows students to take notes directly onto the slides.
“The wireless networks give students greater mobility, allowing them to move from room to room to work on projects,” Associate Director of Technology Support Cathy Hoover said. “The students at Graziadio are pleased with the laptop requirement because it really has been to their best interest.”
The laptop requirement has been in force at the business school for two years, and business student Chris Sweeny said he could not be happier.
“I personally love it,” Sweeny said. “It makes everything so much more convenient.”
A senior business major at Seaver College, Karissa Chin does not agree.
“We pay for enough things already,” Chin said. “I don’t want the added expense of a laptop requirement. What would I do with my desktop anyway?”
While student’s opinions of IT continue to fluctuate and others go back and forth between wanting a laptop requirement and rejecting one, the IT division said it is moving forward with improving services and understanding student needs.
October 03, 2002
