World Series ticket frenzy sparks misuse of Norlin computer labs
On Monday and Tuesday, students across campus could be heard complaining about the lack of open computers in the Norlin labs. The reason for the situation was attributed to the exclusively online sale of World Series tickets.
Several students reportedly employed two or three computers simultaneously, leaving other students, many attempting work of a more academic nature, out in the cold.
“The labs are provided by the university in support of the academic mission on campus,” said Greg Stauffer, public relations and communications manager for ITS. “Using the labs, using multiple computers in them for World Series tickets, is not a part of that academic mission.”
There is no formal set of guidelines for computer lab use, Stauffer said, nor are the labs policed in any strict manner.
“The labs are a community resource,” he said, “and it is hoped that students take a community spirit toward them.”
Stauffer added that users are well within their rights to point out such a problem as those that occurred on Monday and Tuesday. “I would tell the adviser on duty, if there is one, of such a problem.”
The Campus Press spoke with a lab adviser who said he was on duty earlier this week, and noticed the open computer issue in the Norlin MAC lab. He said that he got some complaints and made his way around the room to take a look at the situation. The lab adviser declined any further comment, refused to give his name, and insisted that all questions be directed to ITS.
Asked what might be done in the future to avoid these kinds of problems, Stauffer said: “These kinds of problems rarely occur.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Andrew Frankel at andrew.frankel@thecampuspress.com.
