Letter sent to all students on November 14, 2000
There has been widespread concern about the slower access to the Internet this semester. This problem is due primarily to Napster and similar programs. Despite finding that the majority of colleges and universities in our vicinity and many throughout the country are blocking Napster access, we have avoided putting any restrictions on this activity as mentioned in a recent Lycourier article. As we approach the end of the semester, there are concerns about students accessing academic research databases and other class-based activities to complete coursework. It has been decided after discussions with the Academic Computing Committee, the President's Cabinet, and the Student Senate, to temporarily block Napster activity for the remainder of the semester. After researching possible long-term resolutions and in an effort to continue to support all new technologies, IT Services (IT Services) has ordered a new type of device for installation before next semester. It will prioritize Internet traffic, giving preferred access to e-mail and web sites. This means that sound file transfers will be slower during the day, but improve late at night when there is less web site navigation. Expecting more students on ResNet next year and increased activity, IT Services is also budgeting to double our capacity to the Internet this summer.