MONDAY'S lead editorial, "Disconnect Ethernet subsidies," wrongly attacked the University administration for helping fraternity and sorority organizations pay for the installation of expensive high-speed Ethernet service.
The administration and the Inter-Fraternity and Inter-Sorority Councils should be commended for reaching a fair and beneficial agreement last semester to supplement two-thirds of the Ethernet installation cost with University funds. To call such an agreement "unfair" or claim that the Greek system has received "preferential" treatment from the administration is utter nonsense.
Before I continue, you should know that I am a member of a fraternity here on Grounds, and I also live in a fraternity house. Recently, our house was connected to the University server - a connection that has been very beneficial to in-house studying and communication via e-mail.
Much of the rent our fraternity members pay goes to the home association that owns our house and pays for needed repairs. Contrary to popular belief, we do not use that money for parties and beer. It cost the home association approximately $1,000 to install our Ethernet connection. Without support from the University, it would have cost more than $3,000 - a price that few organizations can afford to pay.
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That the University provided approximately $2,000 isn't blatant favoritism. It isn't even slight favoritism. As the Internet becomes an intrinsic part of modern culture, especially within academic and social life, a high-speed connection to it is vital. To access the off-Grounds server via modem it often takes more than 15 minutes just to log on - not to mention the excruciatingly slow download speed. Under such circumstances, cruising the Internet or checking e-mail from home is a waste of time.
In an ideal academic environment, everyone living on and off Grounds should have high-speed Internet access. To revolutionize anything takes time and small incremental steps. The positive outpouring of support by the Greek system and the houses that have benefited from the University's financial support should demonstrate to the administration that a high-speed Ethernet connection is vital to continued academic excellence. The University should extend the same offer to any student residence.
Members of Greek organizations constitute approximately one-third of the student body. For at least one year, many of those students will live in a fraternity or sorority house. That's a large percentage of the University population. It makes good sense to provide these students with the ability to access the Internet's wealth of knowledge. It makes even better sense to try to provide every student with such a resource.
As it stands today, the University has not chosen to extend a similar offer to off-Grounds landlords. But that does not mean it is fair to criticize the University administration for providing the service to Greek organizations when, if the same offer were given to other off-Grounds residences, there's no evidence it would be taken.
To connect a property to the University costs $1,500 to install the Heads Up Display unit and between $100 and $200 per outlet. Should a landlord choose to wire its properties, the annual $600 service fee probably would be tacked on to the occupants' rent. Ethernet is an expensive service few landlords probably would choose to provide. Congratulations are in line to an administration that has chosen to do what it can with what it's got.
To claim that installing quicker access to the Internet for Greek houses will allow quicker access to pornography and AOL Instant Messenger is an embarrassing and bitter attack. Such stereotypes should never be tolerated at an institution brimming with great minds. It's extremely disappointing to have to comment on that.
Greek organizations are an important part of the University's character. They have involved thousands of students for over a hundred years, teaching them ideals like brotherhood, leadership and service. They are composed of students who share common interests and who value a common friendship.
The University should consider the installation of Ethernet in Greek houses the first step in a revolution to wire all off-Grounds student residences. Such a program only will add to the academic efforts of University students and make this institution that much stronger.
I'm compelled to wonder if the administration even is willing to pursue a deal with off-Grounds landlords. After all, if they can expect this much criticism for donating money to University recognized organizations, one can only imagine how much heat they'll take should they give money to private companies and property owners.
(Luke Ryan's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He is a member of Chi Phi fraternity. He can be reached at lryan@cavalierdaily.com.)
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