TACKLING TECHNOLOGY

At a University that Newsweek magazine called the "Hottest Big State School" for its leadership in technology, tech issues are at the top of the IU Student Association candidates' platforms. \nThe Hoosier ticket is touting Ruckus -- a media downloading program and making teacher evaluations available online. Red Hot's focus: improved wireless connectivity throughout campus.\nRUCKUS\nHoosier presidential candidate and junior Betsy Henke said Ruckus is a program that offers students TV shows, movies and music on a continual basis.\n"IUSA is supposed to improve student services and make sure students are getting (the most benefits)," she said. "IU is a top tiered technology school, and we should have access to something that so many students nationwide think is a great program."\nHenke said that once 3,000 students sign up for the program, it becomes free, as advertising revenue covers the costs of downloaded media. She also said 4,000 people at Michigan State University signed up for the program on its second day of existence.\nThe Residence Hall Association is pursuing this feature, she said.\n"We're definitely pushing for, but also have a lot of support from other people that are very interested in bringing this to IU," she said.\nHowever, Red Hot Vice President of \nAdministration candidate and junior Brett Stewart said Ruckus is not a good music service.\n"It's not compatible with Mac computers; it does not work with Apple iPods -- you have to pay 99 cents a song," he said.\nHoosier said at Tuesday's IUSA debate that Ruckus is used at 70 schools including Purdue. Stewart disagreed saying it's only at 35 schools, and not at Purdue.\n"American (University) had it for one semester and decided to drop it because of lack of student interest and it was not a very well run program," he said. \n"The Hoosier party has been giving false information and misleading the student population."\nMark Bruhn, associate vice president for telecommunications and chief IT security and policy officer, said, in an e-mail, that Ruckus is a complex issue that may not be feasible at IU.\nHe said, while Ruckus appears to have a free download component, he doesn't know "the extent of any restrictions (Ruckus) will impose -- and there will be some." \nBruhn also said when students were surveyed about bringing a media download service to IU, they indicated they were not willing to pay for this type of service.\nRuckus wants to place its own computer on the IU network, he said. This can create security and other problems. Ruckus might charge IU a fee for the Ruckus computer, so students may have to start paying for it. And, he said, if University Information Technology Services or Residential Programs and Services managed the computer, there would be related costs.\n"I'm not saying at all that a service can't be done here," Bruhn said. "Obviously there are complexities, and without further discussion, there are many unknowns, but there things obviously will have an impact on whether the promise of a download service by the candidates is one they can keep."\nWIRELESS\nAlthough Intel ranked IU No. 1 for wireless connectivity according to the Newsweek article, the Red Hot ticket thinks IU could do even better.\nAt the debate, Red Hot presidential candidate and junior Lenny Weiss said the residence halls need wireless connectivity.\n"Land lines are great," he said, "but there are a lot of nice lounge areas that have one, maybe two, connections and there are 40 kids on a floors."\nHe added that the dorms are convenient places for freshmen to study because the library gets overcrowded.\n"The campus is a wonderfully networked place -- it was recognized by Newsweek. But it would be nice to fill in the gaps," he said.\nHenke said Wednesday that she understands why Red Hot would want to push more wireless internet, however, "as they mentioned, we are a top ranked school for being unwired ... (UITS is) the most qualified to oversee this happening.\n"I would suspect that they have plans for how they're going to keep us on top."\nAs opposed to Ruckus, Bruhn said more wireless connectivity, specifically in the resident halls, is "an easy promise for a candidate to make and keep" because "UITS Telecommunications is already planning for improving overall wireless coverage on campus."\nHe said common areas in many residence halls, including Reed, Foster and Willkie, are already wireless. UITS is currently wiring other dorms.\nONLINE TEACHER EVALUATIONS\nHoosier's platform also addresses providing online teacher evaluations for public view.\n"We want to find a feasible situation (so) students can access more information about what classes we want to take," Henke said.\nHenke said teacher evaluations are online at other schools, and she has been talking to student leaders at other Big Ten schools. She added that confidentiality is an issue when trying to implement online evaluations.\nAssociate Dean of Faculties David Nordlah said individual schools, and some department, have policies regarding teacher evaluations.\n"They are protected by law," he said. "Only people with the right to know can seem them."\nPutting evaluations on the Web would mean the University would have to set up a new policy saying everyone has to post his or her evaluations, he said.\nHe said it would be dangerous and unfair for a students poor evaluation of a professor to become public information. Faculty would be unable to challenge any reviews they felt were unfair.\n"There's no control," he said.