Page 125 - Phoenix1999-2000

COMMENTARY Hackers threaten school reputation WMC is an institution that gen- Michael Wiles examines aware of the policy, but I would not erally does not encounter serious the recent computer hacks advise it. Ignorance of the law is crime. I am proud to say this, and and their implications. no accuse. with the exception of a few alco- What these two students did hol-related incidents, r know I can come public information, some sort was planned and meant to be harm- do so without fear of contradiction. of black cloud would befall the ful. These two students decided to This was all true, of course, until school. I see it quite differently. In wage war on the faculty and stu- February 9. fact, r see it the other way around. dents of this school by setting out As must of you are aware, on By not reporting these students to to damage the computer labs and' February 9, two WMC students at- the police, WMC is in effect, pro- network we rely upon to complete tempted to hack into the school's tecting two criminals, which is no our work. For this, they should be computer network, damaging sys- less than a shame, if not much charged. tems in both the Charlson lab and more. Why protect them when they the Writing Center in Hill Hall. There is no question as to the have no respect for us? Although these students were not guilt of these students. Not only did As a school, we put up with too only unsuccessful but also appre- they fail to carry out a mission that, much, and Western Maryland Col- hended, the story only becomes however illegal, most anyone could lege is quickly becoming soiled by more distressing. In the February have achieved, they also had the it all. 24 issue of the Phoenix, Philip intelligence to attempt it in If the administration is inter- Sayre, dean of Student Affairs, is- Charlson Lab, which is well known ested in protecting the school repu- sued a statement saying that the to utilize surveillance equipment. tation, and I believe they strongly disciplining of these students For this alone, these students are, they need only do one thing: would be a matter kept within the should be prosecuted. prosecute these students. college, and that the authorities What is more, Infonnation Ser- It is time this school sends the would not be notified, despite the vices makes the seriousness of this message that it will not, in any way, fact that both students broke fed- sort of crime known to all students, tolerate the acts of those seeking eral and state laws. as it is part of the agreement stu- to harm it. The administration owes This course of action makes me dents with school e-mail accounts it to the students of this school to question what the administration is are contractually obligated to up- see that these criminals are charged Glar: Still serving trying to hide. It would seem that hold. Now, one could argue that with their crime, if not to" them- they find the situation shameful, these students do not have school selves. "The Defining Moment" and that, were this matter to be- accounts and therefore were not has come. people indigestion Commuters face an uphill battle Chris Anastasia looks at Why does this bother me so, when it comes to parking how EngJar Dining Hall you ask? Well with all the money I I spend on this fine institution, has evolved lately. sort of expect normal food in re- After a long day of classes and tum. Commuting to Western Mary- Tammi Slater discusses the pose nearly as great a controversy studying, any self-respecting stu- I mean variety is a fine con- land College is not a very popular everyday problems of as the weather implications do; dent likes to head down to Englar cept and one that people tend to or common occurrence among stu- commuting and parking. however, they.should be addressed Dining Hall for a fine meal. When appreciate in moderation. Some- dents here, although it does affect as well. At the entrance of the lower one goes to the dining hall, that times, though, one looks for sim- a fair amount of students that at- as you pass other fellow commut- parking lot located by Winslow student expects to find any num- choices. tendWMC. ers your aggravation is eased as you Center, it seems that the same sec- ber of different kinds and variet- plicity in their dinning does not of- Glar, unfortunate,>" I, for one, am a commuter to remind yourself that you are not tion of the road has been fixed nu- ies of food. This is of course a fer that. Western Maryland, and find no alone in this struggle. They, too, merous times within the past few good idea, but sometimes this Of course, they do try to ap- problem with the drive or any other express their frustration and lack of months. variety is used at the cost of some pease us with one evening a factor involved in commuting. The patience on their faces. Although the complications are of the more traditional types of month of steak and shrimp. Re- commute is not the problem, park- Additionally, we faced the win- unknown to us passerby's, it does foods. cently, this too has gone away. (I, ing is. ter weather months which entailed leave one to wonder. As stated ear- You would never know that for one, do not consider day-old .As many students already yes, that pretty white stuff, that lier, this event does not create a Glar is lacking in any kind of London Broil steak in any way) know, whether you are a commuter proved to be not so pretty after all large problem, but it does place a food. Just looking at the sandwich With an average of about seven or not, the parking situation here is for commuters. Shortly after re- time delay on students when time line and seeing every different and a half dollars spent per meal in need of improvement. Despite a turning from the winter break, is what we do not have. type of bread imaginable would by students who have the 220- fee requirement to receive a park- more snow visited the Westminster Parking worsens as well when make someone think that this din- meal plan, regular food staples ing permit, the problem still pre- vicinity. As the snow fell, and special events are held on campus. ing experience would be great. Of should be found in our dinning sents itself. painted the scenery white, resident Every year the high school state course, I hope nobody would be establishments. Students have become rather ir- students as well as commuters, wrestling competition finals are looking for .... white bread. Yes, Heck, under this kind of sys- ritated with this recurring problem found the white stuff plowed be- held here at Western Maryland. The regular, generic, bleached white tem, you would think that napkins and are anticipating changes in the hind their cars. Not only did this event was held over the first week- sandwich bread. This seems a would be replaced with a prod- near future. evoke anger in the students, but the end of March this year. The event As a commuter, the most com- action was simply illogical. attracted participants and specta- Heck, under this kind of system, you mon problems that keep resurfac- The general consensus among tors as well, but further deepens the ing involve, finding a place to park, the students, was that apparently no predicament of the parking issue. would think that napkins would be the weather, road work and safety one was supposed to leave campus Students that live on campus, and concerns. due to the weather, so why not just have access to a car as well, claim replaced with a product similar to toilet As you arrive to school, perhaps ensure that students cannot depart that they refuse to move their car paper. Oh wait, that already happened. ten to fifteen minutes before your and plow them in! However, for on this weekend due to the large first morning class you are con- obvious reasons, this method was amount of attention it receives. little too simple for our school to uct that is most similar to toilet fronted with the arduous task of not well received nor was it neces- Although their choice means stock. paper in our dinning hall. Oh, finding a parking spot. This under- sary or helpful. Students who had spending the entire weekend on Moving down the sandwich wait, that already happened. taking is a mission in itself. to get off campus to go to a job, campus, students remain adamant line, one will find any number of My point is that we pay a large A familiar scenario is as fol- the store, or wherever simply could in their decision in fear of losing cheeses, ranging from Swiss to some of money to eat at this fine lows: just when you spot that not. their parking place for days follow- Muenster to Provolone. Of dining establishment. If you live "open" parking spot and you think Furthermore, commuter stu- ing the event. course, if you were looking for on campus, you must have the it's all yours, you're faced once dents were left with even less of an In general, the parking concerns normal American cheese, well, 220 meal plan. For all that money, again with the life-size "Faculty! option and chance of finding a on campus canbe improved due to you are out of luck. the least we should receive, Staff Parking ONLY-Towing En- parking place due to snow pushed some changes and adjustments This is not just a problem that no ... deserve regular food. forced" sign. into open parking spaces. Weather within the college, but in the mean- exists in the sandwich line. Go to Of course, this is the same By now you have become quite only intensifies the parking di- time, students are left with no the main line and you can get a at least frustrated, your plan of arriving lemma here at Western Maryland choice other than to grin and bear heaping portion oLMexican la- school in which to get it takes a (flaming 10 minutes early to beat this nonsense has been College. it. Until then, good luck in your at- sagna? Now, this is not to be con- hockey puck) hamburger, so I obliterated, and you are now ap- This in tum leads to yet another tempts, remain hopeful for amends fused with traditional Italian la- guess we will just have to grin proaching minute number 10 in issue at hand with parking-road in the near future, and hold onto sagna, which uses tomato sauce, and bear it. Or just go and get an- your parking spot search. However, work. Road construction does not your parking spaces! instead etc.salsa? other salad. '