At most universities in America, college sports such as football and basketball provide much of the spirit and excitement for the student body. However, the recent boom in the number of electronic mail (e-mail) users, as well as the new computerized Drop/Add system, have given the Emory community something to cheer, argue or simply talk about.
Returning from winter break, student discussion about the new Drop/Add system, which allows students to alter their class schedules from the keypad of a computer, ranged from overly skeptical to favoring the new system. Most students found the system relatively easy, but for some, computers continue to scare and intimidate. Jim Johnson, vice provost for Information Technology, said that he "has heard nothing but positive things about the Drop/Add system," but still is trying to incorporate training sessions in the freshman curriculum in such classes as Freshman Seminar and English 101 and 111 for Drop/Add and e-mail information.
The playing field for this type of computer use explosion has been evolving at Cox Hall, which was renovated in 1993. Students who once quietly studied in the large, second floor dining hall (pencil and paper in hand) now display coded disks and a willingness to move into the "electronic age."
The Cox Hall Computer Lab, which houses 80 computers (IBM, Macintosh, NeXT and Sun) that are connected to campus and global networks, is used by approximately 1,200 students per day and is open 24 hours-seven days a week. According to Johnson, "Most computers have CD-ROM devices for playing music, accessing encyclopedia data in text and picture form, displaying video segments and retrieving a wide variety of text, pictures, video and audio information. Students can turn in assignments electronically and review professors' and students' comments on study topics in various disciplines."
Although no formal evaluation of the Cox Hall lab has been conducted, the Information Technology Division (ITD) welcomes student comments and suggestions. Alex Lieberman, a senior in the college, uses the lab three to four times a week just to send and pick up messages on e-mail. "Sometimes there's a wait, but most of the time I can get on a computer within five minutes. And although the e-mail is slow at times, the lab representatives do good work, helping students save papers as well as log onto the Internet," he said.
According to Johnson, the 90 student lab representatives receive "boot camp-style training" and are being updated on a regular basis. However, some students such as College junior Jason Schiffman are less than satisfied. "The lab and services do not meet students' needs. Faulty equipment leads to lonely frustration, because the lab representatives are unable to assist. This needs to be improved," Schiffman said.
As for e-mail, every student has been assigned a password that allows them access to Emory's Internet system from any computer connected to the mainframe. "Historically, computer research has been limited to the science field and less for undergraduate work. But this is now changing," Johnson said. Students, faculty and staff may write letters to friends in the campus community as well as to any other person in the world who has access to the global e-mail Internet, receive research options from other people within the system and access different services such as news bureaus and the World Wide Web.
Furthermore, with the increasing number of users on campus, ITD is continuing to expand service. Currently, there are 13 labs on campus ranging from full-network access (Cox Hall) to more restrictive use at locations such as the Thomson Hall lab. Six e-mail stations have recently been set up on the second floor, located at the south end of Dobbs Center. Computer facilities also are being planned for White Hall. "If someone doesn't have a computer, we need to continue to create facilities for them, especially facilities which operate 24 hours a day," Johnson said.
The Cox Hall lab's central campus location is close to the first floor food court of Cox Hall, allowing students to use the lab and the dining facilities while expending little extra time. Designed after the University of Michigan's Angel Hall, Cox Hall lab includes computer work-cubicles and modern study tables and lounge area. Art work and carpeting provide the lab with a comfortable feeling. One professor describes the lab as "open and accessible, a large room with new computers and large monitors. It's completely unlike the old Thompson Hall lab, which was a dungeon."
And while spring semester has solidified Emory's willingness to move steadily into the "electronic age," what will cause students to hoot and holler about next fall. Football? Perhaps...but only through the cable television system Emory will be offering.
--Bradley A. Singer