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October 22, 2005
The week in Buzz.
TECH TALK: More and more, college students are adapting to the wireless world with laptops that can connect to the Internet in such places as Starbucks or, more recently, the food court in the local malls. But Sacred Heart University apparently has not kept up with the trend, as it was recently voted 11th in the most unwired schools category conducted by Intel (link). While the survey is likely just a nudge from Intel to get schools like SHU to buy more of their products, many students interviews by The Spectrum seem to like the idea of campus-wide access to the Internet. Other colleges in the area have been working on the idea over the years. Fairfield has had Wi-Fi access in the campus center for a couple of years now, while Quinnipiac has been tucking access points into ceiling tiles to offer more broad coverage in the dorms.
DOWN THE HATCH: Citing the lack of substance to the event (and the resulting abuse of substances as well), Fairfield has pulled the plug on the annual 200 Nights event (link). For those counting: Luau, Clam Jam, Keg Races, 200 Nights - all gone. Replacing those events? There's Spam Jam in the Spring, but while the school's citing its efforts to create events that aren't alcohol fueled, even Spam Jam allows controlled drinking up at the townhouses for upperclassmen. With any luck, some sort of new traditions will eventually get established, but right now, they're falling faster than they're being created.
PROTEST AT YALE: Some Yale students were protesting this week the request by the school for a third-year grad student to leave for speaking less than perfect English, according to the student in question (link). The protest was over what some felt was discrimination against Chinese people, with some there stating that the student was on a scholarship there, and the scholarship terms were not breached, according to the student, who was informed it was the length of time that teachers were taking to correct the papers submitted.
WEATHER WOES: The rains had a direct effect on a few Fairfield students, who found their house uninhabitable after waves weakened the structure, which was supported on stilts (link). There is still a chance for house reconstruction, as the owner is given a grace period, but for now, the students are finding themselves without one of the best perks of being a senior: their own place to live off-campus.
SHUTTLE SCUTTLEBUTT: It seems like Quinnipiac's shuttles are frustrating some students lately (link). This isn't a new complaint, for Quinnipiac or in general; since The Buzz started an occasional complaint about campus shuttles has been their bizarre scheduling, finding themselves one behind the other instead of spaced out, etc. One thing The Buzz is learned is it's not easy to schedule shuttles, and Quinnipiac's students were encouraged by shuttle operators to just use a little patience.
REACTION OVER NOISE: Last week's item on the noise levels and parties at Fairfield Beach brought a fairly quick reaction from the U (link). Fairfield's president, Fr. Jeffrey von Arx, responded at a press conference that many at the university think beach issues have continued to decline, based on a reduced number of letters received, the overall maintenance of a lower headcount at the beach, and students in general being more behaved. In the same press conference von Arx also noted the potential for a new dorm. A new dorm has been on the 10-year Master Plan of the school for years now, but it was the opinion of many for a time that it was unlikely to be built. However, the increased population at the school may necessitate another undergrad dorm.
What's the buzz on your campus? E-mail me at thebuzz@ctpost.com
NOTE: Since we're a bit behind schedule this week, EnterTech will show up on Sunday or Monday this week.
Posted by Josh on October 22, 2005 4:26 PM
Comments
your comment about SHU being "unwired" misrepresents and misinterprets the story. Intel means it to be a positive, as in SHU ranks 11th for wireless internet access amoung the colleges and universities evaluated, higher than other CT schools. SHU was one of the first in the area to go wireless (as well as one of the first to supply incoming freshmen with laptops, but that's another story altogether). They have been at the forefront of the trend--not, as you say, lagging behind.
Posted by: LA at November 2, 2005 3:21 PM
I did screw up the context of the story, now that I go back and reread it. I definitely wrote last week's buzz at the wrong time of day - I'll make a correction on that in this week's buzz.
Posted by: Josh at November 4, 2005 9:04 PM
in your defense, "unwired" is a pretty stupid term, I have to say!
Posted by: LA at November 7, 2005 2:28 PM
I live at 40428 Commonwealth in Seattle. Been up here before?
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