Working For You: Salve Regina’s Information Techonology Department

By: Pezzone, Jessica
Posted In: News

Like many other college students I sat haplessly at my computer, Thursday night, trying to research my English paper. In my attempts to get to www.google.com, I reloaded the page about seven times and in dire frustration, shut off my computer after about a half hour of unsuccessfully trying. At eleven o’clock, I realized the only option I had, and sulked over to the library to look up my sources there.

Many students have faced similar problems as mine throughout the first semester. After receiving various complaints and questions in conjunction with Student Government, I called Information Technology (IT) and requested a meeting with the Director of Information Technologies, Thomas Brennan. What we discussed in my meeting was quite surprising to myself and should be shared with all students at Salve Regina.

When I first walked into my meeting with Mr. Brennan, I found him to be extremely approachable and very willing to discuss issues pertaining to students and the internet. He gave me a general overview of how the internet here at Salve works: There are two networks, one, referred to as the “Residence Network,” that provides service for all the dorms, and the other, the “University Network,” which provides service for faculty, the library, and any other computers in offices on campus. The current situation has all students utilizing the same “Residence” network, so when certain students abuse their internet privileges, everyone else suffers.

In addition to overuse, students also have problems bringing viruses and spyware into the residence network, where they can be easily spread to students without adequate virus protection. In the beginning of the year, IT provided all students with downloadable virus protection and updates, and also held a fair where students could bring their computers to be fixed. Unfortunately, only an estimated 200 out of the 900 students took advantage of this computer fair, and virus-filled computers still continue to haunt our system.

Mr. Brennan and the Information Security Administrator, Joseph Pingitore, subsequently informed me of plans they had to update the system for the upcoming spring semester. While stressing the fact that these plans were contingent upon trial-and-error and may all not go into effect immediately, it’s obvious that the Department of IT is doing a lot to help students out. The first step of this plan is to limit traffic on the residence server by closing specific ports – this will help to reduce the bandwidth being used and allow a faster internet connection for all students. The second step involves each student registering their computer, which would allow the IT department to track general trends in internet usage. This tracking device would determine the level of traffic, allowing IT to better determine the appropriate bandwidth a student is to be using. The third part of this plan would physically regulate bandwidth; students found in violation of university policy would be temporarily removed from the internet so that other students may continue with their usage. Part four of the plan would entail prevention from intrusion of unwanted spam; while currently 86% of emails on the Salve server are spam mail, it is obviously a problem that must be fixed soon. It is important, however, to stress that these plans are subject to change, but are shared to note the IT’s ever-increasing concern for students on the internet.

Another issue brought up at this meeting is student’s ignorance of the wireless capabilities now present at Salve Regina. Areas that already have wireless internet are O’Hare Academic Center, McCauley Lounge, and all three floors of the library. IT is now looking into possibly instituting wireless internet in Wakehurst, study lounges of dorms, McCauley Hall, and possibly even Miley Cafeteria if these places are deemed appropriate.

So as you sit, frustrated, staring at your computer screen, remember that IT is working for you, and that something will be done about the internet situation. Remember that if you are having trouble with the web in your dorm room, the library computers on the university network are always available for use by students. We can all look forward to a fresh start the spring, when hopefully many of our internet troubles will be solved for good!