Mirror - Vol. 32, No. 12 - November 30, 2006

              WEEK OF NOVEMBER 30,2006
Vol. 32, Iss. 12-20 pages
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The independent student newspaper
of Fairfield University
Cutting the Cord: C&NS promises full wireless integration
on campus by fall '07
BY ANDREW CHAPIN
Wireless Internet will no longer be limited to the
Barone Campus Center, the library or a secluded group
of equipped classrooms.
In September 2007, Computer Networking and Ser-vices
anticipates full wireless availability on campus.
According to James Estrada, Vice President for Infor-mation
Services, the townhouses already have complete
wireless access. Plans for wireless capabilities in Dolan
Hall East and West are in the works.
"This autumn we completed the access point installa-tions
in the townhouses," he said. "We expect that Dolan
Hall, East and West, will have wireless access by the end
of the semester."
Estrada also hopes that the village apartments will
have wireless access by the end of January 2007. The
Quad, however, will not be wired until the summer.
"We will continue to work on selected dorms, those
we can work in without disrupting the students, until the
end of the spring semester," he said.
Campus-wide wireless Internet has been discussed
since 1999, according to Estrada, but it was not until 2002
that it was seriously considered.
"Obviously we stay abreast of various technology,
but we acquired some in a pilot mode in 1999," he said.
"We put it in a few places in 2002 we became more seri-ous
about developing a master plan."
Steve Dailey, assistant director of Computing &
Network Services (C&NS), feels a fully wireless campus
would be appealing to incoming students.
"It's certainly an attractive selling point," he said.
But Dailey also expressed reservations about the
initiative.
"The more convenience you have, the less security,"
he added.
According to Estrada, the process has taken a while
because the original cost was prohibitive.
"The initial cost of access points was too high for a
campus wide project," he said. "A preliminary estimate
for such a project in 2002, including the engineering study
to determine where best to locate access points, would
have been over $3 million."
Now, Estrada believes the cost will be roughly
$600,000. This number, however, is "primarily for the
College of Arts and Sciences."
According to Estrada, the School of Engineering
took up the wireless effort without C&NS assistance,
while the School of Nursing recently received a grant
that includes wireless access. The Dolan School of Busi-ness,
however, has been working with C&NS to further
its wireless support.
Estrada also saw the lack of laptops on campus at
the time this project was seriously considered as a major
SEE "CAMPUS" ON P. 5
Ticket to ride
Beach residents lobby for a safe ride
to and from campus events
WALKING WITH A PURPOSE
BY KATIE BARRY
Fairfield hosts an array of events around
campus for seniors: mug nights, basketball
games at Alumni Hall, school dances. But one
question arises: how can seniors living at the
beach get to campus safely and conveniently?
Marco Ambrosio '07 has the answer- a school-sponsored
shuttle service.
After calling a meeting with senior FUSA
senators, the Student Beach Resident Associa-tion
and the Senior Class Council, Secretary of
Student Life Ambrosio presented his proposal
at the Nov. 11, 2006 FUSA Senate meeting.
Because of the presence of alcohol at events
like mug night, and inconvenient parking around
campus, Ambrosio believes "students have a
right to transportation to our own university."
Caitlin Fracchia '07 agrees.
"More people would go [to events], and
they wouldn't have to worry about getting a cab
or drunk driving," she said.
However, Ambrosio made it clear that, if
implemented, the shuttle service would not be
a so-called "drunk bus." Instead, it would be a
way for off-campus students to get "from point
A to point B," from their houses to the campus
events, and not "from Fairfield to Bravo."
If the shuttle becomes a reality, there will
also be strict regulations regarding who is al-lowed
on the bus.
"We [the senior leaders] are very willing
to set up precautions and guidelines that would
make sure only beach residents are bused and
that there is a level of safe responsibility on the
bus," Ambrosio said.
Nor will the shuttle be a continually run-ning
service to and from the beach.
"They are for certain events," said Ambro-sio,
"so students will not have to pay for parking
at the Arena at Harbor Yard or fight for parking
on campus."
But even if the shuttle is not a "drunk
bus," there is hesitancy among administrators,
who recall previous attempts to establish such
a service.
Vice President for Student Affairs Mark
Reed, for example, said, "buses of any kind to
and from the beach area have been extremely
problematic in the past."
Though he acknowledged such problems in
recent years due to the University's "notorious
town-gown relations," Ambrosio believes the
situation has improved "dramatically this year
and in recent memory."
And while the idea behind the service is
to increase participation in on-campus events,
Athletic Director Eugene Doris thinks the ben-efits
of a shuttle are hard to foresee.
"We have received very good support so
far this year," he said. "I don't think parking
has been an issue with the addition to the lot at
the Kelley Center."
However, Ambrosio disagrees.
"Hopefully this encourages beach residents
to stay connected to their University and fosters
a greater sense of school pride," he said.
Sarah Alecozay/ The Mirror
Georgia on my mind: From left to right, Conor O'Kane, Associate Director of Campus
Ministry, Sabrina Rival '07, and Michael Fry '09 protested School of the Americas.
WHY CAN'T Wii BE FRIENDS?
The Wii and the PS3 have finally hit
store shelves. Which one's best?
Page 7
THE GREAT DEBATE
Joe Carretta and Chris Haliskoe face off
on the eternal question:
is it bierut or beer pong?
Page 11
FLYING PUMPKINS!
And other happenings in
Campus Crime Beat
Page 4