Emotions were running high last week when a number of students from the College suddenly found themselves without Internet on their computers. Even though most got their connection back within a few days, a too-late reminder from RES.net caused many to continue to be angry.
The e-mail said that students "must re-apply for RES.net between mid-August and September 30 or (their) Internet is suspended." The only catch was that the reminder to students was sent out on Oct. 3, several days after the deadline.
Students were confused as to why that connection they depended on so much was gone. Many of them wondered for a few days, until the reminder e-mail came, which they could not read from their own computers.
"I lost (Internet) for a week because nobody bothered to tell me there was a problem," Anthony Shadiack, senior biology major, said. "I thought it was construction around campus that severed a cable or something."
In response, Information Technology (IT) sent out a second e-mail to get in touch with students who missed the original.
"After seeing that a number of students had forgotten to renew their registration we sent out the second reminder to help alleviate any confusion about why students had lost their Internet connection," Chris Larthey, IT Services and Support Specialist, said in an e-mail.
According to some students, an e-mail may not be the best way to inform students about problems with their registration.
"RES.net screwed us just like (the College) screwed us with the parking permit," Andr? Henchua, sophomore math major, said. He went on to compare how one cost students time and the other money, both of which could have been put to better use if College policies were more clear.
"They were not professional in anything they did," Henchua said.
The problem seems to have arisen from students either forgetting to re-apply or from problems in the re-application process. A number of students thought they had re-applied and were confused when they had to re-apply a second time. However, according to Larthey, students who re-applied had their connecting restored shortly after they finished the process.
"Any student who re-applied should have been back online within a matter of hours, as we were checking and renewing applications around the clock last week," Larthey said in an e-mail.
