Midd Briefs Unlocked Dormitories Almost Offline, New September 11 Class Online

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Access Almost Enhanced
by Tom Drescher

Public Safety is currently in the final stages of installing a new dorm access system across the Middlebury College campus. According to Assistant Treasurer Tom Corbin, the system installation is about 90 percent complete. Next week, commons informational meetings are planned to update students and provide a forum for any questions regarding the enhanced access system. Dorm-access cards will be mailed to students toward the end of the week.
A "soft test" of the system is scheduled on Jan. 29, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Doors will lock and students will need their new access cards to enter the dormitories. As a precaution, Public Safety personnel will be stationed at major entrances to assist students without cards.
"On Feb. 2," said Corbin, "the system will go live and keys will be replaced by cards to enter residence halls."
Doors will be locked at 11 p.m. nightly and unlocked at 7 a.m. Phones are located outside entrances so students without cards may contact security or someone inside the building to open the door. Students will still need keys to enter their rooms.
Current MiddCards will become obsolete when the new system takes effect, so Public Safety suggests that students spend all of the money on their chips by the end of Winter Term. The new magnetic stripe found on the access cards will replace all of the current chip functions.
For more information on the Enhanced Access System, visit the Middlebury College Public Safety Web site.

New Sepember 11 Online Class
by Nicholas Emery

Secretary of the College and Professor of Political Science Eric Davis will offer a free online Alumni College course entitled "September 11: Causes and Consequences" to alumni, parents and family members of students. The course will run from Jan. 22 through March 12, 2003.
Davis will examine the events of Sept. 11, 2001, covering topics such as the attacks themselves, the U.S. government's response, American foreign policy and how it has changed since Sept. 11, civil rights and civil liberties in the United States, new terrorist threats and the possible war with Iraq.
How does one teach a class on-line? Davis will lecture in the form of a live audio Webcast for one hour each Wednesday evening. "It will be like doing a radio show," said Davis, "something I have experience with as a political commentator for Vermont Public Radio." The Webcasts will be archived for those who are not able to participate in the live sessions. The course is not for credit and there is no written work.
Just because the course is online does not mean there will be no discussion. Participants may send questions directly to Davis during the live Webcasts, where he will try to answer as many as he can during the hour. Participants may also chat live with each other online.
Davis taught the first ever online Alumni College class in the fall of 2000 on that year's presidential election. History of Art and Architecture Professor Kirsten Hoving also offered an online course on the history of photography last year.
Currently 136 people have signed up for the Sept. 11 course, but Davis expects more to sign up before the first session on Jan. 22. Registrants have come from all over the world, including Canada, France, Turkey, the United Kingdom, China, Greece and Afghanistan.
"The large sign-up for this course demonstrates that Middlebury alumni are interested in maintaining contact with the academic program at the College after they graduate," said Davis.

SGA: Rides, Meeting, Breakfast
by Jon White

This week the Student Government Association (SGA) will inaugurate the long-proposed extension of Midd Rides service into town.
According to SGA President Ginny Hunt '03, the extension has been in the works for a number of years, but required clearing hurdles concerning drop-off and pick-up in town.
Hunt explained that the extension of Midd Rides has been on the top of the SGA's agenda since the fall. The expansion of service was also on last year's SGA agenda.
Service will begin in front of Forest Hall before continuing to Adirondack Circle and then down Adirondack Road. The route will sweep behind Stewart Hall, in front of McCullough and then on to KDR via the Center for the Arts. After stopping at KDR, the van will proceed down South Street to Frog Hollow and return to the College by passing Weybridge House and the A-frames.
The SGA hopes that the new route addresses the need for vehicle access into town at night for safety purposes, as well as for traffic relief. Hunt noted that parking in town can be difficult and she hopes that this will encourage students to use Midd Rides.
The service takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes and will be offered Wednesday through Saturday nights. Students will be able to call in for pick-up.
A town meeting with President McCardell co-sponsored by the SGA and the Office of the President is also on the SGA's agenda this Winter Term. The meeting will take place at 8:30 p.m. in the Ross Fireplace Lounge on Jan. 27. Food and drinks will be provided and all students are encouraged to attend this open dialogue.
The next town meeting with McCardell is scheduled for April.
Finally, the SGA and Community Council have been working together with Middining to get students to return dishware removed from the dining halls. A midnight breakfast is slated for later this month using the money saved from the return of lost dishware.