MIDDBRIEFS

Author: THOMAS C. DRESCHER AND CAROLINE S. STAUFFER

Scam e-mails plague community inboxes

Library and Information Services (LIS) sent out a campus-wide e-mail alert last week regarding a recent spate of reported fraudulent e-mail receipts.

The e-mails in question, which appear to be from "reputable financial institutions," are an attempt by spammers to "entice recipients into divulging personal data such as credit card or bank account numbers, Social Security numbers and passwords," according to the ITS message. "Phishers," as they are called, can use the personal information of others for "financial gain and other malicious purposes." ITS called phishing a "dangerous problem."

The ITS e-mail also provided a list of tips and suggested protocol for dealing with suspicious correspondences and uncovering phishing scams. In order to avoid electronic exploitation, the message recommended exercising extreme caution when opening attachments or replying to suspicious e-mails, and advised testing password prompts with incorrect passwords, checking to make sure Web sites are secure and ensuring that security patches and anti-virus software are up to date.



Vilarello proposes SGA, commons integration

Inter-House Council Senator Michael Vilarello '05 has drafted a proposal that would completely restructure the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate by integrating the SGA with the commons system.

Vilarello met with Cook Commons Dean David Edleson, Dean of Students Tim Spears, Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson, SGA President Andrew Jacobi '05, Student Co-Chair of Community Council J.S. Woodward '06 and several commons co-chairs to discuss the idea last Friday.

"I think that the real weak point in the SGA is its loose connection with the commons," he said.

While Vilarello supports the commons system and sees it as a very positive development for the school, he also believes that it has "spread leadership very thin" and that it is very difficult for students to understand the rules and policies of the College expressed through individual commons.

Vilarello proposed that the SGA Senate consist of four senators from each commons - one from each year. This would increase the size of the Senate from 16 to 22 members, but would centralize leadership within the student body.

"I think that [the proposal] utilizes the structure of the commons in the sense that it allows elected representatives to be more embedded within their constituency," he said.

With this system, constituents would have a much better chance of knowing their representatives given that they would most likely live near them.

Vilarello said the meeting went "very well. People were a little nervous about changes that would have to be made within the commons system, but had no problem with the SGA senate changing," he said. The next step will be to appoint an SGA Committee to investigate the proposal. The committee would next have to present a formal proposal to the current senate and amend the SGA constitution. Vilarello hopes the changes will be implemented by the next school year.

He also discussed the integration of the Middlebury College Activities Board into the commons system in the future.


Choi, Sasson garner research subsidies

Two Middlebury professors were recently honored with prestigious research subsidies. Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Sunhee Choi received a three-year National Science Foundation grant for her ongoing study of oxidative damage to DNA. At least six Middlebury undergrads will participate in project.

Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Ted Sasson earned a fellowship to the Brandeis University Summer Institute for Israel Studies. In addition to a series of seminars held at Brandeis, the fellowship includes a trip to Israel, where Sasson and others will meet with leading Israelis and members of Arab and Jewish communities.