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Student Faces Suspension For Spamming Profs
edmicman sends word of a Fox News report about a Michigan State University student who is facing suspension for bulk emailing a number of professors at the university about a proposed change to the school calendar — an e-mail that the university is labeling spam. The article contains links to a copy of the original email, the allegations against the student, and the university's Email Acceptable Use Policy. The student, Kara Spencer, asked a Philadelphia rights organization, FIRE, to get involved. The article quotes the FIRE defense program director: "The fact that MSU is considering punishment of Spencer simply for exercising her right to contact selected faculty members by e-mail shows a disturbing disregard for students' freedom of expression. ... Threatening a member of the student government with suspension for sending relevant, timely e-mails to faculty members is outrageous." Spencer is awaiting the school's judgement after a hearing, and vows to take to the courts if suspended.
There is no right to email.
She signed the acceptable use policy, and then did things that she was specifically told not to do.
She fails. She should be punished according to the guidelines set forth in the policy. Likely, this includes suspension/removal of her email accounts and privileges and a suspension. It could also include complete removal of access to the campus network if they wanted to be dicks.
Her email is about the fall welcome week. This is the week/few days you get between when the campus opens up (and freshman enter the dorms) and when classes start. The university (like many others) has proposed changes to shorten the week.
As a member of the student government, this girl most likely lives on campus (in the dorms), or is shilling for people that do. The real issue here is that the kiddies want more time to go out and party before classes start. They don't want to get to know the campus, they don't want to get to know the community. They want booze and drugs and sex, especially the freshman, many of whom will be living away from their parents for the first time.
College. The same drama from the same annoying kids. Grow up.
I think you hit the nail on the head.
Students pay to attend university. They are, in fact, paying customers. They are not a resourse to be milked of Daddy's money and told to shut up. Without the students, the university would shut down and the high-falutin' profs would be up shit's creek.
So let's do this the right way, shall we?
A business, of which I am a long time established customer to the tune of tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, does something I don't like. I send email to every manager of the business that I can find. The IT person calls me and tells me to follow proper channels.
Now how many of us would say, "Sure, Mr. Geek, I'll follow propoer channels." Or would tell him/her to go fsck him/herself, you are the fscking customer, and someone in management had better pay some fscking attention?
It's SPAM.
It was unwanted, there was no obligation for the recipient to receive it, and there was no obligation for the sender to send it.
The sender in this case was also told not to send that shit, so it's not a case of "Well, Professor X thought it was SPAM, but Beast thought it wasn't!". She was told not to do it and she did. It's a clear cut case of a violation of the acceptable use policy.
(She'll get off scott free though, because all the freshman want more drinking time.)
No.
The bitch has gotten enough attention.
She wants the support of students, especially freshman (because she's in the student government). Her tactic is to get her name out there as the girl who tried to extend/preserve the "welcome week" (when the dorms and campus open up, and students get to party and not go to class).
She was told she was in violation of policy, she was told the proper way to do things, and she refused. She stated she would continue to violate policy, and she demanded to be charged for it.
If someone acted like that on my network, they would get the permanent boot, and I would take legal action.
I can't believe I share an initial and last name with you.