Computer Glitches

Biz students protest computer glitches to take their tests during any F 1 35 lab time. The er dilemma isn't easy, and it takes time. by Derek Malcolm presence ofa faculty member is not required, as Sprenger compared finding a specific problem The School of Business students are long as a lab monitor is in the room. in the network infrastructure to finding a signing a petition to protest comput- "I was able to write my first test just last blown bulb in a string of old Christmas lights. er problems that have been ongoing week," said Barcelona, even though it was "How do you find the problem when ten since the beginning of this semester The originally scheduled for the second week of might be the problem'!'" said Sprenger "You petition has generated about 200 signa- school. have to try every link on the chain," she said. tures-roughly a quarter of business students. Earlier in the semester a shortage of access Humber's Networking and Computing Humber's Network and Computing discs that students had to buy from the cam- Services began troubleshooting the entire Services is searching for a solution to cope pus bookstore to log on to the network pre- infrastructure, and brought IBM in to help with students' complaints. vented Barcelona and other students from find the weak link in the network, which Business students have been falling further completing their tests. turned out to be a fault) piece of hardware. behind on their computer-based tests that First-year Business Administration student, The part was replaced along with several make up 30 per cent of their marks. Lee Cusimano, finished the test program to other network components during the third The tests, which must be completed by check his mark, "and then it crashed," he week of school, showing a "significant accessing a database through computer labs said. "1 had to do it again the next week." improvement," in the network's stability in Humber's F-wing, have been difficult to said Sprenger complete due to a combination of network But even with a smoothly-running network, and software problems, said Humber's call '7 was able to write my there are other links that affect how the sys- lab co-ordinator, Valerie Sprenger tem works. The software, which Sprenger first test just last week." Bryan Barcelona and Cheryl Baratto. first- describes as "problematic," is stored on the year SAC reps for the School of Business, network server Instead of each workstation Bryan Barcelona have heard students' complaints and have accessing the software from its own hard experienced the problems first-hand. drive, "you have to communicate over our Baratto went to the lab to view the results Baratto said it was during the third week of Intranet back and forth from \our workstation of a test she completed, only to have the school that students grew frustrated and to the software," Sprenger said. "Is it the soft- computer crash on her. began to complain, asking where their money ware';' Is it the Intranet'.' We don't know." "As a student who went through that, I'm was going and what it was being spent on. Although the School of Business may still pissed off"," said Baratto. "The computer "I saw a petition go around. I didn't know have some problems to work out. Network crashed I don't know how many times. Others if I wanted to sign it or not." she added. Services is focusing man\ of its resources weren't able to get on to the network at all." The petition, on behalf of marketing stu- towards solving them said Sprenger, who Toby Fletcher, chairperson of The School dents, expresses their frustration with the used to spend nearK half of each day in the of Business, said that students have been system, and demands that steps be taken to business labs troubleshooting. Over the past able to make up overdue tests from the remedy the situation. two weeks, she's spent barely two hours a failed computer system. "They have to put a stop to it now," said day in the F-wing, and said that she hasn't "1 want to ensure them a fair chance at Baratto. "It's not fair to have to go through been hearing too man\ reports. passing the semester," Fletcher added. that all term." "I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's fixed," The School of Business has allowed students Pinpointing the exact cause of the comput- said Sprenger, "but it's definitely better" Ratna Ray ready for student influx hy Mark Bennett Chair of the Humber College Board of Directors (BoG) Dr. Ratna Ray, continues to meet the challenges of bringing Humber into the millennium. One of the many issues Dr. Ray and the board will continue to address is the flood of students expected to enrol at Humber in the near future. "The college is in the midst of developing THE WEEK the Lakeshore campus, preparing for the year 2003 when enrollment of students is expect- First-year ed to double because of the new high school requirements," she said. -Photography The board is also looking at ways of using technology more effectively. One idea being student Simon discussed is bringing college education to students off campus. Ratna Ray Chair of Edwards took "Members are becoming more interested Humber's Board of Governors in seeing how technology can be used in this shot of a more effective ways to deliver education to school and two, be relevant regardless of not-so-ugly students who may not be able to come to the how society changes. college everyday, but prefer to have their The board is also changing. This year, the duckling. education delivered when it's convenient or board welcomed five new members. Nancy where it's convenient for them," Ray said. Adamo, Janet Dassinger, George Ferguson, A mother of two children, she's currently and Thomas M. Hennebury were all appoint- a Management and Communications ed for three-year terms. Strategist with Ratna B. Ray Associates. • Nancy Adamo, a former public school She was appointed to the Humber College teacher, is president and owner of Hockley Board of Governors in 1994. Dr. Ray was Valley Resort & Conference Centre in later selected board chairperson and is now Orangeville. She's also the president and in her second term. owner of Verdi Hospitality Centre in She draws from her experience in educa- Mississauga. tion, business and communications in the • Janet Dassinger, has a degree in Labour role of chair of the board. Dr. Ray said her Studies from McMaster University. She's an Is Humber ready for Y2K familiarity with Humber gives her a solid Assistant to the Canadian Director of point of reference to lead the board in its Training Programmes and Policies with the planning for the school's future. National Training Fund, United Food and millennium mayhem? "My teaching experience and interaction Commercial Workers International Union with students has given me a greater under- (UFCW). Before joining the UFCW, Ms. by Darren hum dent registration, staffing preparations and standing of the issues that students face," Dassinger was assistant director at the Metro No one knows what will happen at the Communications. Ray said. Labour Education Centre in Toronto. stroke of midnight on Dec. 31, 1999, but These divisions are used to simplify the Dr. Ray came to Canada from India in the • George Ferguson, earned a BA in the Emergency Management Team of magnitude of the Y2K situation, breaking early 60's. She has a PhD in English from the Political Science and Economics from the Humber College is ensuring that nothing it down to attack potential problems with- University of Ottawa. She has held many University of Toronto (Trinity College) and goes wrong here. in each division. positions in the community. an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School. "Students can rest assured that the Y2K Specific altnerative plans have been She has been a chairperson and adjudica- Mr. Ferguson's professional appointments situation at Humber is under control," said drafted and will be presented to the board tor with the Rent Review Hearing Board, a include: Queen's Council in 1959; approved Rod Rork, chair of the Emergency for finalization. management consultant at Communique Pro as arbitrator by the Ontario Labour- Management Team and vice-president of One major concern is the possibility of Group, and Director of the Women's Bureau Management Arbitration Commission (1972- Administration. "brown-outs" or temporary power short- for Labour Canada. She also taught at York 1976); appointed to the bench by the "i believe we have done everything we ages. However, Rork said emergency gen- University, and Humber College from 1992 Government of Canada in 1976. concluded we should do," he stressed. erators will be used to maintain power. to 1993. • Thomas M. Hennebury graduated fi-om number's preparations began with a "We have a plan. It's going to be pre- The BoG deals only with college policy McGill University with a Sociology BA. He two-day seminar in Febru^y headed by sented next Wednesday (Oct. 13) to the issues. The board approves the way money is recently retired as vice- president, Executive Adrian Gordon from the Canadian Centre emergency team and that should finalize spent and changes to programs or planning. Staffing and Development, Northern for Emergency Preparedness. the strategy that we will employ towards Day to day maintenance and operations of Telecom. Mr. Hennebury was vice-president, He also helped with the creation of the end of December," Rork said.

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