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What's playing on the Frosh Camp exposed. radio? see page 4 see page 10 THE CALIFORNIA TECH VOLUME XCVIII, NUMBER 2 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA FRIDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 1996 Third symposium on media & science goes national via satellite BY PUBLIC RELATIONS and technology anchor for CNN. ming, and isa weekend news anchor. He will allow audience members to address Panelists include Jacqueline Barton, has been honored for writing documen the panelists. This year, when Caltech brings me professor of chemistry at Caltech; taries on the heavy use of pesticides at Mullin Consulting, Inc., led by chair dia professionals to talk with Caltech re Glennda Chui, science reporter for the Costa Rican banana plantations (Sweet man and CEO Peter Mullin, a Caltech searchers and the public, they'll 'discuss San Jose Mercury News; Tony Dill, pro Fruit: Bitter Harvest), on technology con trustee, is a consulting firm specializing "Science & Journalism: A Marriage of ducer for NBC's The Today Show; Rob version in the U.S. andRussia (Swords in non-qualified executive benefit pro Opposites." And for the first time, col-. ert Ferrante, executive producer ofNPR's to Plowshares: The Price of Peace), and grams for major corporations, many leges and universities around thecoun Morning Edition; Joel Greenberg, sci on the information superhighway (TV within the Fortune 500. It has offices in try may participate by receiving a live ence editor for the Los Angeles Times; .2000) -coproducing the latter two-among Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, broadcast with two-way communication and Daniel Kevles, Koepfli Professor of others. Now in its third year, the Media and San Francisco. from 9 a.m. to noon. the Humanities at Caltech. The modera & Science Symposium is designed "to The October 3 symposium will in tor is David Garcia, science reporter for help researchers, journalists, and commu To register, call Sue Pitts at ext. clude an all-morning panel discussion Fox News. nications professionals learn how to work 3227. Members of the campus and f . and "candid exchange ofviews" between The luncheon and keynote address together more effectively." JPL community may sign up to attend the two cultures represented by science are scheduled from 12: 15 to 2.p.m. Based To reach a wider audience, Mullin the panel discussion free ofcharge and and journalism, according to Caltech's at CNN's Atlanta headquarters, keynote Consulting, Inc. is underwriting the sat .the luncheon at a reduced rate of $20 Office ofPublic Relations, which is spon speaker O'Brien hosts the network's ellite broadcast of the three-hour panel on a space-available basis. Non soring the event. A luncheon address will "Science and Technology Week," pro discussion. Schools that participate will Caltech rates are $40-$95. then be given by Miles O'Brien, science duces stories for daily news program- have a two-way communication link that Man~ion responds to Avery article Fingerprints taken for BY SHAY CHINN future use by Housing Tom Mannion, Director BY ERIK STREED This system would eliminate the of the Housing office, said need for Caltech students to that the Avery House article Fingerprinting has come to carry cards or keys. Mannion in last week's Tech was in the Caltech campus. Fortu- also stated that the Housing Of accurate on several points. nately, tht? inky hands and fice intended the system to bein Mannion has been smudged paper cards familiar to ternal to Caltech. asssured by Rich Fagin, di those ofus who have The fingerprint rector of CCO, that the net had the misfortune to This identification sys- work in Avery is operational. be mistaken for serial tern is still in the de- Mannion and the Hous killer of the week system is velopment stage. haven't come along b d Due to the origins ing staff are aware that, to ... ase on d . f h' many students, the key card with it. This system an promIse 0 t IS is home grown, new technology, system sounds like a page the work of based on the work of Mannion would like from George Orwell's 1984. former former Caltech stu- Caltech to be a test Mannion stated that the goal dents Serge Belongi Caltech site for the system of this system is to increase and Vance Bjorn. students. which is developed. convenience, and he would Originating as a No plans currently take any steps he could to sophomore SURF exist to install fin- ease students' concerns. He project, it has blossomed into a gerprint readers at any location encouraged those who had start-up company that includes on campus; however, the Hous suggestions for the new card the founder ofLogitek as one of ing Office is currently scanning systems or any security mea the partners. In an interview in student fingerprints when sures to stop by. Thursday afternoon, Tom \ they come to the Housing An Students hired by Mannion, Director of the Hous- nex to be issued their new stu Mannion to oversee the ing Office, stated that he envi- dent ID cards/keycards. Be implementation of the sys sions the keycard system cur- cause ofthe experimental nature tem have several concerns. rently being installed in Avery of the system, the Housing Of At this time, the data is be House as a stepping stone to fice is storing the fingerprint ing transmitted over the placing the entire campus on a images for future compression fingerprint based access and and encryption into unique stu campus-wide LAN CITnet. lated to Caltech. Access of Current plans call for the transaction verification system. dent identification codes. CITnet is connected to the this type could leave the sys Caltech library system to be Internet and hence is vulner tem open to unauthorized migrated to the card key sys able to attack from outside users outside the bounds of tem sometime next year. IN THIS ISSUE Caltech, as well as local net the honor system. Material transfer forms are work devjQes. Mannion acknowledged to be eliminated in favor of THE USUAL THIS WEEK'S We at The California these problems, but felt that the new system. It is pos STUFF FEATURES Tech were able to demon they can be resolved before sible that the fingerprints strate the accessibility ofthe any incidents occur. He also taken at the housing office Announcements 12 Deans Office 2 Calendar 8 Dog policy 2 key server by gaining a login supported the idea of a stu will be used in lieu of the DILBERT® 9 Frosh orientation .4 prompt from a computer in dent-accessible key override cards; this looks to be in the Editorial 2 Radio shows 10 Minnesota, a system unre- to the electronic system. far future. Question ofthe Month 8 Rotation schedule 6 2 27 September 1996 NEWS & OPINIONS THE CALIFORNIA TECH EDITORIAL Welcome back to Caltech, from Fingerprintillg infringes the Dean of Students Office on students' civil liberties FROM THE DEANS OFFICE tutor. We hire upperclass "and tests. If you are too il students to tutor others, es to complete a course or can' When you venture forth whole system appears to The Dean of Students pecially in the core courses. take the final exam becausl to Ye Not So Old Housing gain nothing for J. Random Office wants to welcome Tutoring is free to the stu ofillness, only the Deans car Annex to obtain a shiny new Techer interested in getting you back for the 1996-97 dent, and the Deans Office authorize the grade of I ID card, a cunningly cloaked his new ID. Given the ex academic year. Jean-Paul pays the tutor. medical incomplete. Con obstacle stands in your way. perimental state ofthe tech A Housing Office employee nology involved, the only Revel, Dean of Students; • Of course, attending class tact us ifyou have a medica will ask you to trustingly justification appears to be a Barbara Green, Associ- problem that seems t( sign a release form and sit matter of convenience for ate Dean; Suzette Ifyou are finding the be interfering with yOUi down to have a quick, pain~ the Housing Office. Cummings, Assistant to material in a course academics. less procedure performed. Only at our beloved the Dean; and Sandra • Remember the dead Whether you know it or not, Housing Office could the Estes, Senior Adminis difficult, contact our lines for dropping all( the obstacle is to get by with average Techerjoin such ex trative Secretary, are office for a free tutor. adding courses. Ad( out divulging to Housing & clusive company as finan available to assist you Day this term is Octo- Co. one ofyour most distinct cial planners, stockbrokers, in a variety of ways. regularly, talking with your ber 18 and Drop Day is No and prolific of personal and street criminals. Infor We encourage you to teaching assistants and pro vember 20. traits. No, they haven't in mation grazing like this sets stop by to talk with one of fessors, attempting all your • See us anytime for assis· stituted genetic tracking bad precedent in light ofthe .homework sets, and collabo (yet), but they have begun fingerprint system's current the Deans if you have any tance with petitions you plm taking your fingerprints. applications. We, the Edi academic or personal con rating with other students to submit to DASH. Unlike the well-mean tors ofThe California Tech, cerns. Here are a few re when appropriate can make • If we invite you to come ing grade school PTA's urge you not to submit to minders that may help make a big difference in your suc in to talk with us about youl which may have dirtied your having your fingerprints en first term a successful one cess.