By Sean O’Brien
Assistant Opinion Editor
Since Family Weekend, I have been without a computer of my own, as it had to be sent out for repairs. This has proven problematic, as most of my journalism and mass communication studies require use of a computer on a regular basis. That’s not to mention needing a computer to fulfill my weekly duties as an editor of this publication.
For those living on main campus, this shouldn’t be a big deal. However, as a resident of the townhouses on the east side of campus, minor duties and responsibilities have become hugely time-consuming hassles. According to the university website, the closest computer lab to east side residences is located in Robinson Hall, with four computers.
Walking, that’s more or less a 15-minute trip, depending on how fast one walks. Depending on parking availability, driving could possibly take just as long. Meanwhile, there’s a residence hall complete with dining services right in the middle of east-side housing that seems to be a fine location for a computer lab.
So why are there no computers available to students in Francis Hall?
It’s ridiculous that I (or any other student in a similar carless, computer-less position) have to waste so much time and energy during the trip to get to a computer. That time and energy is better used to produce quality material. And while I am just a single case, is it really so hard to believe I’m the only student on the east side of campus who has ever had computer troubles?
I know I’m not the only student without a car. With a very basic estimate of how many people are in each townhouse and apartment, there are clearly not enough parking spaces for each resident to have a car.
It’s not so hard to imagine that there have been and will be others in my position. The hypothetical Francis Lab wouldn’t even need all that many computers, so some could simply be relocated. I have no idea where Room 5 is in the Reilly Center, all I know is that I followed a friend down there two years ago and it was very nearly deserted. The university’s website says the lab contains 21 computers.
Couldn’t RC Room 5 function just fine with 17 computers and let Francis Hall have a few?
Students on the east side of campus probably also wouldn’t mind having easy access to a printer, so they could finish their work and print it straightaway, rather than risk forgetting to print it the next day or having to trek all the way back to main campus. I myself have made my way to campus many times these past weeks, only to realize that I have forgotten some crucial piece of work back in the townhouse.
Boiled down, it is unfair and foolish to have all access to student computers on the main campus. Furthermore, having high volumes of computers in academic buildings seems silly. Barring the odd tech-driven class, their main purpose would seem to be a place to rush a print job of an assignment or slap together a forgotten assignment.
Alternately, does it make sense to keep computers near residential buildings? Yes, because students will be using them for homework, research and the like. So why do we discriminate between sides of campus and focus exclusively on providing west campus with electronic resources?
Presently, the status quo allows imbalanced access to technological resources, in clear favor of west campus residents.
I do not believe that the computer lab arrangement was intended to be so skewed. I feel false assumptions were made regarding east campus residents during talks about computer placement, assuming east campus was even mentioned. Now that I have experienced the difficulties of living in such a situation firsthand, I urge the university to revisit the issue.
Francis Hall seems like a sensible place to put a computer lab. It’d be reasonably convenient for those living on East campus, and it would save students a lot of headaches in the future.
Especially carless students whose laptops suddenly decide to go kaput.
obriensp11@bonaventure.edu
