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19 total messages Started by nobody Anonymous Wed, 09 Nov 1994 20:40
McGill: a police state?
#950
Author: nobody Anonymous
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 20:40
94 lines
4960 bytes
The policy changes mentioned in the article below are now being voted upon.


Copyright (c) 1994 by the Daily Publications Society.  All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission.


The McGill Daily
April 13, 1994
vol.84 no.91 page 6



McGill: A police state?
-----------------------

   ... Jane always tried to be a good citizen.  But
   everything was ruined that one day when they entered
   her office, seizing files, searching through her
   computer account and charged her with being a
   "threat to the integrity of the community".
   The subsequent trial was a farce; she was guilty
   until proven innocent.  Illegally obtained evidence,
   violations of basic rights to privacy, and no chance
   of appeal as she was convicted and her life destroyed.

   Protest was futile.

   "We can without permission enter any office or home
   and plow through whatever we please", chuckled
   the goateed administrator ...


An Orwellian vision of the future?  Military dictatorship?
A bad movie plot? or McGill 1994?

The above scene could well happen at McGill if Irwin Gopnik,
Dean of Students, has his way.  At last Wednesday's Senate
meeting, Gopnik proposed revisions to the code of student
conduct.  Revisions which show some of the most draconian
attitudes of the McGill administration.

The code of student conduct governs what is and what is not
good behaviour for students, and outlines the procedures
for hearings when a student is charged with an offence.

Some of the proposed revisions to the code include:

* Eliminating the confidentiality of communications
  made through the university's computer system,
  including electronic mail.

* Allowing administrators to use illegally obtained evidence
  during hearings.

* In cases of plagiarism the student would be presumed
  guilty notwithstanding Article 22 of the Charter of
  Student Rights which states that a student is innocent
  until proven guilty.

* A student could be suspended for up to 30 days on the whim
  of the Dean of Students (an increase of 15 days) before
  the student could appeal the decision.

* A student cannot have a lawyer present during the hearings.

These changes are in violation of our legally established
right to privacy, as well as contradicting the Charter of
Students' Rights.

Section 1 of the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms section
of the Charter states that "Every student enjoys within
the University all rights and freedoms recognized by law."

Rights and freedoms recognized by law include the Quebec
charter of human rights, which states that everyone has
a right to privacy (violated by McGill's insistance on
the right to search private computer accounts), and that
illegally obtained evidence is not admissible.

The proposed code is coming up for debate at Senate in the
fall.  The university community must choose whether we will
be governed through a climate of fear, or strive to live in
a community which respects basic human rights.


Jason Prince
Dave Ley
Max Francisco
Kristin Andrews
Liz Unna
Melanie Newton
Thomas White.
Re: McGill: a police state?
#951
Author: Rob Postuma (Concordia Universit...
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 21:41
15 lines
2186 bytes
In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
> 
>The policy changes mentioned in the article below are now being voted upon.
[  basically McGill wants to tighten up their intrusion into student/staff
                                                              lives]
> 
>McGill: A police state?
>-----------------------

 I'd say that the atmosphere at McGill has always been that way, it's the
coldest place on earth and it's not surprising at all that they'd want to
do that. I've never seen a place with so many people just "on their own".
The notion to be a "colder" place must be really appealing to the
administration there.
           Rob "mathboy" Postuma
Re: McGill: a police state?
#952
Author: Earthwind
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 22:20
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In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
] 
]The policy changes mentioned in the article below are now being voted upon.

[snip] 

]Jason Prince
]Dave Ley
]Max Francisco
]Kristin Andrews
]Liz Unna
]Melanie Newton
]Thomas White.

The information is interesting however I can't see the point 
of the anonymous post. If you're that concerned you should be 
willing to have your name attached to your beliefs. 



Earthwind			People think that stories are
Paul Hinecker			shaped by people. In fact, it's
chigaze@well.sf.ca.us		the other way around.
pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca		-Terry Pratchett
Re: McGill: a police state?
#953
Author: Michael Safoniuk
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 1994 23:45
25 lines
2759 bytes
Rob Postuma (Concordia University) (r_postu@pavo.concordia.ca) wrote:
: In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
: > 
: >The policy changes mentioned in the article below are now being voted upon.
: [  basically McGill wants to tighten up their intrusion into student/staff
:                                                               lives]
: > 
: >McGill: A police state?
: >-----------------------

:  I'd say that the atmosphere at McGill has always been that way, it's the
: coldest place on earth and it's not surprising at all that they'd want to
: do that. I've never seen a place with so many people just "on their own".
: The notion to be a "colder" place must be really appealing to the
: administration there.
:            Rob "mathboy" Postuma

As a McGill graduate (B.Eng '89, M.Eng '92)I'd have to say McGill is not at 
all the way you described it Rob.  I enjoyed my years there and I found 
the people friendly.  Most people who were "on their own" seemed to 
prefer it that way.  I know of several people who chose that route despite 
the numerous attempts by various people to make them part of the group.

Cheers
Mike
Re: McGill: a police state?
#954
Author: Sandy Leon
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 02:30
30 lines
2549 bytes
In article <9NOV199417205846@pavo.concordia.ca> pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind) writes:
>From: pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind)
>Subject: Re: McGill: a police state?
>Date: 9 Nov 1994 17:20 -0500

>In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
>] 


>[snip] 



>The information is interesting however I can't see the point 
>of the anonymous post. If you're that concerned you should be 
>willing to have your name attached to your beliefs. 



>Earthwind                       People think that stories are
>Paul Hinecker                   shaped by people. In fact, it's
>chigaze@well.sf.ca.us           the other way around.
>pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca               -Terry Pratchett

Apparently you do not understand what *fear* is, and you remind me of those 
who make passing comment , in a rape case, that the victim should have fought 
harder. It is also very transparent that Mr. Hinecker has NOT lived under an 
authoritarian state like, for example, East Germany.

sandy
Re: McGill: a police state?
#955
Author: DENNIS MARKUZE
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 07:34
10 lines
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In article <sandyl.7.02F2A31A@cyberstore.ca>, sandyl@cyberstore.ca (Sandy Leon) writes...
> It is also very transparent that Mr. Hinecker has NOT lived under an 
>authoritarian state like, for example, East Germany.
> 
>sandy

 No, he LIVES under a totalitarian state called Canada. 

	Dennis Markuze
	d_marku@pavo.concordia.ca
Re: McGill: a police state?
#957
Author: Jeff Licquia
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 09:14
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <10NOV199408121632@pavo.concordia.ca> pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind) writes:

>You're right on at least one count. I've never lived in East 
>Germany or a similar state and neither does 'nobody' right now
>(assuming this person is a McGill student). When McGill can have 
>this person locked up indefinitely or executed then maybe your 
>analogy would have some force. As it stands McGill doesn't have 
>anything near these powers and the comparison is unwarranted.

They do, apparently, have the power to prosecute a student within their
system, expel or suspend him/her, and put a black mark on his/her
academic record.  Such actions could place the student in jeopardy both
in pursuing a further academic career and in moving into a job.

>It would seem, though, that 'nobody' would rather exhort others 
>to get involved in something that 'nobody' would rather not 
>attach his/her name to. Shouldn't I comment when someone wants me 
>to attach my name to something they won't attach theirs to?
>What I see is somebody who seems to soothing their conscience
>by anon posting something rather than by getting directly
>involved in something that apparently directly affects them.

Since the student is anonymous, you have no idea what this student's
involvement is or is not, nor his/her motives.  Have you considered that
such a post, if made openly, could cause the student's reputation to be
'besmirched' by the administration, destroying any positive effect
he/she might have had on the decision?  (Say, for example, that the
student was the president of McGill's student government.)  Or perhaps
has it been considered that the administration might target this
particular person for "surveillance" tactics if the resolution passes?

>I also find it interesting that a number of names were attached 
>to the bottom of the post. Either these people do not share the 
>fear that 'nobody' does or 'nobody' chose to post their names 
>without their knowledge.

It is possible that the poster was taking a prepared statement intended
for distribution and reposting it.


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Re: McGill: a police state?
#956
Author: Earthwind
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 13:12
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Paul: 
]>The information is interesting however I can't see the point 
]>of the anonymous post. If you're that concerned you should be 
]>willing to have your name attached to your beliefs. 

Sandy:
]Apparently you do not understand what *fear* is, and you remind me of those 
]who make passing comment , in a rape case, that the victim should have fought 
]harder. It is also very transparent that Mr. Hinecker has NOT lived under an 
]authoritarian state like, for example, East Germany.

You're right on at least one count. I've never lived in East 
Germany or a similar state and neither does 'nobody' right now
(assuming this person is a McGill student). When McGill can have 
this person locked up indefinitely or executed then maybe your 
analogy would have some force. As it stands McGill doesn't have 
anything near these powers and the comparison is unwarranted.


It would seem, though, that 'nobody' would rather exhort others 
to get involved in something that 'nobody' would rather not 
attach his/her name to. Shouldn't I comment when someone wants me 
to attach my name to something they won't attach theirs to?
What I see is somebody who seems to soothing their conscience
by anon posting something rather than by getting directly
involved in something that apparently directly affects them.


I also find it interesting that a number of names were attached 
to the bottom of the post. Either these people do not share the 
fear that 'nobody' does or 'nobody' chose to post their names 
without their knowledge.


Earthwind			People think that stories are
Paul Hinecker			shaped by people. In fact, it's
chigaze@well.sf.ca.us		the other way around.
pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca		-Terry Pratchett
Re: McGill: a police state?
#960
Author: Water From the Moon
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 14:25
69 lines
4502 bytes
In article <sandyl.7.02F2A31A@cyberstore.ca>,
Sandy Leon <sandyl@cyberstore.ca> wrote:
>In article <9NOV199417205846@pavo.concordia.ca> pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind) writes:
>>From: pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind)
>>Subject: Re: McGill: a police state?
>>Date: 9 Nov 1994 17:20 -0500
>
>>In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
>>] 
>>If you're that concerned you should be 
>>willing to have your name attached to your beliefs. 
>
	Hello??!! Wake up!!  Think again... thanx for the flame bait...
>
>
>>Earthwind                       People think that stories are
>>Paul Hinecker                   shaped by people. In fact, it's
>>chigaze@well.sf.ca.us           the other way around.
>>pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca               -Terry Pratchett
>				 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
				 uh huh, we are going to 'shape' your image
				 down...  [flame bait]

>Apparently you do not understand what *fear* is, and you remind me of those 
>who make passing comment , in a rape case, that the victim should have fought 
>harder. It is also very transparent that Mr. Hinecker has NOT lived under an 
>authoritarian state like, for example, East Germany.
>
	Wait, you forgot Communist China where they'll send you to prison
camps just for any harsh comments against the government.. You usually 
disappear without a trace.  They silence you up far away.  No one would 
notice it among the 2 other billion people...

>sandy
	Agreed!!   It's comes to me as a wonder why 2 previous post from 
Concordia University seems only to find remedial comments or suggestions 
about the original post.  Seems like they couldn't give any kind of support
or anything to our case.  All comments seems to target McGill up and low...
Oh well, it makes me wonder about Concordia's own computing policies.  I am 
aware that internet access is so 'restricted'.  

	In any case, it's useless to argue :)

	Yes, McGill is making headlines again :)  It's rather challenging to
be able to deal with the administration...  It gives you a good taste of
life in the REAL world.   

	At least, I am sure there is a group of people in our school that 
do fight for our rights and make it aware to all of us.  It would've not
been funny if it 'passed' right thru under our nose.   An example of such 
attempt is the 'dial-in modem user fee' which I believe is being put off
and is to be revised and reviewed.   

	Again, before you make any sort of comment, please make sure you know
what you are talking about or you will be called 'naive', 'ignorant', or 
even 'remedial' [warning, flame bait]. 

[bashing to be continued] ..... hopefully not... we are all humans and we
all do make mistakes..

peace,
tj

	
-- 
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT|***********************************|TTTTTTTTTTTT
JJJJ        JJJ       JJJJJJ|  tjlin@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca       |JJJJJJJJJJJJ
LLLLLLL  LLLLLLLLL  LLLLLLLL|  "Linux Sys Adm Apprentice"       |LLLLLLLLLLLL
IIIIIII  IIIIII     IIIIIIII| http://my.homepage.coming.soon/   |IIIIIIIIIIII
Re: McGill: a police state?
#959
Author: Rob Postuma (Concordia Universit...
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 18:31
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In article <39rmun$r21@nnrp.ucs.ubc.ca>, safoniuk@unixg.ubc.ca (Michael Safoniuk) writes...
>Rob Postuma (Concordia University) (r_postu@pavo.concordia.ca) wrote:
>: In article <39rc3u$ern@jpunix.com>, nobody (Anonymous) writes...
>: > 
>: >McGill: A police state?
>: >-----------------------
> 
>:  I'd say that the atmosphere at McGill has always been that way, it's the
>: coldest place on earth and it's not surprising at all that they'd want to
>: do that. 
> 
>As a McGill graduate (B.Eng '89, M.Eng '92)I'd have to say McGill is not at 
>all the way you described it Rob.  I enjoyed my years there and I found 
>the people friendly.  Most people who were "on their own" seemed to 
>prefer it that way.  I know of several people who chose that route despite 
>the numerous attempts by various people to make them part of the group.

 As a former McGill graduate myself, I would disagree with you whole-heartedly,
as would several others on this forumn( hi Pam ).You're right, some people
there are friendly and outgoing-- I would imagine in a faculty like engineering
people would be pretty close due to the demands inherent to the discipline, but
overall-- the place is a sea of individuals. The student life there is virtually
ZERO as compared to good old Con U. I won't even go into the support staff that
works there ( ie-- in student services,administration, computer services,etc), the
the bureaucracy is sick,sick,sick. I dare you to try and get a copy( just a
copy, not an official transcript) of your student transcript there RIGHT AWAY
without a major struggle ( try it, then mail me back about your efforts). Of
course-- being in engineering you may have been "protected" from what is 
McGill due to the faculty being ran like a separate entity.
  There were some positive aspects to Mcgill though, the entire Centre for
Cont.Ed. there is fantastic and always goes an extra mile for it's members (as
well as providing student services that "McG" won't provide). Of course, McGill
doesn't get along with M.A.C.E.s (McG Assocn for Cont.Ed) because it's not 
overly-bureaucratic and it ran relatively efficently---- and for that reason
McGill almost completely ignores it's cont.ed. program, even though it accounts
for roughly a third of it's students.
    I'll take good old Con.U any day of the week!
                     Rob Postuma
Re: McGill: a police state?
#958
Author: Ed
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 20:56
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Anonymous (nobody) wrote:

: The code of student conduct governs what is and what is not
: good behaviour for students, and outlines the procedures
: for hearings when a student is charged with an offence.

: Some of the proposed revisions to the code include:

: * Eliminating the confidentiality of communications
:   made through the university's computer system,
:   including electronic mail.

This is the advantage of using dial-in services like
aol.com and other PRIVATE internet source providers.  Even if
most of your stuff is sent over the university net.

: * Allowing administrators to use illegally obtained evidence
:   during hearings.

They have been doing that here for a long time.

Every campus code I have ever seen explicitly excludes all of what 
we call 4th and 5th Ammendment rights.

ED
Re: McGill: a police state?
#962
Author: Ken Landa
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 1994 21:43
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In article <10NOV199402343110@pavo.concordia.ca>,
d_marku@pavo.concordia.ca (DENNIS MARKUZE) wrote:

> In article <sandyl.7.02F2A31A@cyberstore.ca>, sandyl@cyberstore.ca
(Sandy Leon) writes...
> > It is also very transparent that Mr. Hinecker has NOT lived under an 
> >authoritarian state like, for example, East Germany.
> > 
> >sandy
> 
>  No, he LIVES under a totalitarian state called Canada. 
> 
>         Dennis Markuze
>         d_marku@pavo.concordia.ca

Canada my have it's problem's (it does), but calling it a totalitarian
state is absolutely, positively absurd.... I will assume that you were
kidding or engaging in some sort of intentional overstatement to drive
home a point. If so, what was your point?


Anyhow, if you can escape your bonds long enough to reply without being
beaten and subjected to shock "therapy", I think the other readers would
love an answer.

Ken Landa

ajng@MUSICB.McGill.CA

"Socrates, in knowing that he knew nothing, knew something - proving conclusively that he really knew nothing at all."
Re: McGill: a police state?
#961
Author: Robert White
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 00:09
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I have never actually visited McGill, but I was very impressed by
their computer support on-line via GOPHER. They are fairly advanced
in this respect and I highly doubt that any 'flunky' university would 
have such an excellent support system for their users if they had no
regard for the 'students' they educate! Bureaucracy 'stinks' wherever
one resides and one must learn to work with it rather than against it.
Unfortunately, I think the universities should do their part to make
things smoother for students, but then the system would actually work
and we all know that we can't have that!

;)
-- 
   ----------------------------------------- Carleton University ----------
               Robert G. White               Dept. of Psychology   
                                             Ottawa, Ontario. CANADA
   INTERNET ADDRESS ----- rwhite@ccs.carleton.ca ------------------- E-MAIL
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: McGill: a police state?
#942
Author: Jeff Licquia
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 08:36
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <rwhite.784512577@superior> rwhite@superior.carleton.ca (Robert White) writes:

>I have never actually visited McGill, but I was very impressed by
>their computer support on-line via GOPHER. They are fairly advanced
>in this respect and I highly doubt that any 'flunky' university would 
>have such an excellent support system for their users if they had no
>regard for the 'students' they educate! Bureaucracy 'stinks' wherever
>one resides and one must learn to work with it rather than against it.
>Unfortunately, I think the universities should do their part to make
>things smoother for students, but then the system would actually work
>and we all know that we can't have that!

McGill, if I remember correctly, was also the originator of 'archie'.

Just more proof that the computing services office and the computer science 
department can be technically advanced even under a less-than-fair 
administration.


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Re: McGill: a police state?
#945
Author: Earthwind
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 14:05
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[snip]

jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu (Jeff Licquia) writes...
]They do, apparently, have the power to prosecute a student within their
]system, expel or suspend him/her, and put a black mark on his/her
]academic record.  Such actions could place the student in jeopardy both
]in pursuing a further academic career and in moving into a job.

Fair enough.

Paul:
]>It would seem, though, that 'nobody' would rather exhort others 
]>to get involved in something that 'nobody' would rather not 
]>attach his/her name to. Shouldn't I comment when someone wants me 
]>to attach my name to something they won't attach theirs to?
]>What I see is somebody who seems to soothing their conscience
]>by anon posting something rather than by getting directly
]>involved in something that apparently directly affects them.

jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu (Jeff Licquia) writes...
]Since the student is anonymous, you have no idea what this student's
]involvement is or is not, nor his/her motives.  Have you considered that
]such a post, if made openly, could cause the student's reputation to be
]'besmirched' by the administration, destroying any positive effect
]he/she might have had on the decision? 

Opposition, if it is to be succesful, can not be anonymous. I 
respect 'nobody's' right to not want to get involved in order to 
protect their official reputation. I don't think that 'nobody' 
has a right to ask others to get involved, and that's how I 
interpreted the post, when he/she won't get involved.


jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu (Jeff Licquia) writes...
] (Say, for example, that the
]student was the president of McGill's student government.)

If the student is president of the student government they should 
be in this up to their necks anyways or they should resign and 
let someone willing to do the job take over. If student 
government is supposed to anything asides from organise parties 
it should be to defend student rights.


[snip]


jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu (Jeff Licquia) writes... 
]It is possible that the poster was taking a prepared statement intended
]for distribution and reposting it.

I had assumed as much. If that is the case then I feel it is safe 
to presume that these people do not share the fears that 'nobody'
does.


Please do not construe my posts as support for the McGill 
administrations position in this. I find what they are trying to 
do more than a little disturbing and hope that people opposing 
this at McGill (and a number of them have posted openly) are able 
to defeat it. What I initially, briefly commented on, though, was 
an anonymous post whose anonymity I found questionable.



Earthwind			People think that stories are
Paul Hinecker			shaped by people. In fact, it's
chigaze@well.sf.ca.us		the other way around.
pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca		-Terry Pratchett
Re: McGill: a police state?
#941
Author: Ken Landa
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 16:09
22 lines
2374 bytes
In article <jlicquia.219.00089D85@mhc.uiuc.edu>, jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu
(Jeff Licquia) wrote:


> McGill, if I remember correctly, was also the originator of 'archie'.
> 
> Just more proof that the computing services office and the computer science 
> department can be technically advanced even under a less-than-fair 
> administration.
> 
 
McGill might have been the originator of archie, but we don't even seem to
have an archie server now... They might be good at the technology, it is
the giving it to students with which they have a problem.

Doomed to doing archie searches at UQAM,

Ken Landa

ajng@MUSICB.McGill.CA

"Socrates, in knowing that he knew nothing, knew something - proving conclusively that he really knew nothing at all."
Re: McGill: a police state?
#943
Author: Water From the Moon
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 1994 02:44
39 lines
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In article <jlicquia.211.00094039@mhc.uiuc.edu>,
Jeff Licquia <jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu> wrote:
>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
>In article <10NOV199408121632@pavo.concordia.ca> pm_hine@pavo.concordia.ca (Earthwind) writes:
>
[blah blah blah we are going off topic *deleted*]

I just don't get it..... What is wrong with such posting?  Besides, it's a 
group posting, and perhaps they don't want whoever posted the article to get
in trouble.. I'm sure if you wanna know if the post was from them
try contacting the SSMU (student society of mcgill university) and ask for 
any of the names.  Jason Prince is last years SSMU president.. maybe, he 
can help you.

What  I find it really funny is that this thread is going off track from 
negative comment someone made...

Started when someone picked some small detail out a post and grossly 
exagerated about such tiny detail... 

For starters.. the issue was about the "Student code of conduct" ...

Isn't there anyone who can support what we are doing??  Have anyone 
observed such actions elswhere?  It's good to talk about it in this 
newsgroup.  What do people think?  We need pple to voice their concern
and fight for their rights!  

I recall someone saying it's old news... right but how come we don't hear 
Computer Science student department speak out on this? I'm sure it affects
what they do everyday.   Well, I might be wrong... :I :)

cheers.. 
tj
-- 
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JJJJ        JJJ       JJJJJJ|  tjlin@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca       |JJJJJJJJJJJJ
LLLLLLL  LLLLLLLLL  LLLLLLLL|  "Linux Sys Adm Apprentice"       |LLLLLLLLLLLL
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Re: McGill: a police state?
#946
Author: Colin BRADLEY
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 1994 18:28
43 lines
2932 bytes
In article <ajng-1111941109330001@b-11.das.mcgill.ca>,
Ken Landa <ajng@musicb.mcgill.ca> wrote:
>In article <jlicquia.219.00089D85@mhc.uiuc.edu>, jlicquia@mhc.uiuc.edu
>(Jeff Licquia) wrote:
>
>
>> McGill, if I remember correctly, was also the originator of 'archie'.
>> 
>> Just more proof that the computing services office and the computer science 
>> department can be technically advanced even under a less-than-fair 
>> administration.
>> 
> 
>McGill might have been the originator of archie, but we don't even seem to
>have an archie server now... They might be good at the technology, it is
>the giving it to students with which they have a problem.
>
>Doomed to doing archie searches at UQAM,


	You might want to try archie.bunyip.com.... I beleive it
	is a site associated with the original author...

	I've been told that it is *very* fast...

	Plus, it's local:

traceroute to services.bunyip.com (192.77.55.2), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
 1  Scarlatti.CC.McGill.CA (132.206.27.8)  303 ms  294 ms  293 ms
 2  Burnside.CC.McGill.CA (132.206.27.6)  293 ms  291 ms  291 ms
 3  McGill-gw.RISQ.Net (132.206.179.1)  292 ms  290 ms  253 ms
 4  mcgill2-gw.risq.net (132.202.2.2)  293 ms  321 ms  314 ms
 5  services.Bunyip.COM (192.77.55.2)  329 ms  285 ms  281 ms



Regards. Me.

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
fox@cs.mcgill.ca					
Colin Bradley
Anything that is good and useful is made of chocolate.
Re: McGill: a police state?
#949
Author: Xiaowei Wu
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 04:38
109 lines
6601 bytes
nobody (Anonymous) writes:
This is an astonishing fact to me. I can not believe it could happen in Canada,a well developed country and a beautiful place full of freedom. Personal privacy should be protected by law; it is the essential part of human right. In U.S., people have the freedom of speech, peaceably assembly and petition, as it is explained in First Amendment. I do not know if this constitutional law is applied to Canada, but in my mind, Canada like America, is a realm of freedom. People have the freedom of speech and have the right to protect their privacy.


University is a place for people to acquire knowledge,to share information and discuss academic questions, so there should be more freedom for students and faculty members to express their idea and to engage in argument with other people. e-mail is an ideal means for them to get this objective, so the right of their using e-mail should not be limited.


e-mail is the most advanced way for students to acquire information from outside world and it is also an ideal means for them to communicate with others. e-mail is something like private letter in envelope; it is privacy belonging to the auther. It should be protected by law. Perhaps some people think the computer is the property of university, so student's e-mail is not private property. That is wrong! The content of e-mail is product of their thinking; it is intellectual product belonging to the student. Should they censor student's e-mail?


Maybe there is one exception. Police can enter a guilty suspect's room without permission to search evidence. ( I am not sure)  Does it apply to a student?
I do not know if a student with problem (plagiarism) can be treated like a guilty suspect. It is too tough.

If university administrators pass the new code of student conduct, maybe it will led to serious consequence. Some students may stop their pursuing academic career and go to find job, and some students may consider to transfer to another university where their privacy will be respected. I hope it will not happen in McGill.


>The policy changes mentioned in the article below are now being voted upon.


>Copyright (c) 1994 by the Daily Publications Society.  All Rights Reserved.
>Reprinted with permission.


>The McGill Daily
>April 13, 1994
>vol.84 no.91 page 6



>McGill: A police state?
>-----------------------

>   ... Jane always tried to be a good citizen.  But
>   everything was ruined that one day when they entered
>   her office, seizing files, searching through her
>   computer account and charged her with being a
>   "threat to the integrity of the community".
>   The subsequent trial was a farce; she was guilty
>   until proven innocent.  Illegally obtained evidence,
>   violations of basic rights to privacy, and no chance
>   of appeal as she was convicted and her life destroyed.

>   Protest was futile.

>   "We can without permission enter any office or home
>   and plow through whatever we please", chuckled
>   the goateed administrator ...


>An Orwellian vision of the future?  Military dictatorship?
>A bad movie plot? or McGill 1994?

>The above scene could well happen at McGill if Irwin Gopnik,
>Dean of Students, has his way.  At last Wednesday's Senate
>meeting, Gopnik proposed revisions to the code of student
>conduct.  Revisions which show some of the most draconian
>attitudes of the McGill administration.

>The code of student conduct governs what is and what is not
>good behaviour for students, and outlines the procedures
>for hearings when a student is charged with an offence.

>Some of the proposed revisions to the code include:

>* Eliminating the confidentiality of communications
>  made through the university's computer system,
>  including electronic mail.

>* Allowing administrators to use illegally obtained evidence
>  during hearings.

>* In cases of plagiarism the student would be presumed
>  guilty notwithstanding Article 22 of the Charter of
>  Student Rights which states that a student is innocent
>  until proven guilty.

>* A student could be suspended for up to 30 days on the whim
>  of the Dean of Students (an increase of 15 days) before
>  the student could appeal the decision.

>* A student cannot have a lawyer present during the hearings.

>These changes are in violation of our legally established
>right to privacy, as well as contradicting the Charter of
>Students' Rights.

>Section 1 of the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms section
>of the Charter states that "Every student enjoys within
>the University all rights and freedoms recognized by law."

>Rights and freedoms recognized by law include the Quebec
>charter of human rights, which states that everyone has
>a right to privacy (violated by McGill's insistance on
>the right to search private computer accounts), and that
>illegally obtained evidence is not admissible.

>The proposed code is coming up for debate at Senate in the
>fall.  The university community must choose whether we will
>be governed through a climate of fear, or strive to live in
>a community which respects basic human rights.


>Jason Prince
>Dave Ley
>Max Francisco
>Kristin Andrews
>Liz Unna
>Melanie Newton
>Thomas White.
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