job posting and some link spam

[deborah]

If I didn't love my job, I would be applying to be a Library Developer for LibraryThing. You don't need to be in Maine (although ability to get their is a plus). Basically, I have all of their pluses. Alas, I also love my job. One of you should apply, seriously.

free_govt_info wonders if the new Bush administration regulations imply that librarians can legally refuse to give out information on subjects they feel run counter to their own personal set of beliefs.

Boston College is going to stop giving freshmen e-mail accounts. The number of pedagogical and security reasons why I think this is absolutely, utterly insane is overwhelming, but since I have no control over it, I will try not to get incensed. Luckily I think they are too smart for this at Tufts.

Comments

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

I know a lot of my students hate using their university accounts and want to use their personal accounts, but I'm agin it: I think that the legal issue of identity and online courses is important (i.e. the university email account is issued to actual students, and we're told not to accept grade inquiries etc. from other emamil addresses). I also think that the account names on those personal accounts are a big hassle (sure made up names are fun dudes, but do you really want to reveal your sexual fantasies to your English professor). The accountability and privacy issues of the public service accounts are problematic. My university doesn't send out any hard copy info anymore, so email is the official mode of communication, and while students bitched so much that i gather they finally let students forward stuff if they wish, I'm not so sure NOT having any university account is a good thing.

Of course it would help if our univesity email system were better, sigh....

[deborah]

Exactly. Pedagogically, do you really want to be training students to send professional email (and they should make no mistake; e-mailing professors should be professional e-mail) from accounts named John_Stewart_is_my_bitch@Gmail.com? And already students are e-mailing professors without signing their names are identifying themselves. I suppose it just makes life easier for professors now -- if they don't recognize the name of the student they can just delete the e-mail. But how can you distinguish between spam and student e-mails at this point?

And the legal issue is huge. Most communication these days is via e-mail, and you should just never be sending confidential information to off-site addresses. Sure, you accept the reality that most students are probably forwarding, but you should be TEACHING THEM NOT TO.