Outkast, 50 Cent or Jimmy Buffett's greatest hits soon could be available for Ohio University students with just a click of a button -legally.
A proposed agreement between Ohio University and Napster could let students download their favorite songs for an optional, relatively small monthly fee. But as the saying goes -you can't take it with you.
The deal, which would give students the option to download an unlimited number of songs from Napster's catalog for $3 a month, would also charge students $0.99 per track or $9.95 per album to burn music to a CD or MP3 player. Files would become unusable after making four copies, and students using university computers would not be able to keep their songs without paying the additional fees. In essence, students are renting songs for $3 a month because they are only usable while on campus, making the service little more than a pay-for-play lending library.
The proposal would not be a positive step for OU to curb illegal file sharing. Similar downloading options already are available through programs like iTunes -ones that do not prohibit downloading to MP3 players or burning to CDs. And iTunes is available in both a Mac and PC version, while the Napster deal would exclude Mac users.
In addition, pitching the program as unlimited downloads is deceiving. OU students would have access to only Napster's limited catalog. While seemingly extensive, the 700,000 selections Napster offers, according to its Web site http://www.napster.com, is quite small compared to the true unlimited downloads students could turn to with programs like KaZaa.
The university should avoid making this deal with Napster and continue to search for a better, more complete package. Students would probably be willing to pay a little more, maybe $6 a month, for unlimited downloads and the ability to burn songs or download them to MP3 players. It is in students' best interest for OU to make a deal to allow them to download music legally. However, to help protect students and offer them the best possible package, the university should ensure the program protects all facets of music downloading.
Ohio, Indiana may swap students
The Buckeye state should prepare for an influx of Hoosiers. Students in Ohio and Indiana soon might be able to pay reciprocal in-state tuition to go to certain state schools. An agreement being worked out between the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the Ohio Board of Regents would permit students in east central Indiana and west central Ohio to receive tuition breaks beginning June 1.
For universities and colleges willing to participate in this program, it provides students an opportunity to attend schools that might be geographically closer without having to move across state lines to keep their tuition dollars down. Other states participate in similar programs nationwide, and Ohio should take advantage of any chance to recruit qualified students.
The current structure of the deal allows Ohio students in six counties to attend Ball State University, Indiana University East, Ivy Tech State College in Muncie and Richmond, Purdue Statewide Technology in Muncie and Richmond and Vincennes University as a Community College of Indiana partner with Ivy Tech in Muncie.
It is a reciprocal program for students in 12 Indiana counties to attend Clark State Community College, Edison Community College, the Hamilton and Middletown campuses of Miami University, Rhodes State College, Sinclair Community College and Wright State University's Main and Lake campuses.
While these schools might not carry the prestige of a Harvard or even an Ohio University, the program provides students with chances to attend schools that might specialize in a certain area, such as Hocking College's culinary school.
Because it is a two-way program, Ohio and Indiana will not have to worry about students flooding out of state. Though some critics might be concerned about Ohio taxpayer money going to out-of-state students, the same amount of Indiana taxpayer money will be coming to Ohio students. Also of note, Ohio and Indiana's average in-state tuition paid for by full-time students is comparable, so monetary concerns should be minimal. But the monetary benefits for students will be major. With rising tuition fees and costs, any opportunity to help students handle the costs and provide more educational options is a win-win situation for states and students.
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