Ohio University moms and dads will get to see the fruits of their labor this weekend when they descend upon Athens for another action-packed edition of Parents Weekend. However, instead of spending all of the weekend with their sons and daughters frequenting various Uptown establishments, they should take in some of the new additions to OU.
For instance, going to the football game on Saturday afternoon -to see the surprisingly impressive Bobcats, armed with a winning record (3-2) after rolling the Southeastern Conference's University of Kentucky in Lexington -parents might not notice Bicentennial Park. Known around these parts as Punchcard Park
a project with a price tag of about $750,000 that was designed by Athens native and world-renowned architect Maya Lin. The design itself, a series of indentations and rises in the ground, is difficult to discern from ground level, but from the air it is supposed to look like a giant computer punch card from the 1970s.
Next to the park is Walter Hall, a classroom building with a price tag of $14 million. Also, on the way to the stadium and underneath the bridge on Richland Avenue, construction has begun on a new student center at the cost of about $60 million.
Perhaps parents can stop at the Convocation Center and retrace the steps of the most recent graduates of OU, who listened to $30,000 commencement speaker and historian David McCullough -the first paid commencement speaker in university history. Or, if so inclined, they can wander down by the president's house, 29 Park Place, which is the home of new President Roderick McDavis and first lady Deborah McDavis, who will be paid a $25,000 salary for the duties of being first lady -another university first.
To be fair, many of these construction projects were privately funded. For instance, $300,000 of Punchcard Park was funded by an arts grant, and wealthy donors, like Board of Trustees Chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, Inc. Robert Walter, who gave $5 million toward Walter Hall, have assisted in many of the projects. Most of the money for construction comes from state capital improvement funds. But with OU tuition increasing by more than 9 percent every year and money for construction coming from Columbus, you, our beloved parents, are directly and indirectly footing the bill for many of these monetary decisions.
Enjoy your weekend, OU parents. And make sure to soak up all of OU. Hopefully you think you're getting what you're paying for.
Stop spying
Computer users around the campus, rejoice! The House of Representatives is considering a piece of legislation that would attempt to curb the most egregious forms of spyware. The proposed Spy Act if passed, would be put into effect one year after passing and would automatically expire in 2009. Congress deserves a standing ovation for this stance and the effective way it dealt with the situation. It did not rush into action, nor did it shy away from a potentially sticky situation.
Regulation of the Internet is historically a First Amendment issue, but Congress made the correct decision to control spyware because it is a clear violation of privacy. The legislation, if passed, would benefit the entire public and do away with the need for firewalls and programs like Ad-aware or Spy Doctor.
Companies or other groups that install spyware on personal computers without the owners' explicit consent should be liable in criminal and civil court. These invasions of privacy violate the rights of any individual and are preventable.
The proposed legislation limiting spyware is a shining example of government action. Congress carefully analyzed the need for this law and needs to put it into effect. Often the legislative branch of government is criticized for not representing the people or their interests.
It is refreshing to see Congress actually make an intelligent, informed decision. The country would be a better place if Congress would use this bill as a model for future legislation and pursue every controversy with the same logical action -but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to hold one's breath. Five years from now this issue might be revisited, and future congressmen should not forget the stance that their predecessors have taken to ensure a citizen's right to privacy.
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