On Kiosk, Alpha, and their future

To the Editor:

(This is an open letter to Kevin Weidenbaum, John Bucher and Clayton Koppes, as well as to the general community of Alpha users.)

Kiosk and Alpha are two of the most convenient ways that we communicate on campus and their existence is threatened by new policies at the Computing Center.

As a Computer Science major, I enjoy the ability to have a fairly powerful command line through which I can access the many features of Alpha. Although many people might find the command line forbidding, a significant number of users on campus undoubtedly would notice such a drastic change in the way on-line services are run. A menu system would be acceptable, but an option must be available to either default to

Alpha upon login or to exit to Alpha from the menu system.

Kiosk is the system that I would most miss, because it allows frank communication between students on a wide variety of subjects and issues. It allows students to:

-promote and advertise student groups' meetings

-find lost belongings and search for belongings

-sell their unwanted possessions and purchase other people's wares

-sell/buy concert tickets (a big one, I've noticed)

-get/receive rides to various places including Hopkins airport

-find music lessons

-find people who have a similar interest in an obscure field

This important utility has no peer on campus. Posters placed in various places still cannot reach the people that these advertisements do, and for many small-scale desires (i.e. selling of tickets) posters would be less appropriate. Kiosk reaches you whether you frequent King, live in Philips, or spend your day in the Con. Students can find opportunities and items for sale that otherwise would never be available to them. In short, Kiosk is a vital part of the way many students run their lives, and its absence would leave a large gap in the collective abilities of the students at Oberlin to have their voices heard.

-Andrew M. Sobel, Double-degree first-year

Influence our politicians

To the Editor:

Recently, North Korea has experienced successive crop failures due to droughts and flooding. This situation has produced the worst famine seen since the Ethiopian famine. Over a million people have already died from malnutrition. In addition, this situation has been exacerbated by economic failure.

Last week a coalition of humanitarian organizations and churches joined their counterparts in South Korea, Canada, and other nations to observe a day of fasting, prayer, and action in Washington, D.C. The day long fast was a symbolic gesture of solidarity with people who are hidden from the sight of all but a few outsiders. Ohio representative Tony Hall is a leader on this issue. Recently, he attempted to bring it to the attention of the House of Representatives by urging them to take part in this vigil.

As students, we have the ability to influence our local and national politicians to take a stand on this issue and provide support where needed. The green ribbon has become a symbol of awareness and commitment to change on this issue. This Saturday, please continue the message of the vigil by stopping by wilder bowl to get a green ribbon and sign a petition regarding U.S. policy towards Korea.

-Rebecca G. Swartz, College junior
-Sari Smolanoff, College first-year
-Jessica Kennedy, College first-year
-Ohio PIRG Hunger and Homelessness Program Group