YU Announces Innovative Student Web Page Plan

MIS to Provide Home Pages on Geocities

In a bold move intended to move Yeshiva University into the twenty-first century, MIS announced that all students will be able to create their own web pages on the internet. "The internet is fast becoming an integral part of our society, and we wanted the YU student body to be part of it," said Arthur Myers, Director of MIS.

Starting next semester, MIS will be arranging for students currently enrolled in YC, Stern, and SSSB to set up a web page on Geocities ( http://www.geocities.com ). Geocities is a company which provides free web pages to anyone on the internet who wants one. The company makes money by placing ads on users’ web pages, as well as by selling premium services. "We were very lucky to be able to arrange this unique cooperation with Geocities," said David Rosen, head of YUPR.

For years, the YU administration, along with the MIS department and YUPR, had expressed great reluctance at allowing students to post their own material on the web. As Rosen explained, "We can’t have students putting up anything they want. Just look at the crap the Commentator puts out. Everything on our web site must follow our strict standards of accuracy and timeliness, such as the YU Today of April 1996. Due to these concerns, YU students, as well as student activities and publications, have been noticeably missing from the university’s web site. Some student clubs have already taken the initiative and set up web sites, often availing themselves of Geocities’ free services. But those students stress that this was never officially sanctioned by the school. Ephraim Shapiro, whose College Democrats homepage resides on Geocities, said, "Our site has been up for years, but no one in YU ever wanted to acknowledge that fact, and much to our surprise, we have attracted very few visitors." The site can be seen at http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Quad/Cornucopia/ValueJet/43563245/index.html.

Shapiro was thrilled that the school had stepped forward to support student sites such as his. As he put it, "Although the site will still be in CyberYenemsvelt, it warms my heart to know that the school wants it there."

But not all students were as ecstatic. One member of the YU Computer Society said, "Since anyone can get a free web page on Geocities, YUCS does not see the new web plan as fully supporting student sites. Ideally, the student pages and activities should have a home on YU’s web server." When asked to comment, YC Dean Norman Adler replied, "That’s exactly the kind of right-wing fanatic who will put up pictures of men engaging in homoerotic acts as soon as we give him the chance. Someone like him could destroy the Yeshiva."

Geocities web page creation kits will be available from MIS on the morning of th first Monday of the semester, from 9:45 until a quarter to 10.