the • PAGE 8
Virus cripples campus network
from the Internet and then executes it. The virus caused campusAn Internet virus that shut wide Internet and network outdown the San Marcos campus ages Sept. 29, when between 40 computer network Sept. 29 has and 60 computers were infectbeen successfully contained. ''This is the first time we were _ ed, Vargas said. Older computers with outdatcaught by surprise," said Jose ed anti-virus software were Vargas, manager of network infected. and technical services at Although not all computers Information Services. were infected, however, every "By the time we realized user faced outages and slowMonday morning what was downs. going on, it was too far away for Network servers became us to catch it," Vargas said. overloaded and could not hanThe virus, called Welchia, is a dle the influx of activity. worm that rapidly spreads to Kathy Jain, an earth sciences every vulnerable computer on professor, said her department the network upon its activation. was hit hard. "It looks for every computer ''Most of us had our office powered on and sees where it computers offline. Many of us can attach itself," Vargas said. had the virus," Jain said. Welchia strikes when a user Staff members could not on the network unknowingly downloads a malicious program • SEE VIRUS, PAGE 7 By Andrew Phelps
TH£ TELESCOPE
&lADY HELMAN I TilE TELESCOPE
Afacilities cart drives along the main walkway at the San Marcos campus. Use of all electric carts on main walkways is resbicted between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Some disabled students, who rely on the carts for transporation, are missing class.
Cart restrictions unfair, staff say By Noelle Ibrahim
'fifE TELESCOPE
Staff members from Disabled Student Programs and Services are angry about a year-old policy that restricts the use of electric golf carts on main walkways. In spring 2002, Palomar's and Security Safety Committee created a policy restricting the carts from operating on the main sidewalks between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. During this time period, all carts, including those used in transporting disabled students to class, must use roads and secondary sidewalks as an alternate route. The main walkway can be used any time after 1:30 p.m. The Facilities Department set up a telephone hotline for
people to report cart use durShe said many students are ing prohibited hours. late to class because they Once a complaint is must now follow an alternate received, it is forwarded to cart route. the appropriate administrator "What should take five minfor review. utes now takes Although the 15 to 20 minpolicy was cre- '1h111 •s 11 probl1m utes," Tuttle ated in 2002, it with 11/lowing tlltls on th1 said. has not been R o b i n m11in sidlwtllk MIIUII, in Huntt, enforc~d until who now, said Mary th1 p11st, stud1nts h11r1 transports the Tuttle, coordi- bHn llttidlnttllly hit by students to nator of their classes, Mobility th1m." has also taken Services at issue with the - Kelly Hodson-Macisaac policy. She DSPS. CHAIRWOMAN, SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE said "tiny sideTuttle said the rules interwalks" make fere with the the carts diffiefficiency of the Mobility cult to maneuver, and alterServices program, which nate side streets are in need offers transportation assis- of repair. tance to students with disabilities. • SEE CARTS, PAGE 7
Budget report awaits final board approval By Roy McCann
Tlf£ TELESCOPE
The 2003-04 full budget report will be submitted to the Palomar College governing board for approval at its Oct. 12 meeting. While the state faces a huge deficit and its effects are being felt across the spectrum of California's colleges, Jerry Patton, vice president of finance and administrative services, said "this budget is more beneficial to us than we thought."
Originally facing cuts of $4.6 million mid-year, Palomar College cut $3.7 million in expenditures in 2002-03, while revenues dropped by only $1.8 million. After a statewide grassroots advocacy campaign to bring attention to the importance of college education, Gov. Gray Davis signed into law SB18X, which changed revenue deduca SEE BUDGET, PAGE 2
Fee required to use computer lab By Sarah Strause
Tin TELESCOPE
Students wanting to use the computer lab and the soon-to-be-open TV lounge in the new Student Center must first pay a $10 student activity fee. Bruce Bishop, director of student affairs, said the fee was introduced in fall 2001 as a way to generate money for the upkeep and maintenance of both facilities, as well as to fund various student activities. "It was envisioned to generate sufficient revenue to promote student activities,"
Bishop said. "We want to offer field trips to various entertainment sites." As a result of the revenues from the fee, · Bishop said he hopes to offer trips to museums for anthropology students and plays for drama students. He said he hopes to offer the f1,_rst field trips this semester. However, the optional fee has not been as successful as Bishop hoped, he said. Originally, PeopleSoft, the college's student registration software, automatically charged this fee upon registration.
MELISSA COllEY I THE TELESCOPE
• SEE FEE, PAGE 3 Student worker Myrna De La Pena helps students Paul Buscemi and John Levias sign in at the
new computer lab in SU-40. Every student must present a $10 acitivty sticker to get access.
File sh11ring: musit industry stt~pe go11t?
• PAGE 4
Comets t11kes home fifth Men's sotter vittory.
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lnternlltionlll student betomes meditlllteeh.
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