Providing students with a way to legally download music on campus is a topic Information Technology has been considering for some time. This year, the Student Association (SA) has taken a interest in the college having its own Internet music program.
Searching for a school music program
E-Board member Catherine Cook says that they have started discussing the issue, so it can be put into action in coming semesters.
“We are in the preliminary stages of getting a program, but we want to find the best music source for St. Mike’s,” Cook says.
The search is beginning for what program the school will use. “Ruckus” is the program the SA and IT are interested in. Ruckus does not allow students to download music onto their own computer. When students sign up to become members of Ruckus they are able to access music through the Web site for free. However, music is only able to be played through Ruckus and songs are unable to be downloaded into other media programs, like iTunes.
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Music and the Internet have become highly integrated in recent years, prompting the SA to consider a music program for the school. (Photo by Abby Robitaille) |
“[The program is] kind of more like subsidized music,” Cook says.
Kyle Chadburn, senior WWPV worker, says he has a personal Ruckus account and one through the radio station. He says he uses it quite frequently and gets new songs; however, he is unable to burn those songs on a CD or import them to his music playlist.
“It’s protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management),” Chadburn says. “It limits you, and you can only listen to a song through the player you download for free through Ruckus.”
Sophomore Tim Pilczak says he believes using Ruckus would lead him to purchase songs or even CDs from the artists he hears on the Web site.
“It can help an artist out,” Pilczak says. “Then you won’t run into copyright issues.”
Illegal downloading issues
Ruckus may not allow students to import songs to existing music libraries, but could help protect students against lawsuits.
According to SA Vice President Mallory Wood, the music program is a great idea. Everyone she knows downloads illegally, Wood says, and she’s heard of the court battles students from other colleges face.
“How horrible would it be if one of our students got a phone call about getting caught illegally downloading,” she says.
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WWPV uses Ruckus, the program the SA is considering for purchase. (Photo by Ali Destrempe) |
Pilczak’s friend from home was one of many college students who was caught downloading illegally and had to pay a large fine, he says.
“I think he had to pay like $8,000,” he says.
Bill Anderson, chief information officer of IT at St. Michael’s, says it’s a lot easier to take the route to legal downloading. Illegal downloading is a huge liability and St. Michael’s has already seen illegal downloading problems on campus, he says. IT receives notices about students who are downloading illegally and is required to remove the offending user. IT sets up “package shapers” which block students from doing things on the Internet they are not supposed to be doing.
There are going to be those students who maneuver around the St. Michael’s campus system and access those illegal downloading sites, he says. IT and the SA both say the best way to fix this problem is through a campus school downloading program.
Many students are already finding ways to get their music legally. Sophomore Michelle Otey gets most of her music through burning CDs off of friend’s music playlists or by putting them on a flash drive. She has never illegally downloaded songs, she says.
“I don’t want to put a virus on my computer,” she says.
Senior Lila McCormack recently downloaded iTunes and plans on buying music from that company. Prior to having iTunes, McCormack burned CDs from friends.
Pilczak says he purchases music from iTunes, or like Otey, takes songs from his friends' playlists.
“Downloading from [illegal file sharing program] Limewire used to be big, but not anymore,” he says.
After knowing the risks of getting in legal trouble, he’d rather just buy songs, he says.
What to Expect
Ruckus or any music program is for recreational and educational purposes, Wood says. She has a friend whose senior thesis needed to incorporate jazz music. Her friend had to buy CDs which were costly.
“I’ve only thought of it as enjoyment,” Wood says. “I believe it could enhance classes, and possibly our music program.”
Either way, the SA and IT say getting a music downloading program is the safest way to get music on campus. The SA is in the process of obtaining input from students, Cook says.
Ruckus was brought to Anderson’s attention at a conference, but he says he wants students to decide through the SA what program the school should use.
“What students want to do is what IT would do,” Anderson says.