2C - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - September 8, 1998


E-mail becomes a crucial *
element of student life at 'U'

By Adam Zuwerink
Daily Staff Reporter
From keeping in touch with friends
around the world to a cheap, quick way
of asking your parents for money to
checking on the latest announcements
from professors, e-mail has become a
major form of communication for
University students.
"I check my e-mail at least once or
twice a day," said LSA sophomore
Romica Singh.
Although most University students
quickly become proficient in the use of
e-mail and the Internet, many come to
the University having never used e-mail
and must find ways to pick up the nec-
essary skills.
"It's really helpful to dive in and fig-
ure everything out," said Engineering
senior Michael Miller. "I went to an
informational session right away that
was very helpful."
In addition to informational sessions

held at the 15 computing sites around
campus, many students pick up basic
skills from e-mail sessions held during
orientation and from friends and room-
mates who have used the Internet
before.
After picking up the basics of e-mail
and the World Wide Web, many stu-
dents find the Internet an invaluable
resource, especially for keeping in
touch with professors.
According to Singh, e-mail is an
effective way for professors to relay
information to students because stu-
dents check their e-mail at least once a
day.
Beyond e-mailing announcements,
many professors are developing sophis-
ticated web pages for their classes.
"In my True Crime class, we interact-
ed with the professor and each other
online by writing and reviewing papers
over the Net," Miller said.
E-mail is the most popular use of the

Internet for University students, but as
the world moves deeper into the infr-
mation age, other types of internet
computer skills have become a valuable
asset that many employers seek.
One of these assets for University
students is learning to not only surf the
World Wide Web, but to understand
how it works by creating a personal web
page using a programming language
called HyperText Markup Language
(HTML).
"HTML is useful for the future and
students should learn to make their own
home page or go to a camp worksh*
Singh said.
Additionally, many students find it
helpful to become familiar with com-
puting software such as Microsoft Word
and Excel or Lotus Notes.
"I wish I would have learned to use
Excel or Lotus earlier" said LSA senior
Tom Jolliffe. I know of at least one job
I missed, and it's really easy to learn."

FILE PHOTO
Many University students use e-mail as a way to stay in contact with friends and family. Many professors and graduate student
instructors also use e-mail as a way to communicate with students.
A message to students:
Pete Seeger said, "Education is when you read the fine
print; experience is what you get when you don't," The
W fine print of the Code of Student Conduct identifies,
non-academic behaviors that contradict the essential
values of the University community and describes the
procedures used to respond to such behavior...
"The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is dedicated to maintaining a
scholarly community. As its central purpose, this community promotes
intellectual Inquiry through vigorous discourse. Essential values which
undergird this purpose include civility, dignity, diversity, education,
equality, freedom, honesty, and safety.
"When students choose to accept admission to the University, they
accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in the University's
academic and social community. As members of the University
community, students are expected to uphold its values by maintaining
a high standard of conduct" (excerpt from the Code of Student
Conduct Introduction).
The Code is available in University Policies Affecting Students and
Rounding Out A2 (distributed during Orientation), on the web, and at
Campus Information Centers. If you have questions about the Code or
the resolution process, please contact OSCR, the Office of Student
Conflict Resolution.

Multi-purpose M-Card may see'
changes in financial institutions

By Jennifer Yachnin
Daily NSE Editor
It doesn't slice, it doesn't dice but it can be used to make
calls, get cash and gain access to University dining halls.
The M-Card - the official identification for University
students, faculty and staff.- was originally created to reduce
the number of access and identification cards students need-
ed to carry with them, said David Doyle, marketing and sales
coordinator for M-Card.
"You could have up to five or seven library cards," Doyle
said. "It just made complete sense to go to a single card so
students wouldn't. have to carry so many cards."
While the M-Card is used as a library card, meal card for
dining halls and access key for many residence halls, it also
works as a phone card, CashChip card for a variety of local
merchants and can be used as an ATM/debit card when con-
nected to a First of America bank account.
"It is a multi-functional card and the nice thing about that
is that most of the features are optional" Doyle said.
This November, First of America will become National
City Corporation and the bank is required to give account
holders a 30-day notification of the transition.
"The notification of that will affect the people that have a
First of America account" and not all M-Card holders, Doyle
said. "I don't think they're going to do a University-wide
notification. "
Doyle said the University is still distributing the most
recent batch of M-Cards, which feature hologram logos
across the front of the card.
"They won't change what is printed on the card until it
takes affect, Doyle said. "After the first (of November) we'll

have to change all the cards" by adding the new bank name
and ATM logos on back.
There are no plans to redistribute cards to anyone Doyle
said, regardless of whether or not they have a First of America
account.
"There are 77,000 cards out now.- Doyle said. "'That w d
be extremely expensive to re-card everyone."
University officials have been considering changing other
details of the card, including the holograms which make
counterfeiting more difficult.
"We're thinking about maybe changing the hologram,"
Doyle said. "We're looking at different things, maybe the pos-
sibility of over-lays that would make the card more durable."
Doyle said counterfeiting of the cards has not been a prob-
lem at the University.
"It's always a possibility, but we've never seen much o '
said Department of Public Safety spokesperson Beth Hall
uNNERSITY Of MICHIGAt'0
600847 0000 0000 00 ~
Exp. 10-9
THEODORE D CARDMAN
Student

(734) 936-6308 "

http://www.umich.edu/~oscr/ . 6040 Fleming

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