American University MacGate: An Update
It appears that the situation we reported on earlier, concerning the plight of Mac users at American University's Washington College of Law, has been resolved. Several of you forwarded us an email from the WCL administration outlining the steps they're taking to address the situation, including "providing $12,000 towards the cost of laptop rental for all upper-level users of MACs that are incompatible with the exam software."
Some reactions from students:
"At times it has felt like a modern PCU, sans George Clinton of course: 'These, Tom, are the Causeheads. They find a world-threatening issue and stick with it for about a week.'""Although I am not a Mac user, and am fairly tired of hearing Mac users whining at school, it's good to see my school do the right thing."
"We just received this email from the Dean. Looks like your post helped us out. Thanks!"
You're welcome. We aim to please here at ATL.
Read the full email, after the jump.
Earlier: American University MacGate
MacGate Update: An Explanation from the University of Kentucky
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY -- WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW -- EMAIL FROM DEAN CLAUDIO GROSSMAN AND ASSOCIATE DEAN DAVID JAFFE
From: Claudio Grossman
Date: Nov 16, 2007 5:23 PM
Subject: Examsoft and Final Exams
Dear All,
I have asked Dean Jaffe to join me in this e-mail because he is a powerful
advocate for the student body and is an administrator and
colleague who we are blessed to have in a law school like ours, committed
to providing a superb legal education in a diverse environment
while contributing through the legal system to important values of human
dignity.
Both of us have witnessed an intense discussion involving the use of exam
software. [Ed. note: Where did said "intense discussion" take place?
Maybe here?] Because we want our students to concentrate exclusively
on finals, the law school administration has determined to provide $12,000
towards the cost of laptop rental for all upper-level users of
MACs that are incompatible with the exam software. In addition, we are
going to administer this program through our Office of Technology,
thereby allowing the student community and the SBA to concentrate on exams
and on other matters. Furthermore, the administration is hereby
announcing that a special ad hoc working group will be created in January,
with participation by all interested parties of our community,
to advise the law school administration as to what exam software, if any,
would satisfy the legitimate concerns of all members of our community.
We trust that in opening this financial space, the SBA will use good
judgment in supporting public interest, journals, conferences on
diversity, career and other opportunities that show the commitment of the
SBA to values that have and that continue to make WCL proud.
During the last weeks, and perhaps not surprisingly, we have witnessed a
vigorous debate. We want to thank all of those who presented arguments,
attempting to bring the best for all members of our community. As we are
united by the common goal to strengthen even further our community, we all
need to remain vigilant for the need to work together and strengthen our
common purposes.
We wish a happy Thanksgiving to all of you as well as success in your finals.
Sincerely,
Claudio Grossman
Dean, WCL
David Jaffe
Associate Dean, Student Affairs
(63) Comments
Just the two of us...........we can make it if we try, just the two of us..........you and FIRST.
Mac is not an acronym, so don't capitalize each letter! ("MAC" <-- No!)
Does the FED lower interest rates? No, the Fed does.
"intense discussion" is admin-speak for clusterf**k
If you pampered law students would just write your exams on the back of a shovel with a lump of charcoal like I did, you wouldn't have all these problems.
FIFTH
Lat, shaming the powers that be into the right thing.
Ty, friend.
If you buy a Mac, it is because you like the benefits more than the downsides. Key downside--most of the world uses a PC and not a Mac, so some programs are incompatible. You knew this when you bought a Mac, so stop complaining.
Dean Jaffe is NOT a powerful advocate for the student body. He remains a douchebag. Dean Grossman is just bailing him out.
1. Mac is not an acronym, thus it is not fully-capitalized. You'd think someone as intelligent as a law college dean would know this.
2. It is true that those of us who use Macs do so with the knowledge they are not compatible with Windows software. However, it is fairly ludicrous to expect to have to use a Windows computer to accomplish my finals; law degrees have been issued for centuries without computers, and I fail to see why they are necessary now.
WCL is still TTT.
you know what we need? another AU comment pissing match.
thanks 11:11!
I love watching a school self-destruct with attempts to tear down its administration on anonymous message boards, only to have successful alumni (also anonymous) come to the school's rescue on those same boards. AU is officially a TTT. ty for the confirmation.
*awaits litany of "I turned down GULC for WCL" replies*
It's great to see that WCL used the technology fees for 60 students for a year to pay for laptop rentals for a few d-bags who based their computer choice on whether the manufacturer offered grape flavor.
GET THE PICTURE: MACS ARE FOR HIPPIES, ARTISTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING WAY TOO HARD TO BE A PAIN IN THE ASS.
Yeah, Macs are for hippies, and artists, and gay people. Didn't you hear?
Seriously, if the schools told students that they could use a Mac when they came in and then they changed their policy/software and wouldn't allow them to use one, that seems problematic. Doesn't it?
The data trail/files left behind on the loaned PC's hard drives when they are turned is what's problematic.
@Mac-head
If that were the case, it would be problematic. But it's not the case here. Students were told that the recommended configuration was a PC, but that Mac users would have the same access. And they do. They just have to use Boot Camp and run Windows...like the other 99.9% of the professional legal world.
F*cking Mac fanboys. I hope using a borrowed PC causes you no additional exam anxiety.
True patriots use a TI-86. Word.
Seriously, if the schools told students that they could use a Mac when they came in and then they changed their policy/software and wouldn't allow them to use one, that seems problematic. Doesn't it?
==========================
No. Policies change. That is life. Get used to it.
You can't triple stamp and double stamp.
GULC goons, get off this thread and back to ripping pages out of library books. You are all a bunch of ham and eggers.
11:21 to insurance defense!
WTF gives them the right to use OUR tuition money to subsidize the costs of using Macs. Screw them. They are thieves.
Macs are for hipsters, not law school students. maybe 1Ls with Macs should check out an art institute or Miami law.
WHO GIVES A SHIT?
Bait and switch! Bait and switch!
Twenty-fifth!
"I love watching a school self-destruct with attempts to tear down its administration on anonymous message boards, only to have successful alumni (also anonymous) come to the school's rescue on those same boards."
Then you are lame.
you've been outLASTED!!!
>"I love watching a school self-destruct with attempts
>to tear down its administration on anonymous
>message boards, only to have successful alumni (also
>anonymous) come to the school's rescue on those
>same boards."
>
>Then you are lame.
Seriously. You should maybe consider getting a hobby or a girl/boyfriend.
This blog is truly in decline. Not a single post on the Harvard - Yale Game that took place today, and tons of posts on stupid shit.
People have been declaring the decline of this blog since it's second day of existence.. it's getting old already.
Who gives a shit about the Harvard-Yale game?
I think someone farted at HYS, isn't that going to be reported?!?!?!?!?!?!
This Mac situation is actually news.
Life in the Above the Law Era:
1. Spoiled, whiny, grandly deluded students have some sort of grievance (computer compatability, career services staffing, professor behavior, mice/rats in the building, etc.).
2. Such students feel that their grievance is not being taken seriously by the school administration (which may or may not be case, and usually isn't).
3. At least one of such students brings the story to the attention of ATL.
4. The school is cast in a most unfavorable light for a few days on ATL, because unless a school (or firm) gets on ATL for some super excellent, highly admirable reason, it is bad press and tarnishes the school's image, at least for a while.
5. The school and its students are savaged in the comments, for showing poor judgment, for being crybabies or, if enough AutoAdmit kids show up, for being TTT.
6. The school administration (having never heard of ATL up until this point) takes action that satisfies the disgruntled students, and a follow-up is posted on ATL.
I love it when people complain about people who complain. Then, I like to complain about the people who complain about the people who complain.
It's the circle of life or something.
To 2:27,
Ivy league football = oxymoron.
Yesterday, real sports fans were watching the annual 12:10 kickoff of the greatest rivalry in sports.
I heard that Loyola2L turned down American WCL for Loyola!
What prick mentioned Harvard and Yale?
Every time you do that half of GULC goes on suicide watch.
12:29 - Nope. L2L works in the WCL cafeteria, making sandwiches.
Now get back to bates-stamping, you worthless f-ing dbag.
11:21: Not really familiar with much college football history, are you?
More proof that the Libs have won. Whining crybabies now rule the world.
"Whining crybabies now rule the world."
I believe that the whiny "ew, gay marriage, gross!" line is conservative.
i can't believe the WCL network functioned long enough for Dean Jaffe to comment on the previous thread and Dean Grossman to send out this email...
Hmm...curious that 5:12 says that. as I always assumed most Mac users were gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Capping off this week of stupidity, we all got this email yesterday:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Jaffe
Date: Nov 17, 2007 2:15 PM
Subject: Wireless has been restored
To: WCLSTU@roster.wcl.american.edu
We learned this morning that the wireless network went down at about 11:30am due to a hardware failure. The network has since been restored.
If problems persist or recur, please email wireless@wcl.american.edu
======================
Now, if the wireless goes out, how exactly should we access our email to notify them? Idiots.
4:07,
I am well-aware of the long history of "The Game" and the fact that this year both teams were 6-0 going into Saturday and that Harvard kicked Yale butt this year. Yes, we are all aware of the history of these two vaunted institutions.
That said, real football left the Ivys long ago. Those of us who are college football fans in the modern area think Ivy football is a joke. I was busy watching real football.
That's right, the Michigan-Ohio State game was on at that time. http://www.hbo.com/events/rivalry/
It is truly embarrassing for ATL that the WSJ Law Blog got to cover the Game first with their interview of former Cravath presiding partner and Harvard football player Samuel Butler. But all is not lost for ATL, as yesterday's carnage on the field gives Lat a unique opportunity to interview a Cravath or Wachtell partner from Harvard College/YLS (or Yale College/HLS, either way) to discuss the partnership's reaction to the Game.
(Of course, chances are that Lat will opt for the easy way instead and just post yet another bonus memo from a firm where no one from an elite school would consider working, which bonus memo will be for all practical purposes identical to the other 20 bonus memos posted thus far).
What Yale needs is to hire a star coach like Dick Jauron (Yale grad) and we would have crushed the Cantabs yesterday. With a $20 billion endowment I would think that we would have the money for this. More alumni care about football than a lot of the stupid shit that the school spends money on.
8:58 if the wireless goes down you do the unthinkable... use one of the computer provided by the school linked directly to the system. There are plenty of them if you haven't noticed.
Next time I'll bring you some cheese to go with your wine.
Don't lose focus people. What's happening with DC bonuses????!!!!!
10:26: Shut up loser. No one cares if your sorry self gets an extra $10K this year or not, some of us have higher priorities.
Where is LEWW???
10:43, tell me you are kidding me.
And, forget DC bonuses. Where is LATHAM?
With boot camp (a program that comes with the new Mac OS X 10.5 leopard) you can install Windows on a Mac. Shouldn't that solve the problem??? Why would you need to waste $12,000 for laptop rentals? $12,000 buys almost 100 copies of leopard...
Why is no one talking about the confirmed WGWAG LEWW???
11:21: Are you aware how much those schools, particularly Yale, did for college football as we know it today? I'm not sure that you do.
But I'm pretty sure I know what happened to your application at both of those schools.
1:52 - if mentioning harvard and yale puts half of GULC on suicide watch, what the hell happens to the rest of those outside the T14? Do they just internally combust?
Fifty-seventh!
Princeton has real sports..
If WCL was a football player, it would be Bob Sanders.
The self-promotion in Dean Grossman's e-mail has not been lost on the student body.
In reality, American is a school with third-rate facilities and very limited course selections.
It primarily attracts students who naively believe they will get a job in "International Human Rights".
The self-promotion in Dean Grossman's e-mail has not been lost on the student body.
In reality, American is a school with third-rate facilities and very limited course selections.
It primarily attracts students who naively believe they will get a job in "International Human Rights".
3:48 ......how dare you!
4:07,
I believe I gave due deference to The Game's place in football history. But, the game left the Ivys in the dust long ago.
I would never question the excellence of a Harvard or Yale education.