Board of Governance brainstormed and proposed methods to end abuse of the e-mail system Monday night without restricting students' First Amendment rights.

Continued abuse of the Saint Mary's e-mail system dominated the BOG meeting Monday. Elizabeth Cusick, technology commissioner, submitted a recommendation to restructure the network.

The plan is constructed in a way that will promote the reduction of unwanted e-mails. Students will only receive class e-mails from the College president, vice president of Student Affairs, information technology, class boards and the Board.

Cusick clarified that, "if someone believes the whole student body needs to know about an upcoming event [by mass e-mail] ... major boards should have the right to review and send out the e-mail."

"This will also increase communication within student government which will increase co-sponsorship," said student body vice president Kristen Matha.

The Board also addressed the need for students to obtain information from various clubs and academic associations. The idea of creating list serves was presented. These would permit students to subscribe for information from the programs they are interested in and filter the circulation of unwanted e-mails.

"This plan of action will be a more organized outlet for the information to be sent," Cusick said.

Michelle Nagle, student body president, ensured this is not restricting freedom of speech. Every student will have a way to get every single e-mail sent.

The first list serves will be sponsored by the athletics department and art department and will include current events affecting the college and educational resources.

The issue of mass e-mails sent by students was also considered. The focus was on the student body's rights regarding online ticket sales and the posting of lost and found information. A new computer program may be implemented to solve this problem.

"The new [blackboard] program will allow students to `log in' as in course info. And they will be able to post or open information," said Cusick.

Cusick also suggested that, "Until the possible setup of a `Blackboard Program' [hoped to be setup by January], there will be bulletin boards set up in Haggar for items that are personal in nature."

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