Newsgroups: uw.campus-news
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watserv1.waterloo.edu!gazette
From: gazette@watserv1.waterloo.edu ( Chris Redmond - Internal Communications Office )
Subject: Advisory committee on network news
Message-ID: <1990Nov21.202706.792@watserv1.waterloo.edu>
Sender: gazette@watserv1.waterloo.edu ( Chris Redmond - Internal Communications Office )
Organization: University of Waterloo
Distribution: uw
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 90 20:27:06 GMT
Approved: gazette@watserv1
Lines: 72

Following is the entire statement distributed by the provost
to Monday evening's meeting of the UW senate.  This statement
includes all the information about the new "advisory
committee on network news" that has so far been made public.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE
TO THE ASSOCIATE PROVOST, COMPUTING & INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ON NETWORK NEWS

BACKGROUND
UW participates in a world-wide USENET which provides an electronic
news service among computer users.  Articles transmitted across
this news network are organized in "newsgroups".
Some newsgroups are clearly of value to the instructional, research,
or administrative needs of the University,
and some are desirable in terms of promoting the quality of life
on campus.  Other newsgroups can contain materials or articles
which may be objectionable to some members of the University community --
a concern vis-a-vis Policy 33 on Ethical Behaviour, which states
(Ref: II.B.1 and 2)
that "Discrimination includes any act of communication whether oral,
written, electronic
or non-verbal, and which lacks any redeeming artistic, intellectual
or literary merit and which promotes disrespect or intolerance for any
person(s)...".

The University's
computing and communication resources are required to support
the distribution, storage, and reading of news articles.  Similar
resources are required for UW users to prepare and submit news
articles.  In the interest of responsible use of University resources,
the Committee will review the various newsgroups and their contents and
make recommendations to the Associate Provost, Computing & Information
Systems, with respect to the continuation of University support.
Specific terms of reference and membership follow.

MEMBERSHIP
3 faculty members (one of whom will Chair)
1 staff member  (faculty and staff appointed by the Provost
   on the recommendation of Executive Council)
1 member of the University Computing Committee (chosen by
   and from among UCC members)
2 students (one graduate, one undergraduate) (selected by the Provost
   from nominees put forward by GSA and Federation of Students)
1 or more resource persons as technical advisor(s) to the Committee

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Initial Activity:
* Present a clear statement of principles vis-a-vis
responsible use of University resources to support newsgroups.
* Review the contents of each newsgroup and make recommendations
on whether it is
appropriate for University resources to be used to distribute, store,
read, prepare, and submit articles belonging to that newsgroup.

The outcome of this activity will be the identification of
a set of newsgroups which UW should support.

On-Going Responsibilities:
* Monitor the creation of new newsgroups, and make recommendations
on whether it is appropriate for University resources to be
devoted to their support.
* Investigate complaints
which arise from members of the University community
about contents of supported newsgroups, and make recommendations
with respect to the continuation of University support.

The Committee will recommend to
the Associate Provost, Computing & Information Systems, who will
be responsible for implementing recommendations or for
indicating why he/she is unable to do so.

