Students who are accustomed to using Skype, the Internet-based program that allows people to video chat with one another anywhere in the world, cannot do so on campus. The service is blocked.
For Huda Khan, sophomore biology major, the ban prevents her from keeping in contact with her family in a way that a regular phone call or instant message does not provide.
“I use it at home, but when I tried to download it here to talk with my mom, it didn’t work,” said Khan. “I could have called her but she wanted to show me something, so Skype would have been better.”
Skype is not only used to connect with family and friends, but the program is also used in many universities to facilitate students’ learning of other languages and cultures.
Lisa Vignola, senior business administration and marketing major and resident student, said students could benefit from this aspect of service at NSU.
“In regards to school, it can enhance students’ educational experience because they could communicate or converse with their professors and even do group projects using their webcams through Skype,” she said. “And for students who come from out of state or several hours away it is a good way to keep in contact with loved ones.”
Greg Horne, interim vice president of Information Technologies, was the designated point of contact for the university on this issue. However, he was unable to provide a statement last week on the reason the service being blocked on campus.
