Legit question and not laced with sarcasm as is usually the case on here:

What security concerns? I ask I've just made a switch recently and now I'm curious.

Originally Posted by McMaxwell

Legit question and not laced with sarcasm as is usually the case on here:

What security concerns? I ask I've just made a switch recently and now I'm curious.

A lot of people feel that their data isn't safe since google is required to follow the patriot act. The act is scheduled to expire in the upcoming months so this should not be a concern for much longer. Google is very secure and even the white house uses it! Many other schools too!

Originally Posted by Goce

The use of Google is what loses me on this one. Too many privacy concerns with them. An alternative or an improvement is needed, but G-mail isn't it.

Very legitimate concern! Clearly the current servers are not working, and it will be hard to find space for new servers. Google offers a great product for a great price... free! There have been people raising concerns about the Patriot act which will not have any power shortly since Obama will most likely not renew it.

Please come to one of my nightly sessions from Mon-Thurs 6-7 or 7-8 and maybe we can brainstorm some ideas of what else we could do. Google is a strong option in my mind, but I am willing to look at all options to ensure students get the best service they can. I hope you aren't thrown off by the Google aspect and see the actual issue here. MUSS does not work for students. We need something different! The Suggestion of Google just shows that I am not here to give you empty promises, but I have researched possible solutions. This is a main priority for me.

Thank you for your comments!

Originally Posted by Ian Finlay

A lot of people feel that their data isn't safe since google is required to follow the patriot act. The act is scheduled to expire in the upcoming months so this should not be a concern for much longer. Google is very secure and even the white house uses it! Many other schools too!

While that is also true it's not what I meant. Not being American the Patriot Act holds no meaning with me.

What I was referring to was the fact that users cannot opt out of having incoming emails scanned for keywords that Google then uses for content-targeted advertising (AdSense). In addition, Gmail messages are allowed to remain on its system for an indefinite period -- even after an account has been deleted, which contrasts with some other providers of free electronic mail service.

I'm really strapped for time as it is, but I will try and make it out to the nightly session on my day off to check out what you have to say. Right now, it really seems to me like it's a two pony race with Aaron Wade and yourself. The others are dropping the ball with some of their gimmicks, supposed violation of election by-laws, and non-existent (unrealistic) platforms.

Just a heads up, there is no advertising for students, faculty or staff. This isn't just a switch to regular gmail, its a special version of Google Apps for schools.

More info here: http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/index.html

And, from the top ten reasons why you should switch:

1. Students will love you for it

Schools tells us that when they ask their students what email they'd prefer, they overwhelmingly say Gmail.

"Our students approached us about a year ago, saying that we needed to improve our email and collaboration services. We actually had our student government tell us, 'we want you to implement Google Apps.'" - Wendy Woodward, Director of Technology Support Services, Northwestern University

I just put the Commerce Society on Google Apps and it provides an extremely dynamic and transferrable platform. I actually applied for the "Educational Version" but the sales rep informed me that can only go to institutions. And here we are.

Originally Posted by McMaxwell

I just put the Commerce Society on Google Apps and it provides an extremely dynamic and transferrable platform. I actually applied for the "Educational Version" but the sales rep informed me that can only go to institutions. And here we are.

Yeah this is wicked! You get to keep your domain name, and they can set up all the logins to work with out macid logins. Its a quick 3 week turnover! Alumni can keep their addresses for free! Google Apps is a great option!

Originally Posted by Gilmour

My favourite point of this campaign is the whole required courses being offered in the summer. I took a third year required course a few years ago in the summer and had so much more time with my professor, smaller class, and got a much higher mark than all my friends who took it during the regular school year. After I took that course it was never offered in the summer again. I think more students could benefit from this like I did!

Oh rlly? Nice to see you on here again...

I like some of your platform, especially your original initiative about press conferences, Strategic plan that ensures different parties in the organization aren't doing random shit and how you invite every MSU member to be part of your campaign team and contribute.....

Secondly while I don't have the Geek background to get your cloud computing whatever plan I don't think yours is not strong or good as Casey Park's Waitlist idea that is all over the posters on campus!

Life for all students would be so much easier with waitlists; and the way he put it, it sounds like a easy enough thing to do!

Originally Posted by Ocho Cincho

I like some of your platform, especially your original initiative about press conferences, Strategic plan that ensures different parties in the organization aren't doing random shit and how you invite every MSU member to be part of your campaign team and contribute.....

Secondly while I don't have the Geek background to get your cloud computing whatever plan I don't think yours is not strong or good as Casey Park's Waitlist idea that is all over the posters on campus!

Life for all students would be so much easier with waitlists; and the way he put it, it sounds like a easy enough thing to do!

Hey Ocho Cincho,


Just a bit of information I think I should clear up.


The Research into solutions for the Registration systems at McMaster is one of my personal projects within the SRA this year. The current MSU policy is redundant and heavily outdated hence I have been researching the issues with it and the various possibilities to improve registration systems since Summer/Fall 09. I have spent extensive hours looking over systems used by various universities and reading up on articles online, it hasn't been that easy though, because registration systems are usually IP 's under the auspicions of tight lipped registrars offices all over North America. Nevertheless I als o have the unique experience of having talked in much detail with Richard Levin(The head of Registrars office) and briefly with the McMaster CIO as well about my various suggestions and issues with SOLAR; these two people being the most authoritative sources on campus about this issue .

Registration systems are an increasingly frustrating issue for McMaster students, from massive threads on MacInsiders to large facebook groups criticizing it to the bottom rank McMaster received in the 2009 Globe & Mail survey for "ease of registration" it is quite clear that this is a huge issue for us. Hence I can imagine candidates trying to capitalize on this issue to gain votes.

However it has seriously concerned me how some candidates are using this issue and providing inaccurate solutions for it. Since you mentioned Mr Casey Park and because his poster prominently have this as one of the 8 platform points everywhere I look I will address this issue. I have done my best to keep the communication between myself and the MSU population as detailed as possible and have mentioned my research into registration system policy on my platform, My SRA report and have also kept the BOD in touch with what I am upto.

But what Distinguishes Mr Park from other candidates is that he is the house leader of the SRA. Hence according to bylaws he is an overseer of all standing committees(Including the one I am currently doing this project for) and is promptly paid 8 hours a week for the job. I am also of the understanding that he is supposed to either attend all committee meetings or regularly keep in touch with the commissioners what they are doing, it is not that hard because I myself as a general SRA member am aware of what all committees(Except maybe Services) are doing and the nature of their projects by either visiting their meetings or talking to members within them. This project was also part of my yearplan that I submitted to Mr Park in early January. I also presented it to my Operations committee members(In a meeting that the commissioner invited all SRA members to via email) hence in other words all of this was very much public knowledge and I'm assuming I am approachable for any questions to any MSU/SRA member wishing to know more about it. Hence I am very disappointed that this made it on as a main platform point


On the topic, implementing WaitLists is completely out of option according to Mr Levin. SOLAR is built on top of a creaking and old Technology infrastructure that is inadequate to support anything more then 14-15,000 students. It also has outdated technology that has compatibility issues with any potential upgrades. However we cannot directly touch SOLAR without having to tinker and manipulate other aspects of the system and most importantly registrars records. It sounds like a simple solution(waitlisting) but in actuality the labour and integration costs would easily send it above a million dollars in costs. Even then there is no guarantee that we can successfully integrate it with the current system.

The only option according to the suggestion of Mr Levin is for McMaster to get an overall investment into the information systems at McMaster. That according to market estimates(based on similar upgrades at other Canadian universities) would cost in the region of $20-25 Million dollars. It is money McMaster currently doesn't have and the operations committee is developing a lobbying policy for this matter.

Mr Kieran Alkerton is completely aware of this issue because he went over the registration systems research with me in detail, hence he has refrained from commenting on that and making such claims.

Cloud computing on the other hand is an entirely different matter, I was already considering it back in the summer and had even narrowed it down to Fujitsu Interstage technology. The only potential issue is privacy concerns that are commonly speculated with any new technology, but it is easily something that can be lobbied for and given the negative sentiment at Mac on SOLAR I'm assuming would be a more plausible short term solution; The registrars office is adamant that there is NO way the BOG will spend that much money on short term improvements to SOLAR(eg: Waitlists) when they are looking to spend a larger amount of money in the next 4-5 years pending investment/reallocation.

Having said that Mr Alkerton is also fully in support of the policy to lobby the admin to find funding for IS overhaul but didn't want to include it as a platform point because it is officially a MSU committee project pending more research and approval.

p.s: At this point I would encourage all Presidential candidates to contact me regarding this issue for any information before going up at a presidential debate and making inaccurate claims about SOLAR; I would be happy to answer your questions in person during my SRA office hours.

Holy hell, ever heard of providing a tldr?

XD

Haha Thanks Huzaifa! Huzaifa loves to be very thorough with his work and I commend him for this. Basicly the idea he is saying is that UTS says they cannot implement this sort of policy. It is just not possible at all. A SRA committee has already made this knowledge public to the SRA, which Casey oversees these committees. When looking into this ourselves, Huzaifa raised this issue so we decided to rework it and find other ways of making course registration better and easier.

Huzaifa types too much! lol

Just a question regarding your platform point about MUGSI/SOLAR. SOLAR has been a big concern for McMaster students and I also feel like it's an issue. Many students have recently approached the university's administration with their concerns about the system. I am glad that you have come up with a possible solution for the problem. I am just wondering if you have consulted someone knowledgeable about this first. Thanks!

You mean someone more knowledgeable than Huzaifa? On this topic, I don't think anyone meets that