MacRight-On

THE UNIVERSITY HAS TAKEN A STEP toward catching up with the computer age that caught up with its students years ago. Access to wordprocessing technology has become a crucial equity issue for students. By deciding to purchase 30 additional Macintosh computers primarily for wordprocessing, administrators last week acknowledged and partly remedied the fact that not all students can afford to buy a personal computer.

There are already several dozen Macs in the basement of the Science Center, but these computers may only be used for wordprocessing from midnight to noon--and even then students working on computer science projects have priority. And while there are Macs, PCs and wordprocessors at the Office of Information Technology on Cambridge Street, the few units, restricted hours, hefty charges and high use at the OIT leave students needs unaddressed. The new Macs are a first step toward adequate, accessible and affordable wordprocessing facilities on campus.

Beyond its immediate benefits, the decision is an example of how student needs can be communicated to an administration that often seems closed and impersonal. In particular, the Undergraduate Council deserves praise for initiating that communication and seeing it through. Last spring the council sent a report to the Committee on College Life recommending the purchase. Through the committee, the College formally perceived a pressing student need and did something about it. This model for communication and change in the community shows how simple such a process can and should be.