Dorm phone service to cease
Abstract:
The Residence Life and Housing office has decided to end the service of private phone lines in all university housing in an effort to save money to prepare for upgrading a more efficient campus phone system.
The phone lines will stay connected until after fall break when students who wish to keep their lines may pay $100 dollars that will allow them to make local phone calls and set up a voice mailbox....
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catrina
posted 9/09/08 @ 3:33 PM EST
Originally posted bydepauw alumna
I'm sorry, but that's probably the stupidest thing I've heard come out of DePauw since I graduated. I realize that most students use cell phones to call their parents, hometown friends, etc., but how can you beat having a room phone to dial across campus or to marvin's? four digits or seven versus 10? seriously? what kind of dingbat students have taken over that you guys are calling south quad or your professor or insert residence here on your CELL PHONES?
Well, considering over 95% of students have cell phones and give THOSE numbers to their professors, and that over 60% of students were unaware they even had a room phone last year and the fact that only 2 students used their room phones for long distance calls ALL of last year (yes, I have proof), coupled with the fact that to maintain 2500 lines that will never be used will cost the University upwards of a couple EXTRA million dollars this next year if we were to keep them, hmmmm, its called smart budgeting. This is becoming a very common practice across the country, just as years ago schools went from hall phones to room phones for "privacy". Now we are going in reverse. The students can still call Marvin's from down the hall, if that is what is so important...
DePauw Alumna
posted 9/10/08 @ 3:17 PM EST
I get it, catrina, it's all about the budget. While I think $100 is ludicrous to keep a phone line (how about $25?) I get *why* DPU is discontinuing them.
What blows my mind is that in five years -- five years since I graduated, it wasn't that long ago -- students have stopped using landlines almost entirely. How can 60% of students not even KNOW they have room phones?
Hell, my husband graduated three years ago, and they were still using landlines then, though I do recall someone telling me about some students not bringing traditional phones with them. Which blew my mind then, too. It's not even like it's inconvenient to use the landline -- quite the contrary, it's considerably more convenient, if you've bothered to bring a $10 phone with you.
I'm not old-fashioned, here. I'm not even old. I don't have a landline in my home, haven't since graduating. But you better believe that if all I had to do was plug the phone in and it was free to make local calls, I would.
What blows my mind is that in five years -- five years since I graduated, it wasn't that long ago -- students have stopped using landlines almost entirely. How can 60% of students not even KNOW they have room phones?
Hell, my husband graduated three years ago, and they were still using landlines then, though I do recall someone telling me about some students not bringing traditional phones with them. Which blew my mind then, too. It's not even like it's inconvenient to use the landline -- quite the contrary, it's considerably more convenient, if you've bothered to bring a $10 phone with you.
I'm not old-fashioned, here. I'm not even old. I don't have a landline in my home, haven't since graduating. But you better believe that if all I had to do was plug the phone in and it was free to make local calls, I would.
catrina
posted 9/22/08 @ 4:35 PM EST
the reason for the $100 is because that is how much DPU is charged by the phone guy that has to turn each line on. Its just a flat fee we get stuck with.
Originally posted byDePauw Alumna
I get it, catrina, it's all about the budget. While I think $100 is ludicrous to keep a phone line (how about $25?) I get *why* DPU is discontinuing them.
What blows my mind is that in five years -- five years since I graduated, it wasn't that long ago -- students have stopped using landlines almost entirely. How can 60% of students not even KNOW they have room phones?
Hell, my husband graduated three years ago, and they were still using landlines then, though I do recall someone telling me about some students not bringing traditional phones with them. Which blew my mind then, too. It's not even like it's inconvenient to use the landline -- quite the contrary, it's considerably more convenient, if you've bothered to bring a $10 phone with you.
I'm not old-fashioned, here. I'm not even old. I don't have a landline in my home, haven't since graduating. But you better believe that if all I had to do was plug the phone in and it was free to make local calls, I would.
Dave
posted 9/22/08 @ 7:13 AM EST
This article fails to mention that the university worked hard to put in place additional financial incentives for students to have cell phones. There is a 10% monthly service discount for student cell phone plans through AT&T.
http://www.depauw.edu/it/helpdesk/support_guides/guides_cellplan.asp
http://www.depauw.edu/it/helpdesk/support_guides/guides_cellplan.asp
Answering service
posted 10/30/08 @ 12:58 PM EST
What??? Are they even allowed to do this? I find it hard to believe this, those students need to take attitude to this because I think someone crossed the line here.
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depauw alumna
posted 9/05/08 @ 2:27 PM EST