Re: Website design -Reply

Jim Thomas (jthomas2@sun.soci.niu.edu)
Tue, 19 Sep 1995 18:06:12 -0500 (CDT)

The thorniest issue centered on "who controls homepages?" There was
concern that departments or students would be "monitored," "restricted,"
or otherwise limited in what they could place on homepages and in the
links that could be made available on an individual page. It was made
clear that the University's concern was not with limiting content, but with
providing accountability and consistancy in those homepages that bear
the official NIU logo of Lowden Hall. This raises several questions:

1) What are the legal liabilities of subordinate units if they give out
out erroneous information to the public regarding, for example,
tuition costs, class schedules, or graduation requirements?

2) What are the legal liabilities of the University for the content
of faculty, staff, or student homepages?

3) Who "owns" the contents of a homepage? Is making copyright material
available through links acceptable?

4) To what degree will the University support protected speech or
academic freedom in the event that a homepage publisher makes
available controversial or "offensive" material?

5) How should the University, a department, or a system administrator
respond to those who may put up material that, while not prohibited
by law, is "questionable?"

6) Where, in a university settings, lies the line between
responsibility and control on one hand, and exploration and
creativity on the other?

These are just a few of the issues facing us. There are few settled
answers for many of them, but proactive discussion may minimize future
problems.

jt