Proposed Resolution on SPAM

Whereas Spam® in its traditional manifestation, while perhaps useful on camping trips or as emergency rations in earthquake supply stashes; and

Whereas SFSU, the City’s University, prides itself on respecting diversity of all kinds, most especially authentic culinary diversity, a description that cannot properly be applied to Spam® except, perhaps, in Hawai`i; and

Whereas The electronic detritus known as spam has few socially redeeming traits, fills the inboxes of unsuspecting recipients with unwanted, unpalatable, and often undesirable messages, and distracts receivers from work and other incidental occupations, and

Whereas Campus administrators charged with oversight of technology report that 60% of all incoming e-mail to the SFSU server now consists of spam; and

Whereas Many faculty, staff, students and administrators at SFSU have complained in their traditional fashion -- loudly and vigorously -- about this increasing volume of spam; and

Whereas The University has provided many techniques for slicing and dicing spam such as identifying and filtering yet this onslaught continues; and

Whereas Spam has continued despite the enactment of federal legislation to prohibit it -- the CAN-SPAM Act (effective January 2004); and

Whereas Any individual with a fondness for electronic spam has access to a variety of services that would deliver it faithfully, frequently, and at no cost, thus satisfying their appetite for mail unwanted by others; therefore be it

Resolved That the Academic Senate of SFSU urge campus technology officers and other administrators to take additional steps to block the hundreds of thousands of spam messages now making their way onto the SFSU server; and be it further

Resolved That the Academic Senate of SFSU ask the Division of Information Technology to spearhead the appropriate actions to reduce the glut of unwanted, unwarranted, and tasteless information besieging the academy, and to offer as many options as possible to control and eradicate this unwelcome intrusion; and be it further

Resolved That the Academic Senate of SFSU assign to the Educational Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC) the responsibilities of a) working with the Division of Information Technology to provide faculty consultation throughout this process, and b) serving as liaison to the Academic Senate in order to apprise faculty of the efforts to block spam on this campus; and be it further

Resolved That the Academic Senate of SFSU convey the sentiments herein expressed to the Associated Students, SFSU; staff leadership, SFSU; ASCSU; and Chancellor Charles B. Reed.