GreekNet installed in some frats, sororities

The project is designed to bring better Internet access to Greek houses. Residents of on-campus dormitories may relish their high-speed connections to the Internet through the University's ResNet system. But they are no longer the only Penn students with access to such technology. The University recently completed the first phase in its installation of GreekNet -- a voice, data and telephone Ethernet system for fraternity and sorority houses, officials said. Phase one -- the most expensive and difficult part of the process, according to computing officials -- entailed installing one or two feeds in common areas of all 24 University- owned fraternity and sorority houses, giving them access to the Penn phone system and video network, as well as a direct Internet connection. The next phase will involve wiring the GreekNet backbone to all rooms in the houses. An architect is currently surveying several houses to determine how to go about the process and how much it would cost, according to Hank Rabwanski, director of projects and planning for Penn's Information Systems and Computing office. Beth Schnitman, the assistant director for facilities and housing in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, said she is confident that all Greek bedrooms will be wired "over the next two to three years." The Castle -- which Psi Upsilon will inhabit next fall -- will be the 25th University-owned house. The $1.4 million first phase of the project was partially funded through a $350,000 University loan, given in October 1996, which the Greek system will pay back over time, and partially through funds the houses accumulated over the last eight or nine years. Individual houses will have to fund the phase two wiring completely on their own, although it is expected to be considerably less expensive, Rabwanski said. The third phase, which ISC will likely begin simultaneously with phase two, entails installing and wiring Ethernet connections to non-University owned Greek houses. Rabwanski said that although the process is the same, phase three will be a "completely different challenge," explaining that ISC will have to overcome several obstacles such as access to the houses and legal ramifications. For instance, should any of the workers get injured, the University would not be liable. Panhellenic Council President Janelle Brodsky -- whose Pi Beta Phi house is not University-owned -- said the length of the process can be frustrating, particularly because she will probably not see the wiring installed before she graduates. But the College and Engineering junior added that GreekNet, when installed, will have a very positive impact on Penn's Greek system. "It's wonderful that the University recognizes that there are some very active students in fraternity and sorority houses that will greatly benefit from Ethernet connections," she said. Brodsky noted that there have been situations in which students were unable to live in Greek houses because modem connections were incompatible with their course requirements. According to OFSA Director Scott Reikofski, several houses are already scheduled for phase two wiring, the first of which is Alpha Tau Omega, which will be wired by the end of this month. Sigma Delta Tau, Alpha Chi Omega and Delta Tau Delta were recently renovated and thus are already wired, Reikofski said.