Rodin says U. is considering Napster request

University President Judith Rodin said last night she will not make a hasty decision as to whether Penn will continue to allow access to Napster, the controversial computer program that allows users to download copyrighted music. A decision has not yet been made according to Rodin, who added that it would be premature to decide on a course of action before current legal issues are resolved. "Obviously, we will have to make a decision based on the merits of the issues," Rodin said. Rodin received a letter on Tuesday from attorneys representing heavy-metal band Metallica and rapper Dr. Dre asking the University to restrict students from using Napster, which the musicians believe is illegal. Napster was sued by the Recording Industry Association of America, which represents several major record labels, last December. RIAA, as well as many other Napster opponents including Metallica and Dr. Dre, feel the services provided by Napster constitute serious copyright infringement. Penn is just one of several big name universities across the country who received a letter from the musicians, whose lawyer said they are targeting colleges because schools are "a hot bed of Napster usage." The musicians also sent a similar letter to the University of Southern California and Indiana and Yale universities earlier this year, and proceeded to sue those schools after they did not comply. The lawsuits have since been settled and all three schools have limited Napster use on their campuses. Rodin said there are many "competing values" surrounding the issue, such as the importance of intellectual property versus free speech, and the legal questions posed with the rapid development of new technologies. Polk Wagner, a Law professor at Penn's Law School and an expert in electronic commerce, said there is no reason to block student Internet access. "It's a bad idea for the University to be in the business of limiting the range of options available over the 'Net," Wagner said. He added that it is "no more [appropriate] than it would be to say we can't use telephones because we could do something illegal or improper over the telephone." Wagner pointed out that Napster is still a legal site thanks to an appeal the company won allowing them to remain available until a verdict could be reached in various lawsuits filed against them. The musicians' attorney, Howard King, said on Tuesday that the letter -- sent with a copy of the lawsuit filed against USC, Indiana and Yale and the lawsuit filed against Napster -- was not meant as a threat of litigation.