The iPod purchase is proving to be one of the University’s most controversial and criticized investments of late. From concerns about illegal downloads to assertions that the funds used for the devices could have been better spent, many current students have expressed frustrations and concerns with regards to the half-million dollar initiative. Before the distribution of the iPods Thursday night, several upperclassmen sounded off about the project.
“My main feeling is that it’s a good idea to use technological advances and integrate them into student life, but I think doing it for one class is a little unfair, and I don’t know if iPods were the best investment because they’re clearly going to be used for other uses besides academic purposes.”
- Tristan Hopkins, sophomore
“As a senior, I feel that upperclassmen should have gotten first priority. We have dedicated ourselves to Duke for over three years and we should be rewarded for that.”
- Ayonike Akingbade, senior
“How about spending [the $500,000] on all of us? Why are they discriminating against three-fourths of the population on campus? It doesn’t make any sense to me. [The project] is another way of Duke... saying to the people who are already here: You are already here, we don’t need to milk you anymore because you’ve already been milked. You’re done. We don’t need to impress you, and this is a way to impress the upcoming freshmen.”
- Ben Huser, senior
“If you want to put something on your iPod, it has to be on your computer. So, if it’s already on your computer, why would you need an iPod? That’s what Blackboard is for—downloading stuff. I really don’t see the need for iPods for educational purposes.”
- Shomari Hogan, senior
“I think the use of $500,000 to buy freshmen iPods is a gross misappropriation of university funds. Why didn’t they just work on keeping the network more consistent? My apartment loses Ethernet about once a day for two and a half hours.”
- Stu Tribbs, junior
— compiled by Seyward Darby
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