Trying to save $1 by downloading a media file for free will cost University students $50 if caught on a campus network after August 1. To discourage students from downloading or sharing movies and music illegally, Information Technology Services is implementing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act fines on top of already existing University policies.Recording Industry Association of America will alert ITS when the company scans its software and finds a person using illegal downloading software or sharing movies and songs illegally, said IT communications and planning officer Sheri Thompson. “[ITS] has to go investigate and find out the sources,” Thompson said. “We don’t scan for [illegal activity]. The RIAA will give us an address.” Everyone has to register an address when logging onto the campus network, enabling ITS to locate the illegal downloader immediately, Thompson said. Once the person’s wire address is located, the network is turned off, she said. Then an IT officer will physically locate the person at their campus dorm, apartment or office to inform them a violation has occurred, she said.Marcy Lambert, pre-nursing freshman, said she had no idea the University tracked allegedly illegal downloaded files but said it’s understandable.”It makes sense, because [the network] is in their name,” Lambert said. Wireless campus networks will not be fined because illegal downloading software is blocked on campus networks, Thompson said. Only hard-wire campus networks can access illegal downloading software, she said. The fine will appear on the student’s fee bill, and the payment will be similar to a library or parking fee, she said. “[The fee] is not something you can ignore,” she said. ITS will use the money for more education and awareness campaigns, Thompson said.”[ITS] is making people aware copying files is illegal,” she said.Adam Jennings, history senior, said the fines the University earns should go to a better cause than raising awareness. “Everybody knows it’s illegal to download music,” Jennings said. “[The University] should use the money for something else.” Thompson said the fine is just a new tactic to crack down on the illegal activity. ITS has been implementing the policy in the Student Code of Conduct for years, she said. Last year, 45 people were caught downloading illegally, and so far this year 54 violations have occurred, Thompson said. If a student is caught downloading a file for the second time, they will be reported to the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability, Thompson said. Eric Norman, Student Advocacy and Accountability associate dean, said in an e-mail after his office is notified, a charge letter will be sent to the student.After the student is notified, he or she must meet with an Accountability official and they decide if the student is responsible for the violation, Norman said. If a student is found responsible, he or she could be placed on disciplinary probation, he said. The Code of Student Conduct 5.2 section b.30, which outlines a violation of computer-user agreement includes “Using University resources to illegally distribute copyrighted material; failing to comply with laws, license agreements and contracts governing network, software and hardware use.” But Norman said only about 10 violations were reported to his office since 2006. “Many [violations] are addressed in Residential halls,” he said.Kara Helgeson, Department of Residential Life judicial coordinator, said her office receives the complaints from ITS if a student has downloaded illegally from a campus dorm or apartment room. Students must report to the office and sign a document stating they understand their actions were illegal, Helgeson said.”In order to get Internet back … we have them open the program up and [ResLife] double-checks the file,” she said.——Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]