Back in September of last year, I wrote an editorial in this paper praising the University for introducing the Campus Alert Notification Network (CANN). I also pointed out my hope that CANN would only be needed to alert students of severe weather. But even though I was happy that the University stepped up security in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre, it didn’t mean I wanted to take CANN with me when I graduated in December. Now that I am out in the real world, it doesn’t do me a whole lot of good to know when classes are canceled due to snow. Yet on Friday morning, I was woken up when my cell phone rang. Not realizing what time it was, I thought someone from work was calling to ask why I was late. Instead of a co-worker’s voice, I heard an automated message informing me of the campus’ closure. Rolling over toward my alarm clock, I saw it was 6:23 a.m. (Thanks Hofstra!) It really made me wish the University would have used some foresight and removed graduates from the notification list. I sent an e-mail to Public Safety requesting to be removed from the list, but I guess I won’t know if it worked until the next snow day (or lock-down).

Brendan O’Reilly, class of 2007; Editor of The Chronicle, Fall 2007