A new online forum dedicated to anonymous discussion and debate is now available to AU students, through a Web site similar to the well-known JuicyCampus.
The new site - Quad Times - advertises itself as a "more secure" forum because only students with a valid AU e-mail address can register and view comments.
"As long as it's being used for students to connect around productive issues, then I think it can be a very good thing," said Dean of Students Robert Hradsky. "I don't think it would be a good thing if it ended up being a mirror of JuicyCampus, which in my mind is used solely to gossip."
The Web site started earlier this month and was advertised around AU's campus through flyers that listed its Web address, QuadTimes.com.
Three anonymous D.C. students created the site, according to a press release from the Web site's parent company - RisingTide. The press release did not give any other information about the company.
Unless the university hosted the Web site, the site violated the university's computer use policy or used trademarked AU symbols, there would be no reason for the university to get involved, Hradsky said. "At some level, it seems the Quad Times site may be safer [than JuicyCampus], given that you are required to be affiliated with the university," Hradsky said.
Nat Thompson, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he thought Quad Times sounded a little safer than JuicyCampus, and added that he did not have a problem with the site.
"I'm not concerned if people know where I am [writing from]. I'm more concerned if people are writing mean things about me," he said.
Quad Times described itself on an informational page as a place for students to talk about anything - important or not so important - on its Web site and said its "report abuse" feature and protected content separate it from JuicyCampus.
The Web site's creators also said on the page that its content is protected from search engines.
People are allowed to say what they want to online, said Noel Klinger, a freshman in CAS.
"If you don't want your professor to see what you said, then don't write it," he said.
You can reach this staff writer at klitvin@theeagleonline.com.
