In a campus-wide e-mail sent out Monday, the IT department announced that students must register their computers by next Tuesday or experience an interruption in their ability to access the Internet and campus network.

"Since the start of the spring semester, we have had to shut off or limit the network connections of over 100 student computers [as a result of viruses]," Desktop Computing Specialist Maura Fennelly said. "With Network Registration, we will be able to promptly notify students when their computer is infected with a virus or causing a problem on the network."

To register, students enter a username and password and indicate whether they have a laptop with wireless internet capabilities. Fennelly indicated the survey will help IT determine what technological changes to make. "Knowing how many students own laptops is useful information to have as we think about expanding the campus wireless network," said Fennelly.

In the e-mail, Fennelly stated that each student can register up to three computers. Students must re-register their computers each semester. Students with wireless routers or game consoles must register them by calling the IT Student Help Line.