2008 Woodie Awards
Schools partner with Napster for music
Laura Lopez
Issue date: 10/25/05 Section: News
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Naspter are cashing in on the demand for downloading on college campuses by offering discounts on its services.
To stay up to date on the latest technology, universities are subscribing to these services, allowing students to download music legally and for free.
Beginning with Pennsylvania State University in November 2003, Napster has expanded its services to 20 universities.
Avery Kotler, Napster's senior director of business and legal affairs, said Napster's Universities Program has been successful. Every school that partnered with Napster last year renewed the program.
Students of universities in the program download an average of 10 songs each day, Kotler said, and use Napster more than other services provided by their universities.
"We tell administrators, 'We get used more than your dining hall,'" he said.
The greatest benefit of the program is the discount, Kotler said. Regular Napster customers pay a monthly fee of $9.95, but universities pay a discounted membership rate for each student. Another advantage of the service is its appeal to tech-savvy students, he said.
"Schools want to do things to keep them in the limelight," he said. "This program helps them to be a cutting-edge school."
Jean Neff, information resource consultant at IT-User Services, said the university is considering a partnership with a music service.
"We are looking into a variety of programs," Neff said, although she did not mention specific companies.
Currently the university has a partnership with iTunes, Neff said. Students can receive discounts on Apple products and listen to other university students' playlists.
Mike Fernbacher, Judicial Affairs coordinator, said students can also visit www.udel.edu/help for a list of sites that provide legal music and movie downloading.
Even with sources to download music legally, music piracy is a problem on campus, he said. On average, Judicial Affairs sees five to 10 students each week for copyright violations. Students found guilty are required to pay $75 to have their computers cleaned, erasing the downloading software and all music files, he said.
Students do not realize the effect of their actions, he said. When students illegally download music, they do not hurt the big-name stars, they hurt the people who work behind the scenes.
Fernbacher said people working in the lower ranks of the entertainment business are affected more than the stars themselves.
"There is a trickle-down effect," he said.
To join Napster, Kotler said universities contact the company through administrators or student government. However, Kotler prefers that students contact Napster because then he knows they are interested in the program.
"I want to go to places where schools are really excited about it," he said.
Senior Michelle Krumenaker said people will download music illegally because it is free. If the university could provide students with free music to download legally, students would be more likely to follow the rules.
"I know a lot of people who get in trouble for downloading. This would stop it," Krumenaker said. "Kids are going to download either way; this could be a way for the university to protect its students."
