Graphic By: Julie Brennan

For those of you who are unaware, Ruckus Network is a premier digital entertainment service designed for universities. Based in Herndon, Va., Ruckus offers national, local and campus-based programming. If RU participates, students will have access to 1.5 million licensed tracks of music from major labels and indies. Access to all of this music is "super fast, all-you-can-eat downloads" according to Ruckus Network online.

About a month ago before RU's Spring Break, the SGA's Ruckus committee presented a presentation to SGA. The decision was made after Spring Break to use Ruckus, and they are currently waiting for a second approval.

With 3,000 subscribers, the fee to use Ruckus will be waived, but the SGA will have until the end of the Fall 2006 semester to acquire all signatures. SGA has recently asked the Student Finance Committee (SFC) for funding of $10,000 as a safeguard just in case 3,000 signatures do not come through.

"We wanted to make sure we had the funding there if we needed it," said Robert Grant, an SGA member and Ruckus committee member.

Ruckus has been approved by the administration and by SGA. The next step is to send out a contract and see if another company can outdo Ruckus, but so far, there isn't. Once the contract is signed, Ruckus will come on campus to do a site survey and to take a look at the server.

Ruckus would allow students to download as much music as they want, as quick as two to five seconds a song, for free. Portability from Ruckus would cost only $20 a semester and movies for $15 a semester.

Students must have access to an Internet connection in order to listen to the music. There will also be an account safeguard so that your account can only be used on two different computers.

"Having Ruckus on campus will help benefit Radford University," Grant says.

Faculty can use Ruckus in the classroom for various courses. Ruckus could be beneficial for music classes, or for professors to use videos, and it's also compatible with WebCT.

Also, with the growing danger of downloading music from other programs online such as KaZaa and Ares, now you can download all you want for free without having to worry about being caught and charged.

The program would be available to all on and off campus students beginning this fall for free. Alumni would also get a chance to use Ruckus for a small fee of $5.99, and faculty and staff for only $7.99.

Beginning next semester, SGA will begin handing out promotional leaflets as well as posting them up in the dorms for incoming freshman. A forum will also be held at the beginning of the semester to allow students to learn more about Ruckus. Students will probably be able to sign up as subscribers through the portal.

"The only complaint that I think I've heard is about the ads, but it's free," Grant said.