The Student Networked Information Providers (SNIP) wants ISU’s student organizations to use free locker space on the World Wide Web this semester.

The space has the potential to be used for e-mail addresses, newsletters, contact letters and to recruit people for memberships into groups.

SNIP is a student organization being funded by the Student Union Board. One of the goals of SNIP is to make sure everyone is aware that this service is available. The organization came about from student complaints about the charge for renting space from the computation center.

“A lot of student groups cannot afford a monthly charge,” said Brian Messenger, SNIP president. Student groups can currently rent space from the computation center for $15 a month.

SNIP’s intent is to provide organizations with a way to make permanent Web pages that won’t disappear or change addresses when the membership of the group changes, according to a press release.

Under the current system, pages allocated to a student will disappear or are moved to another location if that person graduates.

“We’re receiving funding for just the starting cost,” Messenger said. “We get about $400 a year to run this program.”

But Messenger added that funding received from the Student Union Board isn’t enough to cover printing and mailing costs, so SNIP may go to the GSB for more monetary help.

One benefit of SNIP’s services, Messenger said, is that there is enough room for all the organizations.

“If all the groups used the space equally, they would have four megabytes of space,” he said.

Another advantage, Messenger said, is that each group would have total control over its space.

“Groups will be more visible by a large chunk of campus if they use the Web at ISU,” he added.

For more information about SNIP’s services, contact Messenger in Room 36 of the Memorial Union or send e-mail to