Howard W. Hewitt<\/i> – What is it that goes on while the world changes, babies are born, terrorist plots are hatched and shifting of the earth\u2019s crust? \u201cE-mail,\u201d was the answer suggested Thursday by Dean of the College Gary Phillips. <\/p>\n
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Dean Phillips was the second Chapel Talk of the new year and closely followed the themes set forth the previous week by President Patrick White. The President urged students to make their communication with the Wabash community a face-to-face experience. <\/p>\n
Phillips tackled the challenge of e-mail noting that daily incoming and in-house e-mail averages 37 messages a day for every member of the Wabash community. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we should change inbox to incoming,\u201d he quipped. Using classical references and the writings of the Apostle Paul he urged students to think about how e-mail is used at the College.<\/p>\n
He quoted several studies on the costs of e-mail, the amount of time everyone spends responding to e-mail and described the technology as a bit of a \u201cloose cannon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe forget the brother or sister sitting before the display on the other end,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He offered four points for \u201cWriting the Wrongs\u201d of e-mail usage. The first was \u2018critique.\u2019 He urged the big crowd not to judge in advance and think seriously about what they have written. Second, he urged \u201cconscience\u201d noting that a screen is not a face. His third point was \u201ccommunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow will what is being said enhance one another,\u201d he questioned. Finally, the Dean suggested \u201ccare\u201d completed the package. When firing off an e-mail do we show and express a caring for each other.<\/p>\n