In spite of warnings that its recent computer legislation violates Penn State policy and the threat that its network access could be revoked, members of the Undergraduate Student Government Senate are prepared to challenge university administration.

At its Jan. 29 meeting, senate decided that using a computer under someone else's username and password is permitted in the USG office if the ID owner is actively supervising the process.

However, according to Stanley Latta, director of Unions and Student Activities, this measure conflicts with Penn State Computer and Network Security Policy AD20, which ensures access accounts are restricted to an individual's private use only.

AD20 prohibits sharing an account or extending authorized computer and network access privileges to others -- what senate's legislation allowed.

"Senate is violating university policy," Latta said. "I can't knowingly let them do that and if they refuse to abide by our rules, we can not allow them computer access."

Latta sent a letter to USG Senate President Sean Clark on Jan. 30, the day after the legislation was passed. In his letter, Latta alerted Clark that phrases included in the senate legislation directly conflicted with AD20.

However, Clark maintains that AD20 should not apply to senate.

"We will definitely come up with another resolution regarding the matter," he said. "I'm not having the administration tell us what we can and cannot do, especially when I believe that our actions are reasonable. I also won't have that dictator, Dr. Latta, coming in to senate and telling us that we're wrong."

During the meeting, Clark said, "Personally, I'm about ready to tell them to pull the plug and get a dial-up."

AD20 states: "System users must not share their accounts, nor grant accounts to others, nor otherwise extend their own authorized computer and network access privileges to others."

USG President Justin Zartman vetoed senate's measure during Tuesday night's meeting on the grounds that it violates university policy.

"If you override this veto tonight they will shut down our network tomorrow morning," he told the senate.

Zartman added that USG owns the senate computer and one other, but the rest belong to the Student Activities office.

"I think if I wanted to, I could have (overridden the veto), I have enough support," said Town Sen. Jason Covener, who was one of the legislation's sponsors.

Covener does not have a user ID or password because he did not request either when returning to Penn State after his arrest in 1998 and resignation from the position of senate president, after an investigation related to computer tampering in the USG office.

"Everyone has to be in compliance while we do have these unreasonable rules, since I think it's ridiculous how some people are acting in this matter," Covener said.

Although senate decided to accept the veto, it plans to investigate the situation further.

"We are going to research this because I believe that Student Affairs is wrong with their strict interpretation of AD20," Clark said.

Kathy Kimball, director of Computer and Network Security, confirmed that senate's legislation disregards university policy.

"You can't share a password or account," she said. "Your password is essential for you and you alone; you are responsible for it."

Kimball said if senate attempts to bring similar legislation back to the floor, its network access would be removed immediately.

"No other groups have ever had a problem with this," she said. "This is just not debatable."