Limiting writing portfolio submission to email is one of the biggest mistakes the university could make regarding the new program.

Previously students were able to drop off their portfolios, all saved to disk, at Ninth Street Hall.

The university says that submitting online should be easier for students, as they can turn in their portfolios any time of the day or night, and do not have to physically take a disk anywhere. Also, students are supposed to receive verification from the university through email.

The problems that arise from this type of submission are many. Not only are students only able to use their Eastern email account, which many do not use in the first place and are often plagued with system problems, but they also have to rely on the system for verification of submission.

Verification comes to a student after the university checks with the professor for whom’s class the essay was written. The university then emails the student to let them know their professor gave the OK for the submitted essay.

Does this seem like a lot of work to anyone else?

Another inconvenience for students is trying to figure out how the submission process works. Eastern’s email system isn’t terribly easy to use in the first place. For some, sending a simple email through the system can cause a headache, let alone trying to attach several documents. And, often times the email system doesn’t send attachments correctly.

The university says it will hold informational sessions to teach students how to email their submissions. Nobody needed an informational session to walk a disk over to Ninth Street Hall.

What about bad addresses and computer viruses. Viruses are spread just as easily, if not more so, through email as they are through a disk.

Email may be the best option for some students, but not for all. Leaving the option of turning in a disk instead would have been a better decision.

The editorial is the opinion of the editorial board of The Daily Eastern News.