By Michael Walsh

The CCSU information technology department blocked the popular ratemyprofessor.com last week because of a suspected virus the website was distributing.

The well-known website that lets students rate their past professors and others use these ratings a basis for which professors to take has been a standard class registration tool on college campuses across America.

Despite the perfect timing of the website’s block and CCSU’s registration period lining up, CCSU says there is no ulterior motive other than protecting the campus network and the computers of those who use it.

“I don’t think there is any way to do that in the CCSU policy,” said Mark McLaughlin, CCSU spokesperson, about blocking websites on campus for reasons other than security.

McLaughlin said that the IT department on campus was notified of potential viruses that might be coming from the website’s advertisers.

“There’s apparently a security problem there. They were getting inundated with a really nasty virus,” said McLaughlin. “They were getting lots of e-mails and a lot of reports of viruses coming almost directly right from the Rate My Professor site. They assume it’s coming inadvertently right from an advertiser.”

McLaughlin noted the fact that the website has been around for a long time and that if the school wanted to actually block it and could even take that step in policy, they would have done so or tried to do so already. McLaughlin said there’s simply no interesting overlying plot to be found and that the school doesn’t care if students use the website when registering for classes.

On Tuesday, McLaughlin reported that the website passed anti-viral tests and was unblocked by the IT department.