EDUCAUSE | Policy and Law

EDUCAUSE Now - Show #5 - P2P Update & Data-Rich Blogging

gbayne — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:13:19 -0500

EDUCAUSE Now is a monthly podcast, focusing on the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Each episode features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education. Let us know what you would like to hear at podcast@educause.edu.

Subscribe to EDUCAUSE NOW RSS feed

This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:

P2P Update: New Business Models, Old Ways of Thinking
(01:22–10:52)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is a nonprofit organization that fights for your rights in the digital realm. We interview EFF's staff attorney, Corynne McSherry, to hear the latest updates in the file-sharing debate and learn some new ways of thinking about the issue.
A Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger
(10:52–14:16)
Diana contemplates what we mean by “communication” in a tech-savvy world.
Data-Rich Student Blogging: Reflection and Ownership in Learning
(14:53–21:43)
Biology professor Stephen Gallik noticed that more of his students’ time in the lab was spent on clerical tasks and record keeping than on reflection and learning. He collaborated with instructional technologists Jim Groom and Andrew Rush to design a flash application that saves time and publishes full lab results to a student’s own blog. A screencast demonstration of this application is also available.

Music for EDUCAUSE Now:

"Groove IT" by Denis Kitchen
“Electric Guitar 005” by Plastic Soul Band
“Rebirth” by Steven Host
"Butterfly Disease" by Undadogg
"Sunsand" by Sebastian6

Moving beyond the EDUCAUSE Policy Conference

elilly — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:53:25 -0500

The author discusses the evolution of the EDUCAUSE Policy conference and program.

Podcast: IT and Campaign '08

gbayne — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:12:59 -0500

This 58 minute podcast features a panel discussion from the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference. The participants of this discussion, "IT and Campaign '08," include:

Joanne Carney, Director, Center for Science, Technology & Congress, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Michael R. Nelson, Visiting Professor, Georgetown University
Cameron Wilson, Director, Public Policy Office, Association for Computing Machinery
Session moderator: Richard E. Bissell, Executive Director, Policy and Global Affairs, National Research Council

While Washington concentrates on the IT legislative and regulatory issues at hand, the presidential candidates are being queried about their positions and the Democratic and Republican National Committees are focusing on crafting platforms to be adopted during their summer conventions. Policy experts from some of the leading IT policy associations and think tanks share their insights on how the Democratic and Republican parties and their respective presidential nominees will integrate IT issues into the 2008 presidential campaign.

Podcast: P2P Policy Update - From Campus to Congress, and Now the State House

gbayne — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:29:33 -0500

This hour and forty-five minute podcast features a panel discussion on the latest P2P news regarding higher education. The discussion, "P2P Policy Update - From Campus to Congress, and Now the State House," features:

Thomas S. Danford, Chief Information Officer for the Tennessee Board of Regents
Terry W. Hartle, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at the American Council on Education
Charles F. Leonhardt, Principal Technologist at Georgetown University
Kent Wada, Director, IT Strategic Policy at UCLA
Moderator: Steve Worona, Director of Policy and Networking Programs at EDUCAUSE

Peer-to-peer file sharing remains a major headache for campus IT administrators, as the RIAA and MPAA aggressively explore the boundaries of litigation and legislation. This session features two panels of experts to discuss where we stand. The first panel reviews the best current thinking on campus policy and technology options for coping with P2P issues: How to deal with DMCA notices, prelitigation letters, and John Doe lawsuits, and whether blocking and filtering technologies have matured to the point where they can help. The second panel looks at the current status of federal P2P legislation and describes recent entertainment industry initiatives to enact such legislation at the state level.

Podcast: A Blueprint for Big Broadband: Moving from Why to How

gbayne — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:19:27 -0500

This podcast features a speech by John Windhausen Jr., President of Telepoly. The speech, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband: Moving from Why to How," was recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference in Arlington, Virginia. You can also read John Windhausen Jr.'s EDUCAUSE white paper, A Blueprint for Big Broadband.

The United States has fallen behind its international competitors in broadband deployment, price, and openness in part because it has no national broadband policy. In contrast, most other countries adopted proactive programs to address the broadband needs of their citizens at the beginning of the decade that are now proving successful. Several U.S. states are now developing their own broadband plans because of the void at the national level. This session proposes an action plan for the nation based on the lessons learned from Europe, Asia, and some U.S. states and discusses what it will take to get such a plan through Congress.

Podcast: Do's and Don'ts of Advocacy: Helping Your Federal Relations Officer Advance the IT Agenda

gbayne — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:05:39 -0500

This hour and sixteen minute podcast features a panel discussion recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference. The discussion, "Do's and Don'ts of Advocacy: Helping Your Federal Relations Officer Advance the IT Agenda," includes the following participants:

Anna M. Gould, Project Assistant for EDUCAUSE
Timothy Lance, President and Chairman of NYSERNet, Inc.
Bob Samors, Associate VP of Research & Science Policy at NASULGC
Michael A. Waring, Executive Director of Federal Relations for the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

This session features some real-world training about how lobbying works and the keys to effective advocacy. In addition, lobbying meetings (both good and bad) are role-played to give a feel for the sorts of issues that come up and how best to advance the cause. This session seeks to aid IT professionals in understanding how their federal relations officers work and the best ways CIOs can assist in making that advocacy successful.

Podcast: American Higher Education Is Going Global: Implications for CIOs, National Networks, and Federal Policymakers

gbayne — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:02:04 -0500

This 44 minute podcast features a keynote address by Jeffrey S. Lehman, Former President of Cornell University. His speech, "American Higher Education Is Going Global: Implications for CIOs, National Networks, and Federal Policymakers," was recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference in Arlington, Virgina.

U.S. universities have come to see their universes in global terms, most visibly in brand-new overseas campuses. But just as important are joint teaching and research projects that dramatically intensify the flow of data to points halfway around the world. Historically, such data flows have required the physical transportation of people or storage media from place to place. Dramatic improvements in networking technology, however, are changing academic leaders' perceptions of the kinds of collaborations that are possible. The most ambitious forms of network cooperation test the capabilities of the global cyberinfrastructure, with bits crossing campus, regional, national, and international networks. Each of the four tiers is a vital link. Each involves a different set of actors, challenging us to develop new policies and governance structures that respond to the concerns of each level, as well as a truly global perspective that is not yet effectively captured. Our national policy community must step into this void, helping demonstrate the range of possibilities and the choices we face, while respecting and reflecting that people in other countries will likely perceive matters differently from us.

Podcast: The FTC as an Educational Partner in Improving Data Security and Privacy

gbayne — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:40:38 -0500

This 38 minute podcast features a keynote address by Mary Beth Richards, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection for the Federal Trade Commission. Her speech, "The FTC as an Educational Partner in Improving Data Security and Privacy," was recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference in Arlington, Virgina.

The Federal Trade Commission deals with issues that touch the economic lives of most Americans. The current portfolio includes protecting consumers in the areas of data security and privacy, identity theft, Social Security number misuse, identity management, spam, maintaining the National Do Not Call Registry, and other IT issues of interest to colleges and universities. The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, although a regulator of businesses, is also an educator: it seeks to educate consumers and provide businesses and other organizations with the information they need to comply with the rules of the road and to provide consumers with the necessary tools to engage in commerce intelligently. This session highlights information policy issues the FTC is addressing and educational resources institutions of higher education can leverage to improve student, faculty, and staff awareness of data security and privacy risks.

Podcast: The State of the Internet According to the Congressional Internet Caucus

gbayne — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:24 -0500

This hour and ten minute podcast features the panel discussion, "The State of the Internet According to the Congressional Internet Caucus", recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Policy Conference in Arlington, Virgina. The participants include:

Tim Lordan, Executive Director for the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee
Ari Schwartz, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Center for Democracy and Technology
Joe Tasker, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel for the Information Technology Association of America

The Congressional Internet Caucus is a bipartisan group of over 170 members of the House and Senate working to educate their colleagues about the promise and potential of the Internet. EDUCAUSE is a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, which includes a diverse group of public interest, nonprofit, and industry groups working to educate Congress and the public about important Internet-related policy issues. This session highlights the priority IT policy issues before the 110th Congress according to the cochairs of the Internet Caucus and provides an overview of the Advisory Committee’s programs and activities.

EDUCAUSE Now - Show #1 - Premiere Episode

gbayne — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:46:49 -0500

Welcome to the premiere episode of EDUCAUSE Now!

EDUCAUSE Now is a monthly podcast, focusing on the intelligent use of information technology in higher education. Each episode features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education. EDUCAUSE Now will also inform you about upcoming events, report on past events, and feature the movers and shakers in policy, teaching and learning, security, and a whole host of other important topics for our members. Let us know what you would like to hear at podcast@educause.edu.

This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:

The EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) Study entitled, "Service on the Front Line: The IT Help Desk in Higher Education"
We talk about some of the surprising findings with ECAR Fellow and author of the study, Mark Sheehan.
ELI in Conversation: Future Learning
A conversation between George Siemens, director of the Learning Technologies Centre at the University of Manitoba, and Michael Wesch, assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University. This conversation was recorded at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative 2008 Annual Meeting. George Siemens is the author of "Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age", and - Michael Wesch has produced two important videos on Web 2.0, "Information R/evolution" and "The Machine is Us/ing Us." You can listen to the full length podcast of this conversation.
A Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger.
Diana introduces herself as the new president of EDUCAUSE and provides some background information on her career path. She also speaks about her vision for the future of EDUCAUSE.
The EDUCAUSE Policy Office: Update
We check in with EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker regarding current hot topics -- federal broadband policy, net neutrality, and peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. You can read the EDUCAUSE report, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband", and visit the talking points for P2P filesharing issues.
Music for EDUCAUSE Now:
- "Groove IT" by Denis Kitchen
- "Lorge" by El Ten Eleven
- "Guitar Suite I, Movement I" by Dan Tharp

EDUCAUSE Podcast: Washington Update with EDUCAUSE Vice President Mark Luker

gbayne — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:39:31 -0600

In this 50 minute podcast we feature a keynote speech by Mark Luker, Vice President of EDUCAUSE. The speech was delivered at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Southwest Regional Conference in Houston, Texas, and is entitled, "Washington Update: We're from the Government, and We're Here to Help You!"

Mark A. Luker is vice president of EDUCAUSE, where he heads Net@EDU, a 'thought-leadership' coalition of university CIOs and state network directors who work to advance national networking for both research and education through joint projects and federal policy. Net@EDU was the spawning ground of Internet2, and is now expanding its focus to include advanced connections between campuses and their customers in surrounding communities and regions. He also leads the EDUCAUSE office of government relations and policy analysis in Washington, D.C., which works with partner associations to help shape the emerging policy and legal framework of the Internet, intellectual property, and other issues of importance to higher education.

Luker served two years as program director for advanced networking at the National Science Foundation and the federal Next Generation Internet project. Prior to that he was CIO at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, where he was active in national projects including the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative and the Coalition for Networked Information.

Luker received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, and served as a faculty member and then a dean at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, before moving into information technology management.

Policy 2008 Conference to Address Policy Issues Facing Higher Education Today--Register Now

cluckett — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:03:17 -0600

Privacy. Cybersecurity. Telecommunications Reform. These and other national policy issues that have an impact on higher education will be the focus of the 2008 EDUCAUSE Policy Conference, May 7–8 in Arlington, Virginia, an event that brings together CIOs, IT directors, legal counsel, librarians, federal relations officers, and other college and university leaders for discussion of important new federal laws, legislative and regulatory developments, and emerging trends. Early-bird registration is available through April 11 for this event. Register now to save money.

Keynote Speakers

Jonathan S. Adelstein, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Jeffrey S. Lehman, Senior Scholar, Center for Democracy and Technology, and Chair, Internet2 Board of Trustees
Lydia B. Parnes, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission

EDUCAUSE Live! Podcast: What Price Insularity? Reflections About Computer Security Failings.

gbayne — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:27:05 -0600

In this EDUCAUSE Live! podcast, join host, Steve Worona, for the topic "What Price Insularity? Reflections About Computer Security Failings". Steve's guest is Fred Schneider, Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University.

Presentation slides for this audio can be found here.

Why is it risky for technologists to ignore the nontechnical context where their systems will be deployed? Furthermore, what is the risk when policymakers ignore the limits and potential of technology? How can we structure dialogue between technologists and policymakers to address security failings—to revisit identity theft, electronic voting machines, digital rights management, and network neutrality? Fred Schneider, editor of the National Research Council study Trust in Cyberspace and longtime researcher on what makes computer systems secure, considers these and other questions.

EDUCAUSE LIVE! PODCAST: Swiftboating Higher Education on P2P

gbayne — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:03:12 -0600

In this EDUCAUSE Live! podcast, join host, Steve Worona, for the topic "Swiftboating Higher Education on P2P: Why Higher Education Is Not the Real Problem, and Technology Is Not the Real Solution".

His guest is Kenneth C. "Casey" Green, Founding Director of The Campus Computing Project, the largest continuing study of the role of information technology in American colleges and universities.

A steady stream of press releases from the MPAA and the RIAA about unauthorized peer-to-peer downloading suggests that college students are digital pirates and campus network officials are engaged in benign neglect. Yet ample evidence confirms that unauthorized P2P downloading is primarily a consumer market problem, not especially tied to college students on campus networks. Moreover, the media companies with strong ties to consumer broadband providers are themselves at least indirectly promoting unauthorized P2P activity. This is not new: Media companies have a long history of seeking remedy (and revenue) from Congressional action, rather than pursuing marketplace solutions.

This presentation focuses on how Big Music and Big Hollywood have targeted colleges and universities via press releases and Congressional lobbying initiatives while largely ignoring the much larger amount of unauthorized P2P file sharing taking place on commercial networks.

A pdf version of the presentation slides can be found here.

EDUCAUSE Live! theme music by Steven Host.

Someone Didn’t Get the Memo

ckeller — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:11:00 -0600

As U.S. accreditation advisory panel — with Congress watching — seeks to show kinder, gentler side, some members take aggressive tack on regional agencies.

FBI-.edu security partnership trying to overcome decades of mistrust

ckeller — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:41:35 -0600

"Two weeks ago, we described a report from the National Research Council on the challenges of balancing an open academic research environment with the risks that the fruits of the research could be adopted by terrorists. One of the report's recommendations was the formation of a standing committee comprised of academics and members of the national security agencies. It turns out that the FBI had already heeded similar advice—back in 2005."

Attend the State of the Net Conference in January 2008

Rodney — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:58:31 -0600

The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee's State of the Net Conference will be held on January 30, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The conference offers attendees unparalleled opportunities to network and dialogue on key technology and information policy issues. Attendees include a mix of academics, consumer groups, industry, and government. In 2007, over 50 percent of the attendees were policy staff from Congressional offices and governmental agencies. There is a significant registration discount for non-profit and academic organizations. For more information or to register, go to http://netcaucus.org/conference/2008/

E07 Podcast: An Interview with Charlene Nunley

mpasiewicz — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:00:35 -0500

In this 12 minute recording, we'll hear from the Charlene Nunley, President Emertia of Montgomery College. Listen in as she provides some observations from her three decades of work with Montgomery and thoughts on her particpation in the panel discussion about accesss, affordability and accountability in the information age.

Dialogue: Does the Cornell Policy Process Play in Peoria?

drupal — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:42:40 -0500

This session will contrast our actual experiences vis-a-vis the best practices learned from attending Cornell's Institutional Policy Development Program. We will use a question-and-answer format to engage the audience in discussing the challenges we face in attempting to implement an institutional policy framework in public research university settings.

Tune in Oct. 17: FERPA Refresher

ecoghlan — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:04:45 -0500

Tune in October 17 for a refresher on FERPA, the federal statute that governs the privacy of student records and information. In light of recent incidents, and with another school year now under way, it’s a good time to remind ourselves of our obligations—and rights—under this law. Steven J. McDonald, Rhode Island School of Design general counsel, and Nancy E. Tribbensee, Arizona University System general counsel will be the presenters for this this hour-long, free EDUCAUSE Live! Web seminar.

If you are unable to attend, you may wish to visit the EDUCAUSE Live! archives, where a recording of this seminar will be posted shortly afterward. You can also browse FERPA resources in EDUCAUSE Connect.

Podcast: Key Sessions in Policy and Security at the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference

gbayne — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:03:36 -0500

This 11 minute podcast features a preview of the Policy and Security issues and sessions at the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference with insights from Mark Luker, Vice President of EDUCAUSE and head of the EDUCAUSE office of government relations and policy analysis in Washington, DC; Rodney Petersen, Government Relations Officer with EDUCAUSE and Coordinator of the EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force; and Steve Worona, Director of Policy and Networking Programs at EDUCAUSE and host of the EDUCAUSE Live! Webcast series.

Some helpful links for those attending the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference in Seattle:

The Itinerary Builder allows you to chart, save, update, download, and print your conference schedule before you even get there.
The Knowledge Pathfinder helps you find the topics and sessions that interest you.
A list of featured speakers and topics that will be a part of the conference.
A full conference schedule.
A FAQ covering several conference topics and concerns.
Local information from the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau.

NACUA Fall 2007 Workshop: Law and Electrons -- Computers, Copyright, Telecommunications, Privacy, and Security on Campus

vvogel — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:37:34 -0500

Designed for college and university attorneys and administrators with responsibility for information technology, the NACUA Fall Workshop 2007 covers legal issues that arise at the intersection of computers and internet with legal obligations relating to privacy, security, and intellectual property. The program begins with a session covering recent developments in digital copyright and trademark law, and includes separate tracks on copyright and intellectual property issues as well as contracting and information technology law. Please join your colleagues November 7-9, 2007, in Washington, DC, for this opportunity for professional education, networking, and discussion.

This workshop is presented by NACUA in cooperation with EDUCAUSE.

EDUCAUSE LIVE! Podcast: Working Effectively with Law Enforcement: How to Protect the Privacy of Your University Community Withou

gbayne — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:38:50 -0500

From August, 2007, your host, Steve Worona, is joined by Michael Corn, Director of Security Services and Information Privacy for the Office of the CIO at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The topic is "Working Effectively with Law Enforcement: How to Protect the Privacy of Your University Community Without Going to Jail". Click on this topic link for access to the accompanying presentation slides.

Security offices have always had occasional interactions with law enforcement either in the course of an investigation or through the need to respond to legal instruments. With the professionalization of hacking and the increased attention electronic communications receive with regard to national security, many security professionals find themselves working regularly with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. By having a positive and professional relationship with law enforcement, it is possible both to protect the privacy of your institution's community and to minimize the disruptive impact legally driven investigations can have. This presentation will offer practical recommendations based on experience.

Working Effectively with Law Enforcement: How to Protect the Privacy of Your University Community Without Going to Jail

ckeller — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:07:35 -0500

Podcast: Privacy and Security in Higher Education: Filling the Policy Vacuum

gbayne — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:57:22 -0500

In this hour and ten minute long podcast from the 2007 Seminars on Academic Computing, we hear from Fred H. Cate, Distinguished Professor at the School of Law and Director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, with a speech entitled, Privacy and Security in Higher Education: Filling the Policy Vacuum .

Colleges and universities possess an exceptional volume and variety of personal information. Our stewardship of such information has been inconsistent and inadequate, and we often implement new technologies and systems without considering systemic privacy and security implications. Although many publicly reported security breaches occur on campuses, we have been slow to provide training in privacy and security issues, rarely audit for compliance, and lag far behind industry and government in appointing privacy and security officers. This session will address the information policy challenges facing colleges and universities, today and in the future, and will offer practical steps for overcoming them.

Guidelines for Working with Law Enforcement Agencies

ckeller — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:29:27 -0500

Campus security officers must balance privacy and security issues in dealing with law enforcement agencies as part of their institutions’ legal obligations.

URGENT CALL TO ACTION

hwachs — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:58:58 -0500

Colleagues,

The following call to action has been sent to all EDUCAUSE Primary Reps on behalf of ACE, AAU, NASULGC, and EDUCAUSE. Please help us with IMMEDIATE CALLS or EMAILS, there is no time to waste!

Best regards,

Mark Luker

Vice President

EDUCAUSE

____________________________________________

TO: Institutional Primary Reps

RE: EDUCAUSE Urgent Request

URGENT, ACT TODAY: AMENDMENT HARMFUL TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to ask your help in a matter of urgency to higher education in general and the IT community in particular: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) intends to offer a very harmful amendment, involving illegal file sharing, to the Higher Education Reauthorization Act when the Senate turns to this issue on July 22-23. The amendment can be found at <http://tinyurl.com/2x45d2>. The amendment:

* Makes the Secretary of Education an agent of the entertainment industry;

* Requires the Secretary to take action using data given to her by the entertainment industry that is terribly inaccurate;

* Requires targeted colleges and universities to plan for implementing a "technical solution" to illegal file sharing that does not yet exist for many campus environments;

* Is aimed only at colleges and universities, and NOT other Internet service providers;

* Ignores the fact that the higher education and entertainment communities are working together to develop a mutually acceptable technological solution to illegal file sharing, a process that should be allowed to continue without interference from the Federal government;

* Ignores the fact that the bill already contains a provision that requires all colleges and universities to submit an annual report to the Secretary of Education providing details of the education and enforcement strategies being used on campus to reducing illegal file-sharing; and

* Is yet another attempt by the Federal government to dictate the day-to-day operations of colleges and universities.

It is important that your institution (CEO, government relations official, and yourself) CALL today, not write, your state’s U.S. senators’ staff members for higher education issues and tell them how much higher education opposes this amendment. Please also call Senator Reid’s office (202-224-3542), Senator Edward Kennedy’s office (202-224-4543), and Senator Michael Enzi’s office (202-224-3424). Thank you for your help.

EDUCAUSE will provide you with further information when it is available, but please do not wait to make your calls.

Best regards,

Mark Luker

Vice President

EDUCAUSE

Raucous House Passes Student Aid Bill

ckeller — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:37:23 -0500

The House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday that would slash payments to lenders and use the savings to cut interest rates and increase grant funds for students. Although debate over the budget reconciliation measure devolved into partisan nastiness that evoked the worst of the British Parliament, in the end 47 Republicans joined 226 Democrats to vote for the bill. The 273-149 tally, though, fell short of the margin needed to override President Bush’s threatened veto.

2007 Policy Conference: Year In Review

gbayne — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:59:10 -0500

The 2007 Policy Conference kicked off with a top-ten style list of Policy Issues currently facing higher education. This entertaining and insightful list was compiled and delivered by Tracy Mitrano, Director of IT Policy and Computer Policy and Law Program at Cornell University. What's past is prologue. As we look ahead to the policy questions facing the Internet today and tomorrow, it's useful to recall what we've seen over the past 12 months. This speech, entitled the Year In Review, runs approximately 33 minutes.

Librarians as Change Agents: How You Can Help Influence Public Policy in the 110th Congress

drupal — Thu, 03 May 2007 16:35:34 -0500

The author discusses the leaders of the 110th congress and what library issues that may be see legislative light with this congress.

Explaining the Accreditation Debate

drupal — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:09:47 -0500

"The federal rule making process on accreditation is a central part of the Education Department's strategy for carrying out the recommendations of the Spellings Commission, especially its core conclusion that colleges and universities need to do a much better job measuring and proving that they are successfully educating their students."

EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional Conference 2007. Summary: From Soup to Nuts: Copyright, Social Networking, & Electronic Surveillance

llarsen — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:19:15 -0500

Summary:

Closing General Session

2007 Midwest Regional Conference

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Chicago, Illinois

Title:

From Soup to Nuts: Copyright, Social Networking Technologies, and Electronic Surveillance

Speaker:

Tracy Mitrano

Director of IT Policy and Computer Policy and Law Program
Cornell University

Abstract:

This session will survey a number of current issues of interest to higher education IT such as developments in the digital copyright arena, the present and future of social networking technologies (from the law and policy perspectives), and electronic surveillance five years since the passage of the Patriot Act (from a security-privacy perspective).

Notes:

Tracy Mitrano opened her session with a request that the audience be interactive, ask questions, and do this session “together.”

Law and technology are out of sync with current business models and social norms. Indicators are

The Google Library Project and unresolved fair use questions
Viacom sues You Tube and its parent company Google for 1 billion dollars for unauthorized use of video clips
Peer-to-peer technology use including Bit Torrent – 85% of alleged copyright protected material is transmitted over commodity networks.

Because the protocols are free, it can be said that who ever controls the ‘pipes and content,’ controls the Internet.

Mitrano asks “what is the impact on higher education?

On the academic delivery of content:

Cornell received a pre-litigation letter from the American Association of Publishers regarding e-reserves. The Provost sent two letters to the campus. The result was 70% less use of e-reserve materials. Are e-reserves okay if authentication to the materials is in place? It was deemed that authentication can not be relied upon so new guidelines for electronic course content copyright were written. There is now a ‘Fair Use’ checklist and faculty sign-off with input into the course management system. Faculty must check “agree” that they have done due diligence on the copyright issues.

Mitrano highly recommended reading the Berkman Center white paper “The Digital Learning Challenge: Obstacles to Educational Uses of Copyrighted Material in the Digital Age.” [See http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/media/files/copyrightandeducation.html]

She believes that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) wants to create confusion in their current strategy of sending pre-emptive copyright violation settlement notices to higher education institutions to be redirected to individuals. All the RIAA knows is an IP address and so they can not use a fast track method to sue a specific student. They have to have more specific information before a suit can be filed. EDUCAUSE refused to help RIAA with contact information. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has safe harbor provisions. Most universities are just saying that they are only the conduit and do not need to forward. Now with the pre-emptive settlement letters there is the question of whether to forward or not to forward them. Regarding ‘Preservation’ Notices, Mitrano asks “on the basis of what law rests compliance?” Intellectual property and free speech or fair use? Mitrano recommends the Fair Use Network organization. [see fairusenetwork.org/]

Regarding ‘preservation letters,’ she asks “what must we hold on to for the RIAA?” Cornell provided information to students to lessen the confusion on the settlement letters that were being forwarded. Letter is available online at http://www.cit.cornell.edu/policy/memos/riaa.html.

What’s going on?

We are all waiting on a new business model for recordings. Cary Sherman, RIAA, said the CD was designed to last 10 years. In the meantime have the means become the end? From the patent law playbook she asks if “intellectual property has become the business model instead of the product in the entertainment industry?

Mitrano asks “Why is Higher Education in the bull’s eye of the target when the worst estimate of its percent of possible illegal downloading is only 15% of the total?”

Possibly as an object lesson for commercial ISPs?
Possibly because we aren’t big money people and so no one in the US Congress will defend us?
Possibly because the RIAA is looking for a perceived deep pocket?
Possibly because we actually care about our students and missions and will do what we think best for our students regardless of what we hold the legality of the settlement issues to be?

Social Networking Technologies

Mitrano asked “Who said it?”

“Email is for old people” (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
“Email is for formal communications” (an undergraduate student)
“Email is lame” (Mitrano’s young son)

She then polled the audience with the following questions

Who has a page on Facebook?
Who uses some from of social networking in their work?
Who forbids their children to use one of the social networking technologies?

We have a new web era with a new dynamic use of Internet. In this context, we have the new social technologies. Web 2.0, Facebook, YouTube, and others. In a Pew study on the Internet and American life, it was noted that 55% of today’s teens have created a personal space using one of the new social networks. Mitrano shared statistics from the study noting that 48% of teens surveyed visit a social networking site one or more times a day. Most use social networking sites to stay in touch with their friends – both the ones they see frequently and the ones they see rarely and most often they use it to make social plans.

Mitrano recommends "Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation," by Neil Howe and William Strauss as a balance to the previously published “Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled and More Miserable Than Ever Before” by Jean M. Twenge. Is there a culture of narcissism in the “me generation?” Or is the next generation of young people more optimistic and civic-minded? She noted that next generations have been labeled narcissistic in the past and suggested that what is interesting is how technology is being woven into these ongoing debates.

The major issues and “fuss” as Mitrano suggested is that criminals push the technological envelope and noted situations with pedophiles and MySpace. There is a focus on pornography hence the “Child Online Privacy Protection Act.” Criminals will use the law to their own advantage and look for vulnerable children. We must learn and keep in touch with our children over these new technologies.

Mitrano asked “what is it about a computer that lowers inhibitions?”

Absence of physical social cues that conspire to keep behavior in check
Deeply personal relationship with computers, not unlike an analyst relationship
Human computer interaction for those with impulsive behavior creates more excitement for them

She asks if these are reasons to make the technology illegal. If approved, House Resolution 5319 would render all social networking technologies illegal.

Mitrano notes that Facebook was originally set to the .edu domain. However, early press reports of debauched and crude behavior, as well as illegal activity such as underage drinking, and uncivil discourse led to its removal from the .edu domain.

Cornell has created “Thoughts on Facebook” which covers physical safety and personal privacy, marketability and branding, the new architecture for social and technological networking, and appropriate use and privacy policy.

Law and Policy

Mitrano’s Law examples were the Communications Decency Act and individual liability in privacy suits and Policy examples were

Should we prohibit social networking technologies?
Select groups and higher standards of use
Speech codes, free speech and citizenship
Education for appropriate if not propitious use
Institutional transparency: Admissions, Judicial administration, Student life, Campus police?

She was clear that we must be transparent about our uses of these social networking sites and that it is critical that we think seriously about our uses of these technologies NOW!

Uses for higher education may include:

Cool tool for alumni and development

Replacement of course management systems

Electronic mail communications – go where the students are – which is also a user-friendly environment.

Mitrano reviewed electronic surveillance starting with the Electronic Communication Privacy Act [ECPA] of 1986 which was the updated wiretapping act that collapsed telephony and data networking technologies. It had always had a content / conversational component aligned with Fourth Amendment where jurisprudence included as content the “probable cause of criminal activity” and the conversational detail that was “easy access with a subpoena. The problem here is that different technologies offer different content.

The USA Patriot Act was passed October 2001 and renewed in 2006. It was amended to lower the threshold by which law enforcement can get conversational detail.

The standard for content of communications remains the same under the ECPA and FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] and that is “probable cause for criminal or terrorist activity.”

Problems have arisen with improper use of these Acts. There is no central clearinghouse or database for requests and there is no one providing appropriate oversight for there use.

Mitrano suggested that this has meant inaccurate reporting to Congress, no clarity on how many letters have been issued, where the records are for any of the requests or responses, and what has actually been done with them regarding criminal investigations.

She continued that this is not what our founding forefathers intended to be the case of powers in the federal government and we are “out of balance” with what was designed.

Her conclusion was that the IT community can be proud of the ways we have transformed higher education with information technologies to date and we need to be ever diligent to continue think strategically about our continuing role in higher education.

Going a step further she said that Higher Education itself needs to play a leadership role as the dynamic relationships between law, technology, social norms, and the new global marketplace are considered.

The slides for this presentation are available from the Cornell IT Policy Office [http://www.cit.cornell.edu/oit/PolicyOffice.html]

at http://www.cit.cornell.edu/policy/midwestern.2007.ppt

EDUCAUSE2006 Podcast: Policing the Internet

Carie417 — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 23:14:43 -0500

In this 48-minute recording from the 2006 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, we'll hear from Rodney Petersen and Wendy Wigen in a session entitled Policing the Internet: Higher Education Law and Policy. They discuss recent government initiatives and emerging legal and policy issues in higher education, such as the USA PATRIOT Act, CALEA, and the European Union Data Directive.

EDUCAUSE Enterprise Conference 2007 Takes a Broad Look at IT's Role in the Institution

cluckett — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:35:18 -0600

The 2007 Enterprise Conference—a small, specialized event for leaders and managers of administrative and enterprise IT in higher education—will be held May 23–24, in Chicago, Illinois. View the program and register by April 25 to save money with low, early-bird rates.

The conference will focus on the following topic areas:

Challenges Where IT Can Make a Difference
Project and Change Management/Centralized Services
Security/Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity
Running the Organization
Policy and Governance

View the list of speakers, who will address pertinent topics such as data privacy in higher education, the changing role of enterprise systems, federated identity management, assessment and accreditation challenges, and disaster recovery planning in breakout and plenary sessions.

Browse EDUCAUSE resources on Disaster Recovery Planning, Security Management, IT Governance, and Change Management.

Network Policy Council Meeting

drupal — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:47:20 -0600

Presentation of the NPC Year in Review

Federal IT Policy: Higher Education and the New Congress

drupal — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:47:18 -0600

IT policy issues, once the province of campus IT leaders, now demand an increasing share of attention across the entire campus executive leadership. As IT becomes a critical, core service of campus operations and a central feature of strategic plans, it must rise to the level of boardroom discussions. Hear how the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE, and other higher education associations collaboratively create and share a "higher education position" on pressing issues such as network neutrality, CALEA, and P2P file sharing with campus and government leaders. This session will also include a preview of the 2007 Congress and expected legislation.

Security Professionals Conference to Focus on Security and Privacy Compliance, Planning, and Trends in Higher Ed

cluckett — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:16:13 -0600

Ira Winkler, author of Spies Among Us and president of the Internet Security Advisors Group, and Pamela Fusco, head of Global Information Security at Citigroup, will present keynote sessions at the 2007 Security Professionals Conference, April 10–12 in Denver, Colorado.
The conference program will cover these topic areas, with a focus on higher education:

Forensics and Incident Handling
Policy, Law, and Compliance
Security Management and Operations--Effective Practices
Security Management and Operations--Strategic Planning
Technology Solutions--Emerging Trends
Technology Solutions--Sensitive Data Protection
Vendors and Partners of IT Products and Services

In-depth, half-day preconference seminars will spotlight operations planning, mobile device security, establishing an information security program, security and privacy compliance, and developing a disaster recovery plan, among others. The postconference seminar will focus on awareness and training for security compliance. Register by March 19 to save money with low, early-bird rates.

For more information, peruse security-related resources at the EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force Web site.

Balancing Privacy and Security in Times of Cyberterror

drupal — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:15:37 -0600

Some 230 years ago, Patrick Henry aid, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Kansas Senator Patrick Roberts recently said, "You have no civil liberties if you're dead." This contrast outlines a national debate coming soon to you. Technology has helped create a robust surveillance society wherein we must choose how much privacy we're willing to sacrifice for security. This thoughtful session will discuss these choices and define privacy and security.

CALEA Update: Higher Ed Reporting Due Dates Announced

lgesner — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 17:55:55 -0600

Due dates for the two reports that must be filed by higher education institutions that must comply with CALEA (the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act) have now been announced. One report is due on February 12, and the other on March 12. EDUCAUSE has updated its CALEA resource page to describe the reports and provide additional information for those who must file, using attorney Matthew A. Brill, who has consulted on this issue for higher education, for expert advice.

It is important to note that not all institutions must file these reports. In fact, according to the earlier recommendations of ACE and EDUCAUSE most institutions do NOT have to comply with CALEA, and do NOT need to file the reports. EDUCAUSE suggests that member institutions’ primary representatives notify their presidents of this situation, since it is not recommended that an institution file the reports unless it in fact must comply with CALEA. For further information on the CALEA resource page.

The 110th Congress: An Eye to the Past and the Future

drupal — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 16:28:34 -0600

The author reviews the legislative efforts of the 110th congress while keeping an eye on the future.

An Interview with David Rosenthal

mpasiewicz — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 13:54:25 -0600

In this 22 minute recording, we'll hear from Stanford University's David Rosenthal. Listen in as he shares some thoughts on the evolution of LOCKSS, the viral properties of commercial licenses and much more.

This interview is provided courtesy of CNI and was recorded at their 2006 Fall Task Force Meeting. The Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) is an organization dedicated to supporting the transformative promise of networked information technology for the advancement of scholarly communication and the enrichment of intellectual productivity. You can learn more about CNI at their web site, http://www.cni.org

Right Under Her Nose?

drupal — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:18:00 -0600

"Margaret Spellings says higher ed must change because parentscan't find basic information. What if it exists -- often on herown Web site?"

IT Policy in Higher Education: Now a Presidential Concern

drupal — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:56:51 -0500

IT policy issues, once the province of the campus IT leaders, now demand an increasing share of attention across the entire campus executive leadership. As IT becomes a critical, core service of campus operations and a central feature of strategic plans, it must rise to the level of boardroom discussions. Hear how the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE, and other higher education associations work together to create and share a "higher education position" on pressing issues such as network neutrality, CALEA, and P2P file sharing with campus and government leaders.

Policing the Internet: Higher Education Law and Policy

drupal — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:56:49 -0500

The government is increasingly looking to Internet service providers, including colleges and universities, as a source of communications data to aid in the investigation and prosecution of illegal behavior. Recent government initiatives include the USA PATRIOT Act, CALEA, and European Union Data Directive. This session will explore emerging legal and policy issues for higher education as Internet access and content providers.