IT = Information Technology

Welcome to the first edition of IT Happens!

This newsletter is published monthly (hopefully) to keep everyone up-to-date on the Office of Information Technology. Information Technology is a valuable resource everywhere on campus. In each issue we will discuss current issues, security awareness, copyright issues, new and emerging technologies, FAQ’s and lots of other topics. We would request that topics you would like to see covered and/or comments be sent to mailto:slh4q@uvawise.edu.

Quote of the Month:

If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.

Henry Ford, (attributed)
US automobile industrialist (1863 - 1947)

This quote is from http://www.quotationspage.com/

Did you know...?

Did you know that when you fill in a form on-line that is not using a secure site, i.e. doesn’t have https:\\xxxx in the address line and/or the padlock in the status portion of the page, that your information is being sent clear text? Basically, this means that anyone that intercepts that transmission or a copy of that transmission can read the contents. The same is also true of e-mails. Only e-mails which have been encrypted are relatively safe from prying eyes. Therefore, special considerations should be taken when transmitting confidential and/or sensitive data.

That having been said…

Please see www.uvawise.edu/oit/security/awareness.html

particularly the section on sending Secure E-mails.

This section of the web page also contains important tips and information on how to make your on-line experience safer and thus more satisfactory. There are helpful hints for creating good easy to remember passwords, tips for securing your computer, and easy to follow guidelines for being a good Internet neighbor.

Risk Management Don’t be caught out on a limb. UVa has issued a directive that all departments including the College at Wise

must complete the Information Technology Security Risk Management Program. We are working diligently with all departments on campus to complete these reports. During the process we work with each department to identify assets, threats, mitigation measures and safeguards to help reduce the impact a disaster could have on each department and the College as a whole. Everyone’s support and assistance is very much appreciated during this process.

A Word from our Director

(Interim – Sheila Combs)

The Search Committee for the Vice Chancellor of Information Technology at the College, formerly the Director of Information Technology, has met and reviewed applications. Gary Juhan is chairing the committee. Sheila Combs, Joe Kiser, Marcia Quensenberry, and Jacob Somervell are serving on the committee. There are 46 applications received to date from candidates from across the U.S. and other countries. Telephone interviews are scheduled for Monday 10/16/06. Eight candidates have been scheduled. The purpose for the interviews will be to determine which candidates to bring to campus for consideration. You will receive more information about the candidates and their campus visits as the search process continues.

Does FERPA Apply to Me?

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) restricts access and release of student information. Full information on the College’s FERPA-related policies can be found at http://www.uvawise.edu/registrar/privacy.html.

The College may disclose personally-identifiable information designated as directory information from a student's education records without prior consent, unless the student informs the Office of the College Registrar in writing that directory information should not be released without written consent. This certification does not preclude the verification of degrees awarded. Directory information consists of:

• student name
• home and school addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail address
• year of birth
• country of citizenship
• major(s)
• school of enrollment
• full or part-time status
• year in school
• participation in officially-recognized activities and sports
• dates of attendance
• degrees, honors, scholarships, and awards received
• most recent previous educational institution attended
• names of parents or guardians
• and weight and height of members of athletic teams.

All other information not specifically listed, including but not limited to SSN’s, grades, courses, days and times of course meetings, withdrawals, suspension, and month and day of birth, cannot be disclosed without the student’s permission. Such information needs to be protected not only from external release, but also protected from access by those within the College who do not have an authorized, job-related need to see it.

Good Citizenship in the Internet Community

As more than one writer has observed, the Internet isn't a thing; it is neither an entity nor an organization; it isn't owned or run by anyone. It is a world of a million publishers with some of the characteristics of a frontier. The only code of behavior on that frontier is one that demands individual responsibility and accountability and that rewards those attributes with rational self-government, albeit quite limited in scope. The College provides Internet access to its students and employees with the expectation that they be good, responsible, accountable Internet citizens. But, what does that mean in practical terms? The answer to this and other questions can be found by visiting http://www.uvawise.edu/oit.

Copyrights, how do they apply to you?

• If you reproduce, republish or redistribute something produced by someone else without the copyright holder’s permission, there’s a good chance that you are violating copyright law.
• Copyright is granted automatically. Registration and notice are recommended but no longer generally required by U. S. law.
• Publicly available information such as material posted on the Internet is not necessarily free from copyright protection. Registration is required prior to filing suit for infringement.
• Copyright infringement can result in court-ordered damages ranging from $250 to $150,000, plus attorney’s fees, for each act of infringement. If the infringement is considered “criminal copyright infringement,” it can result in fines and jail time.
• The Copyright Act includes specific provisions for the use of copyright-protected materials by academic institutions.

This information was taken with permission from http://www.copyright.com/. For further information on this and any other copyright issue including steps to acquire permission from the copyright holder visit http://www.copyright.com/.