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Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes for September 8, 2003

A meeting of the University Information Technology Advisory Committee was called to order at 3:00 p.m. on September 8, 2003 in the 4th floor conference room of Cabell Library. Dr. Lynn Nelson, co-chair, presided. Members present were Ms. Fran Smith, Dr. James Shultz, Dr. Robert Mattauch, Ms. Veronica Shuford, Mr. Suresh Joel, Dr. Phyllis Self, Mr. John Ulmschneider, and Mr. Mark Willis. Dr. Henry Rozycki, Dr. Dianne Simons, and Mr. Carl Gattuso were absent. Mr. David Litton, Director of Information Technology, VCU Health Systems, attended for Mr. Gattuso. Mr. Clyde Laushey, Information Security Officer, also attended.

Dr. Nelson advised the Committee that he would chair the first four meetings (September through December) and Dr. Shultz would chair the meetings after that.

Mr. Suresh Joel, the new student representative, was introduced and welcomed to the committee.

I. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM AUGUST 11, 2003

Minutes were approved as prepared. Dr. Nelson stated that he did not attend the August 11 meeting but the minutes did not reflect that. The August 11 minutes will be corrected to show that Dr. Nelson was absent.

II. COMMITTEE SCHEDULE FOR 2003-2004: MEETING TIMES AND LOCATIONS

Ms. Barbie advised the committee that the meeting date “feedback form” generated only a few possible days and times for the group to meet (the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Mondays at 3:00 pm; the 3rd and 4th Tuesdays at 3:00 pm, or the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 3:00 pm). After some discussion, a motion was made and seconded that the committee would meet on the 4th Thursday of each month at 3:00 pm. The motion passed unanimously.

III. COMMITTEE GOALS/WORKPLAN FOR 2003-2004

Dr. Self, Mr. Ulmschneider, and Mr. Willis met recently to discuss UITAC goals and workplan for this year. An IT Strategic Plan has not been formally developed and should be a high priority for the upcoming year. All the policy issues that are currently being reviewed by the committee need to be taken care of. The committee was asked for input about areas they would like to become involved with.

Dr. Smith asked if anything had been done to bring someone in from WebAIM to discuss website accessibility issues. WebAIM is one of the leading organizations providing research and training on web accessibility. Dr. Self stated there had not been much support for the idea. Ms. Smith feels it should be pursued. She passed around a copy of the South Dakota Board of Regents Policy Manual (Revised 9/03/03) on Web Site Accessibility. Ms. Barbie will copy and distribute it to the committee members, along with other policies about the subject. Mr. Ulmschneider said he would route a copy to the Equity & Diversity Committee and the ADA committee.

A decision was made to forward this information to ATFAC (Academic Technology Faculty Advisory Committee) for their review and development. UITAC would revisit the issue after looking at their proposals. Dr. Self suggested that Ms. Smith might want to attend an ATFAC meeting to discuss this issue.

IV. ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY VISIONING RETREAT

Dr. Self distributed a flyer and asked committee members to join Academic Technology on October 15, 2003, at a Visioning Retreat with national, state and VCU leaders to explore opportunities and to design VCU’s roadmap for the future use of technology instruction. This topic will be examined from the faculty, student and administrator points of view. The keynote speaker is David Brown, Dean of International Center for Computer Enhanced Learning at Wake Forest University. The agenda will be sent out when it is finalized.

V. UPDATE ON BLASTER/WELCHIA/SOBIG SITUATION

Mr. Willis reported that VCU (and other organizations) have been inundated with computer worms and viruses this fall. It is requiring a major effort on the part of the staff to keep up with them. “Blaster” came in through an open port in the network. Although our firewall is protected from attacks from the outside, this was likely brought in on a laptop and spread from the inside. SoBig hit a couple of days later and spread so fast that we did not have the definition on our anti-virus software. E-mail was getting through even though it had the virus. Six million emails have come into the University in about 3 ½ weeks, and 1.4 million (25%) had viruses attached to them. About 1.5 million e-mails have been blocked. New procedures have been developed to help mitigate problems when the next virus hits. Mr. Clyde Laushey, the University’s Information Security Officer, was in attendance to share that information with the committee.

VI. PROPOSED E-MAIL/NETWORK SECURITY ACTIONS

Mr. Laushey stated that three task forces have been formed to develop procedures for responding to IT security incidents:
1. A strategy group
2. A communications group
3. A deployment group – staff who will actually go out and try to repair the damage

The task forces will look at the division of duties, develop tools, communications, and strategies for dealing with future incidents. The group has until October 1 to come back to the committee with a plan and suggestions.

The e-mail security attacks have had a huge impact on the University. There is a definite need for an improved process and better communication. A number of recommendations have been made which include blocking e-mails that have a virus attached, quarantining the virus but sending the e-mail, not connecting a student’s PC until the proper anti-virus software is installed, blocking “executable” files, requiring all e-mail to come in through the virus scanner, etc. Another recommendation would require all workstations connected to the network to be registered which allow staff to identify the location of machines that have become infected.

Additional recommendations that have been coming forward include establishing PC security training for faculty, staff and users and creating a “Top 10” list of good computing habits and disconnecting users who do not follow the standards.

VII. DMCA TRACKING SOFTWARE

Mr. Jim Yucha, Director of Web Support, joined the meeting to make a presentation on a system developed by his department that will track DMCA infringements from the time they occur until resolution. The incident report is sent to Dr. Self via e-mail, and it is then relayed to Mr. Yucha who initiates the tracking process by entering the information into a database. Once the form is sent to VCUnet, the user will be disconnected. The use of this system will save a great deal of time because everything pertaining to the infringement is in one location.

Incoming students have gotten an information packet about DMCA violations and how they will be handled. Faculty and students need to be educated about this subject as well.

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

David Litton, Director of Information Technology for Health Systems, stated that Mr. Gattuso had asked him to attend UITAC meetings on his behalf.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:30 pm.