The EDUCAUSE Current Issues Committee, whose members review and recommend the set of IT issues to be presented each year, conducted a Web-based survey in December 2005 to identify the five of thirty-one IT issues in each of four areas: (1) issues that are critical for strategic success; (2) issues that are expected to increase in significance; (3)…

Incorrect access to Web site addresses and spam e-mails are continuing to make pornography rampant on the Internet at schools, homes and libraries. Collectively, parents, teachers and members of communities must become more aware of the risks and consequences of open access to the Internet, and the distinction between censorship and Internet…

Distance education has become an expectation with students who have grown up with technology as well as nontraditional and working students. Most universities now offer a wide range of online courses and degree programs to meet these needs. Online delivery of technology courses, however, has been problematic when the course includes very complex…

This article profiles the winners of this year's competition for outstanding technology innovation on US college and university campuses. The winners are: (1) Rice University, Texas (virtualized networks); (2) Drexel University, Pennsylvania (rich media); (3) Harvard Business School, Massachusetts (network management); (4) Louisiana State…

Students' attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of unlicensed software are important to educators and businesses. Students have a proven propensity to pirate software and other intellectual property. By understanding how attitudes and perceptions toward software piracy differ among university students in a cross-national context, educators…

For the last year the authors have been gathering examples of how perceived "threats of security" are hampering the integration of technology in teaching and learning. They hope that educators will examine both the challenges of increased security demands and ways in which security might enhance, rather than detract from, the use of technology for…

Securing public access workstations should be a significant part of any library's network and information-security strategy because of the sensitive information patrons enter on these workstations. As the IT manager for the Johnson County Library in Kansas City, Kan., this author is challenged to make sure that thousands of patrons get the access…

This document is a printed copy of the Web site written to educate Internet users about potential risks associated with communication over the Internet, and to suggest precautions to reduce those risks. An Introduction highlights why users should care about privacy on the Internet, activities that can reveal personal information to others, and…

The purpose of this paper is to enumerate a series of security steps that might be taken by those researchers or organizations that are contemplating Web-based tests and performance assessments. From a security viewpoint, much of what goes on with Web-based transactions is similar to other general computer activity, but the recommendations here…

Stop.Think.Connect. is a national public awareness campaign aimed at increasing the understanding of cyber threats and empowering the American public to be safer and more secure online. The Campaign's main objective is to help individuals become more aware of growing cyber threats and arm them with the tools to protect themselves, their families,…

An abbreviated version of a longer policy document on electronic commerce released by the Clinton Administration, this article examines principles and recommendations on tariffs, taxes, electronic payment systems, uniform commercial code for electronic commerce, intellectual property protection, privacy, security, telecommunications infrastructure…

Presents the first part of an interview with Vinton Cerf, senior vice president of data architecture for MCI Engineering, on the growth and future of the Internet. Topics include: pornography; commercialization; security; government role; content found on the Internet; and convergence of technologies. (DGM)

Explains how to keep library systems healthy and functioning by taking sensible security measures. Examines why hackers would target library systems and how library systems are compromised. Describes tools that can help, including: firewalls; antivirus software; alarms; network analysis tools; and encryption. Identifies several strategies for…

Describes spyware, discusses how it gets on a computer. Explains how spyware can be useful for parents, employers, and libraries. Discusses how spyware is more often used for others' gain or for surveillance without notification, how it can go undetected, and how libraries can help keep computers and patrons protected from remote installation of…

Describes how campus administrators are scrambling to follow federal rules that force colleges to comply with a law, the Financial Services Modernization Act, requiring that personal data be protected from computer mishaps. (EV)