Keeping IT safe

Updated 11:00 AM September 9, 2004

Keeping IT safe

By Kevin Bergquist

In an effort to coordinate University-wide information technology (IT) security and safety, and to develop appropriate policies and standards, several departments have collaborated to create the IT Security Council and IT Security Services Office.

The council, appointed by Provost Paul N. Courant, comprises deans, faculty, administrators and IT systems administrators across all three campuses and the Health System. The council will ensure that policies, practices and standards exist that will provide safeguards to secure the IT systems and data collected by the University, says James Hilton, associate provost for academic, information and instructional technology affairs.

"Information technology security is a critical issue for the U-M community; together we must find ways to navigate security issues so that we balance our desire for openness with our need for protection," says Hilton, who chairs the council.

"The establishment of both the Security Council and the Security Services Office represent important steps the University community is taking to maintain a safe and secure environment for teaching, learning, research and administrative activities at U-M."

The council will advise Courant; Dr. Robert Kelch, executive vice president for medical affairs; and Tim Slottow, executive vice president and chief financial officer, on issues that affect the security of information systems and/or data used by students, faculty and staff, Hilton says. The council also will serve as a governance board for the IT Security Services Office.

Paul Howell has been appointed chief IT security officer and will oversee the Security Services Office. He previously coordinated security for the Michigan Administrative Information Services (MAIS).

The office will facilitate campus-wide IT security efforts and incident response; provide proactive campus services, such as security assessments and consultation, network scans, education and training. It also will manage IT security issues at the University level, says Laura Patterson, associate vice president of MAIS, who will oversee the office.

"The new Security Services Office will collaborate with units to develop a University-wide security strategy and to implement best practice security efforts in all areas of the University, including the Health System and the Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn campuses," Patterson says. "The establishment of this new organization is the result of various University units working together through the IT Commons to make this endeavor a reality."

Keeping IT safe

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