FTC Meeting February 19, 2015

 

Guests:  Cristina Joy, Barry Schaudt and Scott Cann

 

S. Cann – 4 items

1.  Google – Core v. non-Core Google

2.  MyFiles questions

3.  Browsing security

4.  Update on Yosemite

 

1.  Google apps –new features come quickly and ITS may have them only as fast as we do. 

á      Google Inbox invitation – brand new interface for gmail; not in the .edu space.  Use now only in personal accounts. 

á      Google Drive – edits can now be done directly in Drive. 

á      Unlimited storage now in Google – 30GB limit gone – unlimited up to individual file sizes in terabyte range.  Student accounts, too. 

 

Core services v. non-Core – Core are those Google services designated as subject to the basic contract with Google.

 

Now:

á      Core - Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Groups,

á      Non-Core - Google+, YouTube, Classroom, Blogger, Books, Scholar, Maps, etc.

 

NYU website explains their choices – non-Core = ÒconsumerÓ

Union College website especially good display.

Use of non-Core does not void contractual restrictions for anything in the Core space.  Data mining, for example.  But this has been supposedly off (by contract) for everything in the .edu space. 

Question.  Personal account or BC gmail account (non-Core) for YouTube and the like?  S. Cann.  Best practice to keep it all outside your personal account.  Consumer space more vulnerable than .edu space.

Question.  Core subject to additions?  In particular, Google Scholar as Core?  Google ÒhangoutsÓ moved from Core to non-Core recently.   There is a ÒChrome boxÓ.

Question.  Google Drive.  Does it have the same security considerations as DropBox?  Answer.  in future encryption will soon allow location of  admin info on Drive.  Advice is to move from personal Dropbox to Google Drive (encrypted) because of MyFiles phaseout (item 2 next).

 

Faculty (FTCs) encouraged to poll colleagues about Core/non-Core.

 

2.  MyFiles phase out (sunset) into Google Drive – Cloudlock allows us to encrypt already existing files.  ÒIdentity FinderÓ is the software that crawls through our machines;  Cloudlock can do the same thing .  ÒData Loss PreventionÓ – minimally intrusive – not like Identity Finder or Altiris which are installed on machines.  Useful for ÒKey escrowÓ access to sensitive date in strictly limited situations – functionality to recover password that are forgotten and recovering data in situations where an employee is leaving; court orders.  One year from December, 2015.   In testing stage - some volunteers needed (next few months).

 

3.  Security awareness advice from David Escalante (as reported by S. Cann)

Use most recent versions of browsers

No ads

DonÕt save form data or passwords (see below on ÒautofillÓ)

 

Consult the Browser extensions that come with individual browsers:  Web of Trust , Ghostery, AdBlockPlus (in combo they Òwipe out all the adsÓ according to B. Schaudt) – alerts about malicious code, etc.  ÒLittle SnitchÓ – firewall management program – alerts and stoppages can be set up, for those want to know what is going on Òunder the hoodÓ, but costs $35.

 

4.  Yosemite Update – Bricking problem we began discussing in October remains a concern. But new BC image does not have this file so that new machines are fine.  ITS and TCs still not recommending Yosemite yet nonetheless:  Issues with Sofos, Altiris, MatLab and a few other things are not working.   MATLAB 2014B with a new machine will still work, but wait all the same before upgrading to Yosemite. 

 

Joys and Woes

 

Question. K. Baden.   Yosemite will not run Adobe products that are pre-Cloud.  Java apps cause problems – CS6 just asked for Java in order to open it.  Answer.  Probably true. 

 

Question.  M. Resler.  Should we clear auto fill?  Answer.  Do not activate auto-fill.  Each browser can clear completely.  Shift-Delete can be used to clear them separately. 

 

Question.  M. Connolly.  Forms for sabbatical leaves, etc – ill-designed white forms.  Board of Chairs needs them replaced/changed.  Urban legend that originally this was a homegrown product purchased by the ProvostÕs office.   Also travel expense reports.  And FAR (Faculty Annual Report software) also added to a list of problematic software.  All are outside ITS, but faculty could use help.  S. Cann indicated if ITS could help Athletic Department with stadium lighting, they can help the faculty with forms and FAR.

 

Faculty Annual Reports.  S. Hesse-Biber  – her department (Sociology) invited administration rep (unnamed) to find out what they (ProvostÕs office) actually looked at from the FAR.  The department created a cheat sheet to prioritize what all should submit based on their findings.  

 

FAR is a private vendor product that collects too much information.  Used by chairs for determining increments nonetheless.  K. Kidd (Library) reports FAR are used by the Library to discover new publications and the software sends all too much additional FAR information.  

 

Announcement

 

C. Joy – Technology Newsletter coming out (C. OÕConnorÕs work).  ATIGs  explained as well as Grants for Mediakron Projects.  Mediakron.org is a place to look at Mediakron samples.  Newsletter this week and bc.edu/atab.   Email with Newsletter will go to all faculty – from eLearning.  

 

Adjourned 5:05 pm.