Friday, July 26, 2002

Congress Increases Funds for Network-Security Scholarships by $19.3-Million By DAN CARNEVALE Washington Congress has approved spending an additional $19.3-million for a scholarship program and ALSO SEE: Senate Bill Would Increase NSF's Spending for Technology Research other measures to help students learn to operate and protect computer networks. The additional money is part of a supplemental-appropriations bill for the fiscal year 2002 that was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday. It is expected to be signed by President Bush. The scholarship program, called Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service, is run by the National Science Foundation. It had already received $11.2-million in appropriations for 2002. The additional money from the supplemental appropriation brings the total to $30.5-million. Some of the money will go directly to the participating institutions to help develop their technology-education programs and to hire more faculty members. With technology experts warning that computer networks may be vulnerable to outside attacks, Congress has been looking for ways to protect the networks from hackers and terrorists. The House has already passed another bill, HR 3394, to pay for more cybersecurity research, and that measure is now under consideration by the Senate as bill number S 2182. In addition to securing computer networks from outside attack, students who participate in the scholarship program will also learn to make sure no internal bugs disrupt a system. "It's like utilities," said Norman L. Fortenberry, acting division director for undergraduate education at the National Science Foundation. "It's making sure that when you flip the switch, the power is there." Because dams and electric-power grids are controlled by computers, Mr. Fortenberry said, workers need extra training to maintain these systems. "You want some people to keep an eye on this stuff," he said. Students who receive the scholarships are required to study computer networks at certified institutions, participate in an internship at a federal agency, and then work at a government agency for an additional two years after graduation. Students who fail to meet the requirements will have to pay back the scholarship money. So far, about 300 students are participating in the program. They are enrolled in 11 institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Tulsa. The universities apply to the NSF for the right to set up the scholarship programs, and also decide which students get the awards. Background articles from The Chronicle: More Research and Planning Needed to Bolster Homeland Defense, Advisory Council Says (6/26/2002) Higher-Education Organizations Plan a Coordinated Approach to Network Security (4/18/2002) The Growing Vulnerability of Campus Networks (3/15/2002) U.S. Spending on Bioterrorism Studies and Computer Security Is Set to Soar (11/30/2001) Congress Is Urged to Spend More on Research to Fight Cyberterrorism (11/9/2001) Colleges Struggle to Train Experts in Protecting Computer Systems (3/24/2000) Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

Princeton admissions official breaks into Yale admissions site U.S. Senate committee approves spending boosts for AmeriCorps and NSF 3 freshmen sue U. of North Carolina over assigned reading about Koran Florida Memorial College fires 2 workers and expels 3 students amid grade-changing inquiry Congress increases funds for network-security scholarships by $19.3-million Law student sues Web-filtering company in a challenge to Millennium Copyright Act Senate bill would increase NSF's spending for technology research