A Few Words
From Gerald Heeger, President

Gerald Heeger

For the past several years, UMUC’s expertise in information technology and our history of serving the U.S. military have been converging. We are called upon more frequently to take the lead on distance education initiatives that will reach an increasing number of students involved in all aspects of security—ranging from fire service to naval operations/ national security, and air/strategic space studies. Our efforts to tailor distinct graduate degree programs for officers at military staff command colleges have been remarkable, and of course recognition by the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2002, designating UMUC a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, has served us well.

In the past year, two national conferences on information assurance were held at our Inn and Conference Center, the most recent being the Federal Information Systems Security Educators’ Association meeting early this month.

Now, recognizing UMUC’s particular command in delivering critical education in information assurance online, the NSA has awarded the University monies to expand our information assurance programs to reach U.S. military personnel worldwide as service members consider careers in information assurance, thus fulfilling an expressed need of the Department of Defense. The award also will enable us to strengthen our relationship with National Defense University and to train faculty at other centers of academic excellence nationwide to become qualified to teach information assurance online.

Because of the University’s increasing significance in security matters, we will establish a security studies laboratory at UMUC in the coming months to focus attention in security subjects. The laboratory’s purpose will range from grant proposal and contract administration to faculty development, research, and training, as well as management of security resources—with contributions from the public and private sectors—to maximize use of these resources by UMUC students worldwide.

This entire issue of FYI Online is devoted to the University’s attention to information assurance and homeland security, including insights from UMUC alumnus Thomas J. Lockwood, deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security in Maryland.

Thank you to the many UMUC faculty and staff who have devoted countless hours to the quality of our information assurance and security programs, and congratulations for helping to raise the University to this national prominence.