| Volume 6 Issue 1 | Fall 2013 |
The Quarterly Newsletter by geeks for geeks could certainly use your help in providing fresh, new articles!
The CIS program, under the direction of Henry Felch, is building a virtualization lab to allow online students access to the same platform as the classroom students enabling them to complete the hands-on lab activities that are assigned in various CIS classes.
During the summer, Devon Parsons, a student intern mentored by Professor Felch, created the physical part of the lab machines with vulnerabilities, servers, and workstations with varying levels of patches. This will be used by the ISS320 Vulnerability Management class starting in January 2014. The physical lab is located in the back storage room of STC 246.
The department has also purchased a cart with 10 laptops to be used in the security classes. The laptops will contain the applications necessary to conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration testing of networks and systems. Many of these tools are considered hacking tools and thus had to be isolated from the rest of the campus network.
The fall students started to use the virtualization lab to replicate the physical environment. The virtual machines are being used in the CIS240 Networking Concepts class to introduce students to the use of virtual computers and to identify and correct any issues that arise with virtualization. We are currently working on expanding the infrastructure to handle the demands of the security course that will rely heavily upon virtualization so that students will have experience working with security tools rather than just reading about how they work. The overall goal of the virtualization project is to allow CIS students to gain hands-on experience even at a distance. Many classes require students to purchase expensive labs provided by publishers. Once the virtualization is working at full capacity, it should reduce student costs as they can use CIS resources rather than buy a subscription to online labs. In the future, students that are unable to attend class will have the same opportunity to perform hands-on lab work as students that attend class.
SAVE the DATE
Wednesday, November 20, has been selected as the date for the
Fall 2013 Project Login Reception in Augusta from 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Some of you may remember the Project Login Reception from last year. All students enrolled in the Computer Information Systems program are given an opportunity to join information technology business leaders, such as Cianbro, Unum, WEX, Dead River, and Tyler Technologies, to learn more about technology careers, prospective job openings in their organizations, and opportunities to participate in paid internships. Even if you are not graduating this spring, you will want to attend this exciting networking event and meet some of Maine’s leading IT professionals.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW!
2012-2013 Meritorious Achievement Award
For the College of Professional Studies
The CIS department is proud of our Program Coordinator, Diana Kokoska, for receiving the 2013 Meritorious Achievement award for the College of Professional Studies. Only one member of the faculty from each of the two colleges is recognized annually in this way.
Provost, Dr. Joseph Szakas, who is himself a former Program Coordinator for CIS, captured the essence of being around Diana in his delivery of this award:
Anyone who knows Diana Kokoska, recognizes her as not only a person with incredible energy and enthusiasm, but also one who works tirelessly on behalf of her students. In her own words, Diana says ‘I believe that an instructor must establish positive working relationships with students, staff, faculty, administrators, and the college community as it is only when all contributing facets unite that a positive academic experience is realized.
Diana has taught at least 15 different courses at UMA since her arrival in 1999, most of which she developed; she has chaired three CIS search committees in recent years, serves as the CIS coordinator, and has written (or is writing) several academic textbooks on CIS topics.
Diana has also been a critical member of the Project Login initiative for the UM System, and has placed many CIS students in internships throughout the state – most of which have earned those interns full-time job offers. She is never too busy to support students or colleagues with computer assistance and has shared her template for an e-portfolio with the university community.
For her many achievements, UMA awards the 2013 Meritorious Achievement Award for the College of Professional Studies to Diana Kokoska. Congratulations! "
The faculty and students in CIS add their congratulations. Well done, Diana!
Contributed by Professor Larry Whitsel
CELEBRATION OF CIS RISING SCHOLARS
For the Computer Information Systems program, a major highlight of the annual UMA Convocation is the celebration of the Rising Scholars. At this year's annual event, celebrated on September 20, the CIS faculty recognized six current students who now join the elite group of CIS students who received this recognition last year.
Not all Rising Scholar recipients were available for the picture.
Please join us as as we applaud the following group of students:
- Alexander Webster
- Robert Wilcox
- Todd Parker
- Melissa Strout
- Daniel Osier
- Maria Irrera
All students who were nominated attended the Convocation and joined a faculty member in the processional. This is another wonderful way that faculty gets to recognize student achievement.
Can’t wait until next fall to add to our growing community of “Rising Scholars!”
Students Create Promotional Flyers
in CIS100 Introduction to Computing
As the assessment for the Word 2013 module, students were asked to design and create a professional flyer to advertise a CIS class (CIS135) that will be offered face-to-face at the Ellsworth Center in spring 2014. A special thank you to Patricia Selig, Center Director, for providing the body copy for the flyers.
The students were instructed to use individual creativity, along with the application of basic Word® features, in designing the flyer. When the flyer was uploaded for review, students were asked to discuss the rationale behind the decisions they made while designing and creating the flyer -- where to place text, how to format the text (font type, font size, paragraph alignment, bulleted paragraphs, character formatting), which graphics to use, where to position the graphics, and which page enhancements to make (i.e. borders and spacing).
Just think -- all of this after one class of Word®! BTW, you’re not fooling me -- I can see that you are a bit envious of all this creative talent.
The top designers in the Wednesday class were
- First Place: Henna Johnson
- Second Place: Opal Grivois
The top designers in the Tuesday class were
- First Place: Karyssa Upham
- Second Place: Jessica Hodsdon
To recognize a job well done, these students were awarded prizes supplied by a UMA MELMAC administered by Jan Bunford. Items included a UMA backpack, moose, bear, socks, mug, and notebooks. But most impressive is that the flyers will be given to the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce to include in a newsletter advertising the event.
We have yet to receive the flyers from the online mini course that started last week!
THE QUESTION REMAINS: CAN THEY TOP THESE CREATIVE EFFORTS?
It's that time again! Time to select your spring 2014 classes and complete your Wish List. You can log into Maine Street and do a Class Search for all CIS courses. Once you have made your selections, you may want to contact your academic advisor to make sure you have the prerequisites you need for each of the classes.
You may want to note the following:
- CIS354 Algorithms and Data Structures is equivalent to an advanced C++ - counts as an upper-level programming requirement in the bachelor's program
- CIS351 Database Management Systems Oracle is a prerequisite to CIS389 PL/SQL, which will be offered in the summer - counts as an upper-level IT Elective in the bachelor's program
- CIS380/CIS480 Internship will be offered as a class if we have 10+ students who enroll. It is easier to organize and manage the Internship Experience as a class. We will offer four seminars: 1) to complete paperwork and objectives, 2) résumé-writing workshop, 3) mock job interviews, and 4) final internship presentations
- CIS438 E-Commerce will be an advanced Web development class (a shopping cart will be developed in the Drupal content management system) - counts as an upper-level IT elective in the bachelor's program
- Any of the 300 or 400-level ISS classes counts as an upper-level It elective in the bachelor's program
To help you with your planning process, the following CIS courses are slated to be offered in the Summer 2014 (subject to enrollment):
- CIS100 Introduction to Computing - live in Bangor, Augusta, and Online
- CIS101 Introduction to Computer Science - Online
- CIS131 Web Applications and Development - Online
- CIS210 Introduction to Programming - Online
- CIS220 Information Technology: Hardware and Software - Online
- CIS231 Web Applications and Development 1 (Javascript) - Online
- CIS389 Topics in PL/SQL - Live in Augusta with a Web Component
- CIS389 Topics in Software Engineering - Online
- ISS412 Network Defense - Live in Augusta with a Web Component
If there is a particular class that you would like to see offered in the summer, please email Coordinator Diana Kokoska at dkokoska@maine.edu. As you can see, most of the classes that are offered in the summer are classes that are of interest to students in other disciplines or are electives in the CIS program. Typically, to run a class in the summer, the enrollment must reach a minimum of 10 students. We, typically, do not offer upper-level core courses in the summer sessions.
This is also a good time to discuss the 2014 CIS checksheet and determine if you are a good candidate for the new checksheet. Just remember, though, that once you decide to change, you cannot return to your current checksheet.
Textbooks for Spring 2014 CIS Classes
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If you have already selected your Spring 2014 classes and would like to purchase the books for your CIS classes, you can find all the information you need in one place. Visit Geek2Geek and click on the Course Info link at the left. Click Spring 2014 Textbooks in the top navigation bar.
Open House
Computer Information Systems AS, BS degrees
Justice Studies, AS, BS degrees
Information Security certificate
Current Bangor CIS Students, Alexander Webster, Nicholas Leeman, and Stephen Casey, will be on hand to answer questions about the CIS program from a student's perspective.