IU waits to comply with FCC Web act

An expansion on an 11-year-old law issued by the Federal Communications Commission has national associations representing U.S. universities up in arms -- but has left IU waiting. \nThe updated Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act makes it mandatory for all universities providing Internet services in the United States to upgrade their online networks to make it easier for the government to monitor Internet communication at the school's expense. The act is a direct expansion of a 1994 Federal wiretap law that required all telephone carriers to re-engineer their switching so that all phone wires could be tapped by the government. \nRequiring each individual university to fund their own ways of meeting the standards of CALEA has sparked the attention of some of the nation's leading associations of universities and colleges. The American Council on Education filed an appeal Monday arguing against CALEA and its policies.\nEducause, a nonprofit association of which IU is a member, is among these who will be filing suit with the FCC.\n"IU directly does not have involvement with the appeal. We are just a member -- they are filing," said Merri Beth Lavagnino, IU deputy information technology policy officer. "We do not know enough to move forward with anything involving CALEA until we learn more."\nAccording to reports made in the Chronicle of Higher Education, universities would need to spend billions of dollars to engineer the switches, purchase new routers, as well as hire new staff to oversee and maintain the project -- a cost that would likely raise tuition costs among students. \nCurrently, the order states that the policies of CALEA would go into effect Nov. 14, but universities would not need to be in compliance until June 2007. \nWith a gap of time remaining between the policy orders and IU, Lavagnino said the University is waiting on the outcome of the appeals filed against the law. \n"There has been so much that has happened already," Lavagnino said. "It would be imprudent of us to start on this before we know everything." \nThough the law is considered final, The Chronicle states that many college lobbyists are hoping for an exemption from the law or at the very least an extension for compliance. \nAnd though it is too early to tell what the outcome concerning CALEA will be, Lavagnino states that to her knowledge, there have been no cost estimations or possible plans created.\n"It is just too early to tell," she said. \nVice President of Information Technology Michael McRobbie was unavailable for comment by press time.