In order to meet the growing economic need for computer information technicians in central Indiana, Ivy Tech is enhancing an existing computer information technology curriculum to conform to National Security Telecommunications and Information System Security 4011 standards. Graduates are prepared to be Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional Server Administrators with a security emphasis.
Ivy Tech is partnering with local industry and the Moraine Valley Community College Regional Center of Excellence in Cyber Security and Forensics. The enhanced curriculum is designed to prepare students for immediate employment as computer security specialists as well as for articulation to a baccalaureate degree in computer security. Expected outcomes include new faculty expertise and curricular materials suitable for adoption at other community colleges.
Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, IN Ivy Tech Community College is a statewide community college system in Indiana with a centralized statewide administration, 14 major regional sites comprised of 30 separate campuses. This allows for the dissemination of curriculum and identified best practices developed in one regional site to the remaining educational sites and campuses. The administration and staff at Ivy Tech recognized the need to strengthen the Computer Security program offered at our institution. Ivy Tech Community College enlisted the Center for System Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA), a National Science Foundation/National Resource Center, for assistance. Two major objectives were identified. First, the curriculum would be updated and enhanced to meet the National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security’s (NSTISS) 4011 Certification. The NSTISS 4011 certification establishes the minimum education and training standards for the development of information systems security (INFOSEC) professionals in the disciplines of automated information systems (AIS) security. Second, faculty at Ivy Tech Community College would receive professional development in the area of cybersecurity to deliver the updated content. This training would include classes leading to industry recognized certifications. Secondary objectives included partnering with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to identify articulation opportunities within the courses modified under this grant and to provide relevant training to other Ivy Tech Community College sites in Indiana. During the initial phases of the grant it become apparent that, with additional minor adjustments, the curriculum could potentially achieve the CNSS 4013 -- National Information Assurance Training Standard For System Administrators certification. This certification outlines the minimum standards for administrators of national security systems. Both certifications were realized in June, 2011. The combination of the 4011 and 4013 certifications permitted Ivy Tech Community College to apply to become a Center for Academic Excellence for two-year schools. The NIETP/IACE application was submitted on January 6th 2011. Ivy Tech was notified in April, 2012 that it had become such a center. With regard to the the second major objective (faculty development) all identified faculty received the training appropriate to their role. The training was expanded to include other full time and adjunct faculty beyond the original scope of the grant. Several certifications were completed with others pending. Because Ivy Tech Community College is a statewide system with 14 regional sites the certified curriculum will be exported to other 13 sites. Thus all computer networking and security students within the statewide systems will be able to benefit from one unified, certified curriculum package. The Indianapolis Ivy Tech Community College campus site fulfilled a secondary objective by serving as host to train faculty from other Ivy Tech sites during the summer of 2011. Participating faculty received instruction to permit upgrading (or maintaining) instructor certifications for CISCO routing and firewall equipment. Other faculty were trained to achieve the Certified Information Systems and Security Professional (CISSP) certification. Finally, modified courses within the Ivy Tech curriculum were matched with equivalent courses at IUPUI. This will assist those students completing an AS degree at Ivy Tech to transfer to IUPUI to complete their baccalaureate degree. This successfully completed all major and secondary objectives outlined in the original grant.
