2008 Woodie Awards
University Database Scam
Progammer Acuses Department Dean of Stolen Software
Cherilyn Sajorda
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Sharon Aker, data programmer for Montclair State University, filed a complaint with the Business Software Alliance against the school for violating her software's licensing agreement.
Aker filed the complaint to the BSA, a watchdog agency promoting a legal digital world, on Sept. 26, after Ada Beth Cutler, Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, allegedly hacked into Aker's software, obtaining top-level passwords and program codes for which she did not have the rights, Aker said.
According to Aker, Cutler also repeatedly ignored Aker's requests for payment of software for more than a year.
Aker created additional features to a database program utilized by the Center of Pedagogy (COP) and another separate program used by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in tracking student's progress through the Teacher Education program.
"All invoiced amounts to [Aker] have been paid," said Richard Lynde, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
In a letter sent to Lynde on Oct. 1, Aker stated that she blocked access to the specific features she created for the COP database due to unpaid invoices at the time - an amount totaling $5,040. University Legal Counsel, Valerie Van Baaren, contacted her and threatened legal action if the database was not turned on immediately, Aker said.
Upon further discussion of the unpaid invoices, Van Baaren agreed to send a check immediately for the proper amount owed, and in the meantime, requested that Aker open access to the COP database, Aker stated.
According to Aker's Oct. 1 letter to Lynde, payment for the overdue invoices was not made and Aker resumed the block on features of the COP database.
Following this, Aker's administrative passwords were changed in the database, preventing Aker from accessing the program. The letter also states passwords to the NCATE database, a program MSU was never contracted to have the rights to, were changed as well, she said.
Lynde, also speaking on behalf of Cutler and Van Baaren, did not respond to these allegations.
According to MSU's "Guidelines for Responsible Computing," as listed on MSU's website, "it is appropriate for users [of computing resources at Montclair State] to behave in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner...appropriate use means respecting the rights of...all applicable license and contractual agreements."
Aker filed the complaint to the BSA, a watchdog agency promoting a legal digital world, on Sept. 26, after Ada Beth Cutler, Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, allegedly hacked into Aker's software, obtaining top-level passwords and program codes for which she did not have the rights, Aker said.
According to Aker, Cutler also repeatedly ignored Aker's requests for payment of software for more than a year.
Aker created additional features to a database program utilized by the Center of Pedagogy (COP) and another separate program used by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in tracking student's progress through the Teacher Education program.
"All invoiced amounts to [Aker] have been paid," said Richard Lynde, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
In a letter sent to Lynde on Oct. 1, Aker stated that she blocked access to the specific features she created for the COP database due to unpaid invoices at the time - an amount totaling $5,040. University Legal Counsel, Valerie Van Baaren, contacted her and threatened legal action if the database was not turned on immediately, Aker said.
Upon further discussion of the unpaid invoices, Van Baaren agreed to send a check immediately for the proper amount owed, and in the meantime, requested that Aker open access to the COP database, Aker stated.
According to Aker's Oct. 1 letter to Lynde, payment for the overdue invoices was not made and Aker resumed the block on features of the COP database.
Following this, Aker's administrative passwords were changed in the database, preventing Aker from accessing the program. The letter also states passwords to the NCATE database, a program MSU was never contracted to have the rights to, were changed as well, she said.
Lynde, also speaking on behalf of Cutler and Van Baaren, did not respond to these allegations.
According to MSU's "Guidelines for Responsible Computing," as listed on MSU's website, "it is appropriate for users [of computing resources at Montclair State] to behave in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner...appropriate use means respecting the rights of...all applicable license and contractual agreements."