Tracy Mitrano

From CUWiki

Tracy Mitrano is the Director of IT Policy and of the University Computer Policy and Law Program at Cornell University. Mitrano is also the co-director of the EDUCAUSE/Cornell Institute for Computer Policy and Law and is the DMCA registered agent for the university. She has been involved with EDUCAUSE, an organization which works to use information technology intelligently in higher education, and is on the Steering Committee of InCommon, an Internet 2 group that is the administrative arm over Shibboleth technologies. Mitrano is on the EDUCAUSE Board where she serves as treasurer and will remain on the executive group as secretary in 2009. Mitrano is also an adjunct assistant professor in Cornell's Information Science Program and regularly teaches IS 515, Culture, Law and Politics of the Internet in the fall semester.

[edit] Education

Mitrano received a BA from the University of Rochester in English and History, a doctorate from Binghamton University in American History, and a JD from the Cornell Law School in 1995. She is a retired member of the New York State Bar.

[edit] Public Profile

Mitrano's name is most recognizable to students by her e-mail messages typically distributed at the beginning of each semester. The messages, which reflect university policy and procedure, provide generalized information on copyright law, the functionality of Internet technologies and current enforcement strategies of the content industry. Mitrano also authors numerous articles relating to role of higher education in Internet law and policy.[1] Mitrano is a frequent speaker to student groups and information technology and higher education professionals, and happy to share and discuss her personal views in those forums. Mitrano's viewpoint on Patriot Act compliance stated to the New York Times is reassuring for those interested in maintaining privacy: "Of course we want to work in whatever ways we can to fight terrorism, but if another drop of blood is not shed, we will still have lost that war against terrorism if we forsake our constitutional liberties."[2] In terms of copyright, she has advocated that higher education -- students, faculty and staff -- find and fight for the common ground against unbalanced copyright laws and content owner practices that compromise higher education's missions.

[edit] Additional Sources

• Example of message to Cornell students
• Opinions on industry targeting educational institutions