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IST 432 & William Bowers by Matt Kapun

IST students have a variety of job options after graduation.

They can work with networks and repair computer hardware. They can manage a company database and website. Another option will be providing an employer with basic legal advice – if the student took IST 432.

“My goal for this course is for my students to come away with a basic understanding of the law and how the legal system applies to [Information Technology],” notes William Bowers, who teaches the course at both Berks and Lehigh Valley campuses. “We need to understand how the existing laws may be applied to new situations and what areas of IT are going into uncharted and, therefore, risky territory.”

IST 432 is a requirement for the ISPP (Information Security Public Policy) option, which was just added last semester at the LV campus. This option focuses on society and how it relates to the IT field.

Bowers says it is clear why this class is needed in the IST curriculum. The IT field has not paid much attention to how the technology affects society and how current laws affect technology. This course informs students of the regulations and legal boundaries they must adhere to. “We can't get into the game if we don't know the rules.”

The class should prove to be a benefit in the future job market. New businesses and ventures need to comprehend their limitations in their legal environment. Having an IT staff who understands the law can be a valuable asset in keeping new and unprecedented operations legal.

IST 432 can also help the student’s managerial skills later on. “By having that understanding [of law], you will be a more effective manager of IT and people as you know what you can and can not do in the current environment.”

To teach a class effectively, especially one involving the complex subjects of law and technology, the professor should have a good background in the field. Bowers does not disappoint.

He had his first exposure to military justice while on active duty in the US Army. “I was detailed to escort an accused soldier to trial,” said Bowers. “I attended all of the proceedings as I was responsible for escorting him to and from the courtroom during the trial. After his conviction and sentencing, it was my duty to escort him to the post stockade.”

From that point forward, Bowers found the system fascinating and continued working in the military justice system. He was a legal NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer; equivalent to a paralegal), initially handling theft and vandalism claims. He then worked in Military Justice Office (equivalent to a DA’s office), where he learned much about prosecution and also performed as a court reporter for summary and special Courts-martial.

Bowers then worked in the Legal Assistance Office at Fort Bragg, N.C., assisting soldiers with their legal problems. All throughout, he had increasing contact with offices dealing with trial defense, contracts, and legal assistance. “I regularly talked to and went to lunch with my colleagues in those departments and learned a great deal about their areas of expertise,” states Bowers. “I also had the opportunity to attend classes that were intended for our attorneys and learned a lot there as well.”

His formal education in the military includes classes dealing with legal research and analysis, requiring research and opinion papers based on laws and Army regulations. Civilian education includes a B.S. in Computer Science in 1995, an M.S. in Information Science in 1998, and an M.B.A. from Penn State in 2002.

It fascinates Bowers to think we are truly a nation of laws. From the nation’s beginning, “Many Europeans thought that we would fail quickly as they were used to being governed by a single, absolute authority. We are very opposed to that idea and revel in the idea that no man is above the law.”

He wants to bring this fascination to the classroom, especially to the IST major, whose focus might not seem very wide.

“From what I've seen in business,” says Bowers, “it is easy to get people who have a narrow focus and are experts in their area. It is difficult to find someone who is more of a general practitioner and understands multiple aspects of IT. Part of my goal for this class, and all of my classes, is to show [my students] how excited I get with the subject and to help impart that interest and enthusiasm to [them] as well.”