Port and Maritime Security Working Group

S.U.N.Y. Maritime College
Global Business & Transportation
GBTT 460-01: Principles of Global Supply Chain Security

Course Description: The course depicts security as a control mechanism in several major channels in the supply chain; e.g. in human resources confidentiality of employee records; in logistics cargo and passenger security; in communications encrypted email and hacker-free databases; in finance sanctity of credit cards and identity; and in marketing protection of intellectual property. Students will engage in a team research project as a practicum for learning how to develop and conduct vulnerability assessments and security planning. A major underlying course theme is that security can only be successfully developed and implemented in context of the cultural, economic, and political contexts of the supply chain processes for which it serves as a control mechanism.

Prerequisite: Junior (2nd class) standing or Permission from the Department
Corequisite: N/A

Textbooks: Mitnick, Kevin; Simon, William et. al. (2002) The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security. New York: Wiley; ISBN 0471237124

Willis, Henry H. and Ortiz, David (December 2004) Evaluating the Security of the Global Containerized Supply Chain. Santa Monica: Rand Corporation, ISBN 0833037153

Notebooks/Binders: There may be student handouts of material that is fair game for exam coverage. I recommend that you prepare a folder or binder of class material, including your notes.

Grading:

Item Proportions: Grading Scale:

Midterm Exam**                                 20%                              90-100      A
Random Interim Quiz                            15%                             80-89        B
Research Project*                                35%                             70-79        C
Final Exam                                          30 %                            60-69        D
59 & Below        F

** Part of the Midterm Exam will be exercises given to the student throughout the first 6 weeks of the course. These exercises will constitute 33% of the exam grade.

* The Research Project assignment is detailed in a separate handout distributed in class by the Professor on Tuesday, September 12th.

Course Outline: The main goal of the course is to give students an understanding of the theoretical and substantive rationales for why security is important in the supply chain. A secondary goal is to begin to create both an intellectual and practical grounding for students who, in their careers, are likely to become responsible personnel in the various public and private entities that are inseparably interrelated with the general safety and anti-crisis management of the global supply chains involving international trade and transportation.

My approach to the class is comprised of three foundations:
1) Lecture; 2) Interactive Discussion; 3) Hands-on research requiring primary data.

Each week, beginning Monday the fourth week of the semester, each team will hand in a one page report on its project that will simply describe the work done that week, including:
a)         Sources consulted
b)         Material written
c)         Problems encountered.

These progress reports constitute 5 points of the content portion of the project grade. Each team will give a multi-media oral presentation of their project at the end of the semester. The professor will convene a small panel of industry and academic security experts to hear the presentations and offer the students their critiques. The final project will be graded thus:

            Style, Grammar, etc. (Worth up to 20 Points)
            Total Percentage for Style: 20%
Progress Reports (Worth up to 5 points)
            Oral Presentation (Worth up to 10 points of content portion)
            Other Content (Worth up to 65 points)
                        Total Percentage for Content: 80%
All students in the team will share a base grade. The base grade may be adjusted individually by the professor based on anonymous peer evaluations from each member of the team.

The examinations will be a combination of essay, short answer, and multiple choice. Students who receive an aggregate grade of 94% or above prior to the final exam will be free from having to take it.

Course Schedule:

Week 1: Tuesday, August 29th and Thursday, August 31st

Topic: Defining Security and the Supply Chain

On Thursday there will be no in-class attendance but you are required to go to the library and prepare a bibliography on “security” and “supply chain.” What resources are in the library on these two subjects? Check out at least one book that you will list in your bibliography and bring it to class Tuesday, September 5 (you must check out the book from the library during what would otherwise be class time on Thursday, August 31st).You must use a standard style in preparing your bibliography, and you must state what the standard style is. The bibliography is due in class on Tuesday, September 5th.
The bibliography will count as one of the weekly exercises that will be part of your midterm.

On September 7, following my review of your bibliographies, the remainder of the class schedule will be distributed.

Week 2: Tuesday, September 5th and Thursday, September 7th

Read the Summary at the beginning of Willis and Ortiz, Evaluating the Security of the Global Containerized Supply Chain

Research and identify in class on Thursday a security incident that occurred in the 1970s or 1980s that could be said to have significant consequences for the supply chain.

Assignment: Use one of the incidents of the 70s or 80s reported in class and identify how the concept of resilience (see Willis and Ortiz, p.xi) applies to it. Write a one-page paper due in class on Tuesday, September 12th.

Read: The first chapter in Mitnick, The Art of Deception.

Week 3: Tuesday, September 12th and Thursday, September 14th

Discuss the Human Factor in Security, based on Mitnick, Chapter 1

Assign Teams for the Research project.

Introduce the Research Project

Out-of class assignments: Research vulnerability assessment methodology on Thursday, September 14th; instructor will distribute floor passes for Security Expo on September 20th

Read pp. 1-6 in Willis & Ortiz for discussion in class on Thursday, September 21st.

Week 4: Tuesday, September 19th and Thursday, September 21st

In lieu of class on Tuesday, attend the Maritime Security Expo at the Jacob Javits Center on Wednesday, September 20th, in particular observe the demonstration of the EPiCS Crisis Management Simulator. Write a 3-page paper describing your activities at the Expo, what you observed, and whether you think the experience of being at the Expo and the information that you obtained enhanced the stated purpose of the course.

The Three-page essay is due by email to the professor on Thursday, September 28th

Week 5: Tuesday, September 26th and Thursday, September 28th

No classes – professor is traveling in Greece. Your assignment is to work on Step One of the Research Project, and Read the rest of the Willis and Ortiz textbook.

Week 6: Tuesday, October 3rd and Thursday, October 5th

Tuesday October 3rd – Discussion of why; why do people deceive others? This discussion will parlay into the last weekly assignment for the Midterm, due on Thursday, October 5th.

Thursday October 5th – Continuation of discussion on deception; vignettes from the Mitnick test. Review for the Midterm.

Week 7: Tuesday, October 10th and Thursday, October 12th

Tuesday October 10th is “Monday” class schedule because of the Columbus Day Holiday; class will not meet.

Thursday, October 12th – MIDTERM EXAM

Week 8: Tuesday, October 17th and Thursday, October 19th

Tuesday, October 17th - Lecture on “The Scope of the Problem”
Part II of the Team Project is Assigned: By Tuesday October 24th, identify a security system that has been put in place to protect critical elements of an extended supply chain.
Read Kevin Mitnick, Chapters 6-7, pp. 77-104

Thursday, October 19th – Review of the Midterm
Discussion of “Can You Help Me?” and “Phony Sites” and Dangerous Spam
Review of Latest Law Passed By Congress on Supply Chain Security

Week 9: Tuesday, October 24th and Thursday, October 26th

Tuesday, October 24th - Lecture on “Knowing Your Enemy”
Progress on Part II of Team Project: Report the Security System that You Have Identified for purposes of Writing The Case Study in Part 2.
Read the Library Reserve Book: Bruce Schneier. Beyond Fear. New York: Springer (2006), Chapters 5 & 6, pp. 59-86.
Read Kevin Mitnick, Chapters 8-9, pp.105-146

Thursday, October 26th - Discussion of the Assigned Readings
Review of Progress on the Team Project

Week 10: Tuesday, October 31st and Thursday, November 2nd

Guest Speaker on Cyber Security – Details TBA

Thursday, November 2nd – Interim Quiz

Week 11: Tuesday, November 7th and Wednesday, November 8th

Tuesday, November 7 – Review of the Interim Quiz
Lecture on Enhancing Security Through Collaboration
Read the Library Reserve Book: Yossi Sheffi. The Resilient Enterprise. Cambridge: MIT Press (2005), Chapter 8, “Collaboration for Security,” pp. 137-154.

Thursday, November 8th: Discussion of the Assigned Readings
Review of Progress on the Team Project

Week 12: Tuesday, November 14th and Thursday, November 16th

Tuesday, November 14th
Lecture on the Virtue of Flexibility in Strengthening Security
Read the Library Reserve Book: Yossi Sheffi. The Resilient Enterprise. Cambridge: MIT Press (2005), Part IV “Building in Flexibility,” pp. 181-265

Thursday, November 16th – Discussion of the Assigned Readings
Review of Progress on the Team Project
Read Kevin Mitnick, Part 4, pp. 243-329 for next Tuesday Discussion

Week 13: Tuesday, November 21st THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Discussion of Kevin Mitnick, Part 4, pp. 243-329

Week 14: Tuesday, November 28th and Thursday, November 30th

Tuesday, November 28th – Lecture on Passive VS. Active Strategies Against Unacceptable Danger
Read the Library Reserve Book: Bruce Schneier. Beyond Fear. New York: Springer (2006), Chapters 14 & 15, pp. 207-254

Thursday, November 30th – The Professor Tentatively Will Be Attending an Academic Council Meeting. Assignment and/or Guest Speaker To Be Announced.

Week 15: Tuesday, December 5th and Thursday, December 7th (Last Day of Classes)

Tuesday December 5th – Your Team Project, Part 2 is due in class.
Lecture: Wrapping It Up – What Have We Learned?

Thursday, December 7th – Review for the Final Exam

Course Description: This semester, “Lectures in Contemporary Security Issues” is a one-time offering, which will count for ITT students as a GBAT elective. Beginning Fall 2006, the department intends to transform into the capstone course of a minor in intermodal and maritime security jointly offered with the Department of Marine Transportation. In addition to lectures by the professor, from time to time prominent experts in maritime and intermodal security, from both public and private sectors, will address the students on topical issues of the day in their field of security. Students will be required to do a research paper that integrates the information from the different speakers as well as research performed by the student.

Posner, Gerald (2003) Why America Slept: The failure to prevent 9/11, New York: Random House.

There will be readings in materials placed on reserve at the library as announced by the professor.

There will often be student handouts of material that is fair game for exam coverage. I recommend that you prepare a folder or binder of class material.

Item Proportions:                                                   Grading Scale:

Research Paper               40%                                90-100         A
Midterm Exam                 20%                                80-89           B
Participation***               10%                                70-79           C
Final Exam                      20%                                60-69           D
                                                                             Below 59      F

“Plus” and “Minus” distinctions will be made.
Grading (continued):

***Participation scores come from your responsiveness in class to questions when asked, your initiation of questions and contribution of useful dialog that helps shed light on class topics. Another participation grade opportunity will come from extra credit assignments that the professor will announce during the course.

I do not grade on the curve. I try to ensure that your grade accurately reflects your performance in completing assignments and helping to create a stimulating learning environment in class.

The textbook explains how in 1990, the blind Islamic cleric, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, emigrated into the United States, despite the fact that he was on a terrorist watch list because of his complicity in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat.Rahman went on to seize control of a mosque in Brooklyn and use it as the springboard for a plot that resulted in the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Your research assignment is to answer the question of whether in 2006, a terrorist similar to Sheik Rahman could repeat what Rahman did in 200, i.e. slip unnoticed into the country, organize, and implement a major terrorist plot. You may think not, you may think, “yes,” it could be done again; whatever your opinion, it is your task to develop well the supporting evidence and persuasively set it out in your paper. It is important that you use good style, e.g. Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), or the Chicago Style Manual.

To get an “A” you must develop some primary (as opposed to secondary) research, e.g. try to interview NYPD, FBI, or other law enforcement officials, or NYC/Port of NY-NJ officials who can shed light on the issues involved in your research.

Your paper should integrate some of the main concepts found in the text, in class discussions, and the remarks of speakers brought to the class. For example, what about the lack of good co-operation, for whatever reason, between various American intelligence and law enforcement agencies? Is it still a problem?

An updated schedule will be sent to all students registered for the course as soon as some arrangements are finalized.

On Thursday, February 2 GBAT is hosting a Conference on Cutting Edge Issues in Shipping, 9 A.M. to 4 PM in the same lecture hall used for this class. Many of the presentations will be on security. You are strongly urged to register for the conference and participate in discussion sessions. Participation credit will be earned by those students who register for the conference and take part.

On February 27 Uri Mendelberg, head of International Security & Defense Systems, Ltd. (http://www.isds-usa.com), will address the class. The class will be hosted by Brigadier General Bob Wolfe, USMC (ret). Dr. Howard will be traveling, attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) security conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.

On March 20, Bethann Rooney, the Manger, Port Security for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will speak on on how the Port of NY/NJ coped with the events of 9/11 and the “Lessons Learned” from that experience that have resulted in concrete policy and operational steps.