Former UNM student Richard Goyette was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on June 4 after sending 64 threatening letters containing a white powdery substance to financial institutions.
In October 2008 Goyette mailed the threatening letters to financial institutions using addresses he obtained while using a Zimmerman library computer. He plead guilty to one count of threats and false information and one count of threats and hoaxes.
Nancy Dennis, associate dean of University Libraries, said she was not surprised that Goyette was able to access the information he needed using a University computer.
"We do not monitor what people are accessing. We do have a computer use policy that indicates that the library computers are provided for academic purposes only," she said. "But everyone these days uses the computer for general information on the Internet, so we understand that our computers are used for that purpose."
ITS Information Security Officer Jeff Gassaway said Acceptable Computer Use Policy (ACUP), or Policy 2500 in the UNM Policy Manual, is being revised to include more tangible regulations for computer usage.
The current regulations outlined in the UNM policy manual forbid "using computing services for unlawful purposes including fraudulent, threatening, defamatory, harassing, or obscene communications."
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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Goyette sent all letters via the U.S. Postal service on October 20. The threatening letters arrived at Chase Bank, the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) locations nationwide.
According to a press release from the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Goyette had used a UNM computer to search for addresses for nearly all the locations that received a letter using the Chase, OTS and FDIC Web sites.
Junior John Garcia said UNM libraries could not have prevented Goyette's crime.
"This isn't really the libraries' problem, because these days there's so many public places to use a computer. The library isn't the only place where people can access the Internet," he said. "I think it is hard for the libraries to monitor what students use computers for because there's so many places for people to use a computer. There is just not any way to make sure people are using it for school. I think they just depend on the trust system."
Gassaway said UNM does a lot to protect the University network, but the network's security system is not foolproof.
"UNM has numerous technologies in place to help protect UNM assets, including network- and host-based firewalls, intrusion detection and protection devices, load balancers to provide redundant paths to information, etc.," he said. "UNM monitors our systems and networks in conjunction with trouble-shooting and problem diagnosis, but does not monitor content being accessed."
Dennis said over 80 percent of library computers have been updated to require a UNM NetID for access, but some computers will still be available for guest users. Also, Goyette, as a UNM student with a NetID, would not have been forbidden from network access.
"We are like a public library in the respect that we understand that non-UNM community members would like access to our collections," she said. "So many of our collections are in electronic format, so we must provide computer access for that purpose."
Dennis said the library sometimes has problems with computers being used inappropriately, but the problem is being managed by asking students who are obviously misusing computers to leaveShe said requiring a NetID for access has reduced the problem.
"We have concern, but we think it is a real priority to provide public computers for students in a safe, secure, friendly environment," she said.
Garcia said public computers are a much-needed privilege and should be used appropriately.
"Students should try to respect the policies because, especially as a commuter, it is really nice to be able to do all your homework here and not have to take it home with you," he said. "As adults we should respect guidelines and stick to doing school work at school."
