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“An unfortunate cyber-activity”

Maila Bringas
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“An unfortunate cyber-activity”

A meeting was held in the Administrative Offices about the concern of LBCC’s system-wide technical issue on April 12.

Superintendent-President Reagan Romali has clarified that the most accurate information received as of today and the future is coming directly from the IT Services who are constantly working to fix the problem.

IT Services are also working with the police to monitor, give information and fix the problem as soon as possible.

“It is not malware, it is not hacking, it is not ransomware.” Said Romali. “It is an unfortunate cyber activity and incident. The IT Team are constantly working day and night to get things up and running as quickly as possible.”

No evidence of personal data has been breached and there hasn’t been information that was leaked as far as the IT team had informed.

Union Heads, faculty departments have also been receiving updated information of the situation and students are now being updated as well on what they could do if their academic needs are being interrupted.

Faculty emails have also made progressed but are being tested to ensure nothing will have a risk of another incident that could jeopardize it.

New deadlines have been updated in order to give students a chance to properly continue their academic pursuits.

A sign in the LAC Admissions and Records window. Photo by Maila Bringas

Late-start 8-week classes have given a new deadline to add a class on Friday, April 20. Drop class information is still being updated.

President Romali also stated that they are working on having a special support system from the campus success centers to provide and aid students up to speed if it be needed.

Financial loans, refunds and disbursements have not been compromised. Loan applications have now been extended through Wednesday, April 18.

Concern over faculty payroll was also addressed and LBCC Employees who receive mid-month payroll direct deposits will receive them on Monday, April 16.

When asked about the system’s current state and if it was weak, Romali had no doubt that the systems are strong as they are constantly tested, stating that it cant be confirmed as of the moment what kind of incident this is.

“Regular tests are being made on a daily basis to make sure we are prepared.” said Romali. “We learn from this and make the best of situations and figure out other ways to communicate.”

Addressing about the PCC campus air conditioning system, it has been said that the servers shouldn’t have affected on them and are being taken care of.

A sign about the air conditioning system being down in the PCC Multi Disciplinary Success Center. Photo by Maila Bringas.

There has only been one known report of a computer on campus that all of their files have been encrypted, but it is uncertain if faculty or staff could restore data lost.

It was advised that physical or other means of communications with one another should be done to ensure that data being passed from students to teachers are being met.

For more information, an update page has been created and is also now available on https://www.lbcc.edu/itupdate to inform everyone about what is running and what is still being worked on.

System-Wide Tech Issue continues to disrupt and worry campus activity

Maila Bringas
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System-Wide Tech Issue continues to disrupt and worry campus activity
A sign about the air conditioning system being down in the PCC Multi Disciplinary Success Center. Photo by Maila Bringas.

Concern continues to loom over student and faculty about of LBCC’s system wide technical issue.

On April 12, another text notification was sent on 9:55am about the progress made, though major systems are still not functioning including faculty and staff emails.

Internal system are also affecting the PCC air conditioning system and have been down recently, causing uncomfortable room environments.

The updates made on the campus’ main online website had informed that repairs are undergoing and the Instructional and IT Services are still working on finances issues, online schedules and payrolls.

LAC Math Success Center Lab Coordinator Sundee Dominguez expressed concerns and frustration on how to communicate with students over the past three days.

“We have around 50-plus students here and direct communication is difficult. So far, Canvas is the only way to communicate with students. I’ve had two text updates a day and also the updates online.” Said Dominguez. “I am confident that they (IITS) will be able to work to solve the problem soon.”

As of now, some teachers are able to communicate with students through Canvas and their physical-meeting of class hours.

Some data may or may not have been wiped from student’s Learning Management Systems as an announcement on the log in page stated students need to reload or re submit work turned in from April 4-10.

Teachers have also expressed difficulty in grading student work as it is unknown how they could make it work and some computers have been encrypted.

Life Sciences Department Head Heather Dy had also expressed the same concerns over the systems being down and that accessibility to student’s educational sources, scores and grades or updates cannot be done and only announcing them during class.

Another concerns over personal information being stolen have made students and faculty take precautions over the matter.

“Specially now, there’s been rumors going around about ransoms and hackings and there’s been a huge concern.” Said Dy. “I’ve tried not to log in on personal accounts on my (work) computer lately. I also understand some methods are already being taken care of the IT.”

A sign in the LAC Admissions and Records window. Photo by Maila Bringas

Future students who are interested in signing up for late-start classes and summer classes are also worried about the error since they cannot access their Student Viking System.

Administrative Assistant major Christina Roehm, 22, had taken concern over social media about the frustrations of not getting direct answers.

“It is (causing) a lot of trouble because of students and staff cant communicate via email and it is also affecting Admissions and Records.” Said Roehm with the system’s ordeal. “I plan on enrolling for the summer semester at LBCC.”

Roehm also expressed her worry of compromised Financial Aid disbursements but held confidence that the IITS will get the problem fixed.

“If the problem isn’t fixed soon, I will remain patient with the school on the system-wide technical issue. I am so concerned that my personal information may be compromised, I will take legal action.”

Both Financial Aid offices on LAC and PCC have declined to comment about the matter of student’s inaccessibility to their accounts during the system-wide issue.

LAC’s Admissions and Records have also decline to comment at this time.

Viking News have also requested a comment to Public Relations Associate Director Stacey Toda about the small progress and updates. Calls have not yet been answered since the morning of April 12.

Opinion: We deserve to know

Gabby Castro
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The outage of several of important student systems at LBCC has left students with many questions, but the college seems reluctant to give any answers

Staff and faculty of LBCC were notified of the outage as early as Monday. Many professors notified their students of the downed systems, but students weren’t officially notified until Wednesday morning via the school’s website.

The college sent direct messages to some students via text. I was not one of them. The message notified students that LBCC was “experiencing problems due to malware,” which begs the question: Have hackers gained access to LBCC’s servers?

LBCC’s Associate Director of Public Relations and Marketing Stacey Toda told members of the Viking staff that there had been no hacking, and Superintendent-President Reagan Romali said in an official statement that the downed systems have been “a small bump in our normal day.”

Even if the malware was not planted by hackers, how did it get into our systems? Why wasn’t our information protected? And it may be just a “small bump” to Dr. Romali, but it is a huge inconvenience and seems like a potential disaster for many LBCC students.

As an LBCC student who is graduating and transferring at the end of this semester, I feel extremely disrespected at the lack of transparency the college has displayed over the last week, especially considering that much of my important information is at risk, including my transcripts, which are vital to my transfer.

Furthermore, many students are awaiting their financial aid disbursement next week and have received no information as to if they will still be receiving their money. Students rely on this money to get by, and not receiving it could be catastrophic to their academic progress and livelihood.

With all due respect Dr. Romali and Ms. Toda, I feel like we as students have been left in the dark and given the runaround. We need to know the truth. Our futures are at stake.

First African-American Male on Board of Trustees celebrate victory

Maila Bringas
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First African-American Male on Board of Trustees celebrate victory

Normally that startling statement would lead you to think of a violent act. Not this time, it’s the unofficial results of Tuesday,s LBCC BOT Area 1 election, where Incumbent Trustee Jeff Kellogg may have been unseated by part-time CSULB engineering professor, Uduak-Joe Ntuk.

By 11:30, the LA County Registrar-Recorder’s office was reporting the results for 30 out of 45 precincts, with a tally of 2,858 (54.6%) votes for Ntuk and 2,380 (45.4%) for Kellogg.

Following behind the legacy of Patricia Lofland, who was the first African American elected to the Board, Ntuk campaigned on a platform of looking toward the future for students. His plans include a dual degree programs for high school students to earn an A.A degree as well as their high school diploma and increasing the opportunities for more vocational education in the trades.

Rex Richardson, vice mayor of Long Beach & Councilman of District 9, which also covers North Long Beach and is the youngest vice mayor in history of Long Beach at the age of 32, said of Ntuk’s claimed win “North Long Beach stepped up, really proud North Long Beach and the vote turn out in North Long Beach. People thought he didn’t have a shot. Elections are the best way to take a poll to check the pulse of the community and people may not have agreed but the voters have agreed that it was time for new leadership on the board and a new direction for the board.”

Supports and volunteers waited for official election results at the Weiland Brewery on Atlantic  in Bixby Knolls, an area also known as Uptown. Shortly after 10 p.m., in a packed room, Ntuk praised his family, friends, supporters and volunteers for all of their hard-work and time. He also thanked two young volunteers, Ashley Nusbaum and Samira Foy for their “black girl magic” during the campaign. Both are 24-year-old college graduates from the CSU system.

Uduak-Joe, Ntuk, third center, posing with supporter’s at Weiland Brewery in Bixby Knolls which included Trustee Sunny Zia pictured last.

Nusbaum said working on Ntuk’s campaign was rewarding. “Uduak also gave me the opportunity to not only get experience right out of college but to learn and grow within my industry. And learning how to ask the right questions.”

Foy, who handled the graphics for the campaign said, “It was a connection for me because my parents met at LBCC.”

Speaking on his past experience as a former LBCC student and now educator of today’s students, Ntuk said, “I have front line actual experience in the classroom. I have worked with the students of today. We have students who are Veterans, who are single parents, who are sleeping in their car, I have taught those students. I used to be one of those students. I was one car accident away from being homeless as a student. I was a teen parent, working 2 jobs, playing football going to LBCC back in the 90’s, that was the only place I could go, LBCC was there.”

Speaking of his opponent Ntuk said, “We just unseated a millionaire who doesn’t understand what it’s like to struggle, he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be a first-generation student, when no one’s holding your hand.”

Hacked or Not Hacked?

Maila Bringas
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Hacked or Not Hacked?
A sign in the Admissions and Records window.

With the internal systems down and no other way to access information of students or faculty to communicate, staff are still figuring out the cause of the error.

On April 11, A text message alert coming from LBCC’s notifications was sent at around 1:45 p.m. informing faculty and students that they are experiencing technology problems due to malware.

From the text message, it said that there are no indication that data has been compromised at this time and LBCC is working to fix the problem as soon as possible.

Even after two days, the problem just seems to be a hindrance to all who need the system.

Financial Aid cannot check student’s files, transactions are not being made, and teachers are having trouble dealing with classes that needed to be updated.

Superintendent-President Reagan F. Romali released a statement through Public Relations Director Stacey Toda via email:

“Some of LBCC’s technology systems are currently down including our LBCC.edu faculty and staff email, the Student Viking System, Payroll, and online schedule. However, things are still business as usual at LBCC – classes are still being held as scheduled. This has been a small bump in our normal day, but our LBCC staff has been finding many ways to work around this while our Instructional and Information Technology Services are working extremely hard to bring things back online.”

There has been speculations, but Toda had mentioned in the email “it was not hacking.”

A professor who requested not to provide his name confirmed that his computer system was completely wiped and lost his files, including the ones in his USB connected on his computer.

Students have also been having trouble with navigating their student Moodles the day before and had some homework missing because of the shutdown. Students cant also make transaction involving Admissions and Records, and are also unable to provide students who will be signing up for summer classes soon.

On the phone with Toda, she spoke that the tech-services are working hard to get things up and running.

Toda provided an example that some staff maybe receiving no direct deposit but are getting taken care of as there are also people in the department who are processing them to provide paper checks.

“It’s not convenient,” said Toda. “But we do have staff who are fixing the problem and staff who are working to find solutions.”

Board of Trustee Douglas W. Otto commented over the phone, “From my understanding, it’s been a ransom, we (the school) suspect we’ve been hacked. But we have no ransom requests.”

Otto later added that no one had asked them for money.

Since Monday April 9, systems are down from the school’s Oracle system to teacher’s student files.

Three different answers caused confusion and there is still no exact answer as to why it is happening.

One thing is certain, that there is no exact date or time when the system will be fixed, as for now, there is worry looming about situations on how the campus will function in the middle of upcoming events.

(updated April 11, 4:57pm)

 

System wide shut down continues to frustrate students and staff

Maila Bringas
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System wide shut down continues to frustrate students and staff
Sign that reads “Our System is Down No Transactions at this Time” is displayed in the Financial aid building.

It’s been two days that the system-wide internal shutdown is still being fixed. There has been worry and confusion with students and faculties, the frustration just keep adding up.

A short noticed has been made by the school website of the issue, stating that it Instructional and IT services are currently working to fix the problems as soon as possible.

It was assumed that the system has been down since Monday April 9 as students tried to visit online classes or log in to student accounts and faculty attempted to use phone lines.

As of Wednesday April 11, IITS was able to work phone system, Moodle, and Canvas.

Wendi Lopez from the Distance Learning Center said that they would have to run their recent back up from Saturday April 8.

Student Activities Director Derek Oriee has been attempting to look over his files but unable to do so because his files are encrypted and he would have to do start all over or at least come up with a plan to finish work.

“I have the grand prix plans going on in a couple of weeks and all my plans are there.” Said Oriee. “I can get to the server but I can’t open anything.”

Students have been frustrated with trying to contact teachers since emails are not working and classes that would’ve been going on Monday were not able to be attended online.

Student Gabriel Sheriff, 21, works for Assessment Office said he was worried and frustrated at the same time because of what the system shutdown had caused.

“There’s at least been 20+ students calling where their classes  are (for the late start classes) and asking what their test scores are. We can’t really say anything because we won’t know, it’s all there.” Said Sheriff. “It’s been the second day and so far, we haven’t really been told anything.”

Student Tech Help Desk Laura Rantala said that if students have questions or need assistance, they could contact them at (562) 938-4250.

Strong pitching not enough for Vikings

vikingnews
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Despite a solid pitching performance, the LBCC Vikings’ baseball team were unable to generate a sufficient offensive effort after trailing early to the El Camino College Warriors in the first of a three-game series on Tuesday, April 10, 2018, losing 5-1.

The Warriors struck early, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and scoring again in the top of the third to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Warriors seemed to have a much easier time getting on base, earning 13 hits while the Vikings only managed to get 4.

The Vikings were able to cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh when sophomore center fielder Val Stammler scored a run off a double hit in to right field by sophomore left fielder Colin Perez.

But the Warriors responded in the eighth with two runs of their own bringing the game to its final score of 5-1.

The loss comes in spite of a strong pitching performance from sophomore Jacob Alcorn, who struck out 9 batters in 7 innings.

The defeat moves the Vikings’ record to 17-15 overall and 8-6 in the CCCAA South Coast conference, and bumps El Camino, who now hold a 9-6 record in the conference, into the second-place spot previously held by the Vikings.

The Vikings Play the Warriors twice more this week, at El Camino College on April 12 and again at home on April 14, and the games will be crucial for playoff contention for the Vikings.

Hitting seemed to be the downfall for the Vikings in this game, and sophomore outfielder Aaron Fawcett had a simple answer for the Vikings’ success in the upcoming games against the Warriors.

“We need to make an adjustment at the plate,” Fawcett said.

Head Coach Casey Crook thinks his team needs to focus on reaction to pitches by the Warriors.

“We were bad on fastballs,” Crook said, “We were late all day. We need to get more aggressive and turn some balls around.”

Challenger defeats long-time running incumbent for LBCC’s only election race

Maila Bringas
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Challenger defeats long-time running incumbent for LBCC’s only election race
Jeffrey A. Kellogg. Photo Courtesy by LBCC
Uduak-Joe Ntuk. Photo Courtesy by LBCC

Only a single election is held for the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees on April 10 to represent the District’s Area 1, which is covers around California Heights up to Northern Long Beach.

Jeffrey A. Kellogg is the incumbent, taking office since 2002 and continued his duties as president on an unprecedented fifth term.

Kellogg had previously served Long Beach City Council for 12 years and was also a Vice Mayor for two consecutive terms.

Included in his achievements, Kellogg had also established the “Kids Council” and “Youth in Government” which are programs designated to help students be more active in local governmentss

The challenger, Uduak-Joe Ntuk, is the Petroleum Administrator for the City of Los Angeles and teachers in Cal State Long Beach as an adjunct Faculty Member in the Chemical Engineering Department. Ntuk is also the Classified Employee’s Union appointee.

The final results are confirmed that Ntuk had lead the race with a vote count of 3386 (56.3%) and Kellogg at 2630 vote count (43.7%). The completed precincts were out of 45.

Both candidates were former LBCC students who had gotten to know the campus from a student’s point-of-view.

Ntuk has ideas of providing a student’s successful education with a dual degree program, digital or low-cost textbooks and universal bus passes.

 

System shutdown causes campus disruption

Maila Bringas
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System shutdown causes campus disruption
Sign that reads “Our System is Down No Transactions at this Time” is displayed in the Financial aid building.(Photo by M.Smith)

LBCC’s student and faculty management system is currently down as of the morning of April 10.

Due to the systems being shut down, some classes are being canceled and students are questioning why they can’t communicate with their teachers.  

An official alert system SMS was sent out to faculty around 10am today  stating there were system-wide problems with the email system and updates to the system will be sent periodically.

Oracle, resource management, LMS, class schedules, OrgSync, and all login databases for the college are out of service.

Students and teachers are making adjustments to their curriculum due to the system being down.

“My English professor was upset about it, you can tell it bothered her because it back tracked her on grading,” said student Karen Mejia, Political Science Major, who stated her teacher took roll by paper as a result of a downed system.

English assistant-professor Kathryn McMurray said that she had to cancel a meeting that was supposed to be held tomorrow with her committee.

“It halted students from communicating with me.” McMurray said.

The internal system being down means that students and faculty will not be able to access their personal files online from online classes to student grades.

A representative from the Student Technology Help Desk has spoken to us and commented that systems have not been working, including phone lines earlier that day. “We’ve been told it is getting fixed, but we don’t know exactly when.”

A screenshot of LBCC’s my.lbcc.edu as of April 10.

 

Viking News Takes home 9 Awards

Maila Bringas
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Viking News Takes home 9 Awards
Left to right: Anna Karkalik, Erin Asis, Amanda Rodriguez, Maila Bringas, Irene Brizuela and Gabby Castro hold awards from the JACC.

To experience the world of journalism and create new memories, LBCC journalism students attended the Journalism Association of Community Colleges State Conference at Burbank Marriot from Thursday, March 22 to Saturday, March 24.

Each semester gives students the opportunity to attend and receive awards for their work on the Viking News, competing against other community colleges with in the state to learn and understand more of the journalism industry.

With many schools attending, The Viking earned a total of 10 awards for the state conference including a first in Viking News history of the Pacesetter Award which honors general excellence to the top four schools in mail-in and on-the-spot competition annually.

Journalism major Erin Asis, 22, said about her second time attending the conference, “This one was more organized than last year, I was able to enjoy it than my last.”

Asis originally did not feel confident with where she competed, though ended up winning fourth place in the on-the-spot contest for News photo. “It was my first time competing in photo, I did it to get out of my comfort zone and it worked out!”

In addition to the mail-in awards, former editor-in-chief Amanda Rodriguez earns fourth place in sports photo as well.

On her first time attending the state conference, Journalism major Anna Karkalik, 20, also competed with feature writing. “It was interesting, I learned a lot and make friends with other schools. I was also learning tips from them to make our newspaper better too.”

Recognition for their work included honorable mentions for Hayley Hart in magazine photo and story essay, Lisette Mendoza in Illustration and Osbiel Montano for sports feature. Joshua Miller earns first place in Illustration for cover page.

The conference also honored two retiring teachers who have been a part of JACC in many years, Long Beach City College’s Pat McKean and Citrus College’s Meg O’Neil.

Both teachers were honored by their former and current students and coworkers, along with speeches to appreciate the work they have done not only for JACC, but also in their respective journalism career.

Left to right: Walter Hammerwold, Chris Viola, Pat Mckean, Anna Karkalik, Irene Brizuela, Erin Asis, Maila Bringas, Gabby Castro, Amanda Rodriguez.
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