Archive - April, 2006

business school sucks

April 25, 2006 in College with 0 Comments

Yesterday, I read how the business school had a security breach with 197,000 files were exposed to the attacker. I didn’t think much of it, as never being attached to the business school, and thought it was a bit of poetic justice to the entity that seems to act a bit more than cocky.
Then, this morning, I get the e-mail below. Apparently, they have my social security number in some of their files because I took a couple of non-major courses within the school.
I think I should get a brandon.kraft@ba02.im.better.than.you.mccombs.utexas.edu e-mail address for this.

From: President William Powers Jr.
Subject: McCombs School of Business security breach
Date: April 25, 2006
A serious breach of security has been discovered in the primary
administrative information system at the McCombs School of Business at
The University of Texas at Austin. This system contains 197,000
individual records, and many but not all, contain Social Security
numbers. Among those in the system are Business School alumni, students
(including students who have taken a few courses or one course at
McCombs), admissions applicants, present and former faculty and staff,
and corporate recruiters. I write to inform you that your record is
contained in the breached McCombs system.
At least 106,000 individual records containing names and Social Security
numbers were accessed (downloaded) by the intruder. If you are a current
McCombs faculty or staff member, initial analysis indicates you are
included in this number. If you are a current McCombs student or
alumnus, there is a very high probability you are included. We are less
certain about the risk to others affiliated with McCombs.
Rather than wait for additional analysis to determine the extent of your
risk, we advise you today to take precautions immediately to protect
your credit. The University strongly recommends that you place a “fraud
alert” on your file with the three major credit bureaus. Instructions
for placing the no-charge fraud alerts, and other information about the
security breach can be found on the special Web site,

You will be receiving additional communication from the University that
clarifies which, if any, information about you was obtained by the
intruder. Please do not wait for our follow-up communication to take
action.
If you have questions or concerns not covered in the above Web site,
please contact the University via email to datatheft@mccombs.utexas.edu
or by calling 475-9020 (local Austin number) or 866-657-9400
(toll-free). Our help desk is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
Please know that the University is committed to doing everything it can
to ensure the security of any personal information received from you,
and to working vigorously with law enforcement authorities to identify
and prosecute those responsible for this intrusion.

new york, new york

April 23, 2006 in Paulists with 0 Comments

May 16-22, 2006, I will be in New York City attending the Paulist Fathers Pre-Assembly and Ordinations. The Paulist Fathers, the religious order that the Diocese entrusts with campus ministry at The University of Texas at Austin, has an “assembly” every four years where priest-delegates determine the direction of the order for the following four years. Prior to this assembly, they hold a “pre-assembly” where every Paulist, and recently, a lay delegate from each foundation is invited to share their thoughts and ideas so the priest-delegates will have a more informed idea of the thought of the Order prior to getting together.
For the University Catholic Center, I am being sent. As both a student and a staff member, I am unique in my position and able to see directly the results that come from the ministry the Paulists have engaged in over the past 98 years and am charged with helping it continue, strengthen and grow.
Over the next few weeks, I plan on inviting other student feedback regarding the Paulist Fathers and how to implement their Mission Directive Statement (MDS).
As part of my trip to NYC, I will attend the 2006 Paulist Ordinations. I don’t know anyone who is being ordained, but I’ve also never been to an ordination. More to come…

a quiet place

April 8, 2006 in Reflections with 0 Comments

I love quiet. In the quiet I find God and I am able to speak to him and am able to hear him. I think because of this I need a certain amount of time alone. I need to recharge. After a long day, I like to excuse myself to my room and sit in silence. I feel so completely surrounded by the quickness of life that sometimes I feel absent from Him.
It is worst when I failed to realize, for whatever reason, that I need the silence I’m currently in. I answer the phone or get on AIM when really I desire to simply be at peace alone.
The more my schedule fills up, the more I’m discovering how important this is for me.

i made national press!

April 7, 2006 in Church with 0 Comments

I was quoted in a column published by the National Catholic Reporter today. John Allen Jr., considered by some the expert English-speaking Vatican reporter, visited the University Catholic Center recently and then interviewed a group of students, myself included, the next day.
In today’s “The Word From Rome”, in the fourth section, he highlights all of us and included a quote of mine.
More later… work now.

god, country, notre dame

April 2, 2006 in Book Reviews with 0 Comments

by Theodore M. Hesburgh

As I mentioned before, if a book leaves me thinking about it for a good time following or leads me to tell everyone I encounter that they must read the book, it will get five stars in my book.
This is the life story of Father Ted Hesburgh, CSC, former president of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. In addition to living the life of a priest at Notre Dame, he was an international player in atomic energy politics, founding member of the Civil Rights Commission and has met more Presidents of the United States and Popes than I could name (maybe not true, but point the same).
One particular story that stuck out for me was when one of the Presidents asked him what he could do to help repay Fr. Hesburgh for all of his work. The good priest said to fly in the fastest plane in the world, at the time being the SR-71. The request was denied at first since the military does not allow that. Without hesitation, Fr. Hesburgh replied that the military works for him.
The section of the book telling about his life as a priest impacted me the most. First, he tells of what the Holy Cross seminary experience was like. Then he tells of his experiences as a simple priest at ND. The discussion of this is some of the greatest vocational material I’ve read. Perhaps, this might because it wasn’t written to be vocation material. Just a priest doing what he was ordained to do.
Fr, Hesburgh is obviously a very intelligent person able to discuss the finer points of almost any topic. In the context of the book, there is a little bit of something for everyone.

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