Fuck no! As an alum I reject this in the strongest possible terms.
http://www.wral.com/nsa-to-open-data-analysis-lab-at-ncsu/12779103/

Raleigh, N.C. — The National Security Agency plans to create a data analysis lab on North Carolina State University's Centennial Campus, officials said Thursday.

The NSA grant to fund the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences is the largest sponsored research contract in the university’s history, officials said, and the lab is expected to bring 100 jobs to the Triangle over the next several years and attract related government and industry projects.

Specific funding, personnel numbers and facility details for the new lab weren't disclosed for security reasons, officials said. Access to the lab will be restricted to people who have government security clearance, but some of the fundamental research will be conducted at the unclassified level in existing faculty labs, they said.

8/15/2013 10:53:59 AM

dude, chill out.

Research on campus gets money from all kinds of government sources that you wouldn't like. The departments want the bling and they're not going to turn it down because the agency is morally objectionable.

The only thing you know about it is the agency. You have no idea what their "data analysis" will be, and if no one spills the beans it'll stay that way. We have people on campus who work with labs and get security clearance. It's nothing stunning.

The NSA "debate" is federal and has nothing to do with this.

8/15/2013 11:16:07 AM

yeah, i'm totally in support of this

8/15/2013 11:20:13 AM

Quote :

"Research on campus gets money from all kinds of government sources that you wouldn't like. The departments want the bling and they're not going to turn it down because the agency is morally objectionable."

And this is defensible, how?

8/15/2013 11:21:08 AM

Are they hiring?

8/15/2013 11:26:44 AM

Quote :

"And this is defensible, how?"

because there is nothing morally wrong with analytic sciences and data analysis as a field, and its an area that NCSU has a strong history in (SAS)

This place would not be doing spying

This is an important field with a shortage of qualified people, we should want this for the university and the state.

8/15/2013 11:31:26 AM

Quote :

"This place would not be doing spying"

Not directly, but they would be helping the NSA learn how to spy better.

8/15/2013 11:34:43 AM

if that is the bar, then we should also remove computer science and math and statistics and all public education

8/15/2013 11:35:56 AM

That's a stretch. Organizations should be selective about who they work for and receive funding from.

8/15/2013 11:40:33 AM

Quote :

"And this is defensible, how?"

Quote :

"Are they hiring?"

lol

that's basically what it comes down to.

8/15/2013 12:53:15 PM

http://www.ncsu.edu/features/2013/08/ncstate-nsa-lab/

8/15/2013 1:16:49 PM

Quote :

"Are they hiring?"

8/15/2013 1:24:42 PM

The NSA is awesome. It's their domestic extra-constitutional spying that's reprehensible and enraging.

Still, getting mad at the NSA for that is like getting mad at the rattlesnake for biting you. That is its nature–that's just what it does. The blame primarily belongs on the lawmakers and judges who have allowed the transgressions.

8/15/2013 1:36:23 PM

Quote :

"Still, getting mad at the NSA for that is like getting mad at the rattlesnake for biting you. That is its nature–that's just what it does. The blame primarily belongs on the lawmakers and judges who have allowed the transgressions."

That's beside the point. We shouldn't help the NSA (or the gubment) with their spying programs.

Quote :

" lol that's basically what it comes down to."

you implied that there's nothing wrong with it

8/15/2013 1:49:58 PM

I wouldn't be against NSA-funded grants and more fundamental data analytics research in general, but the idea of an actual SCIF on campus makes me very uneasy. The former is just expanding general research into the field and is open to all as a public resource, the latter begins involving the university more directly into the actual spycraft game which becomes messier.

8/15/2013 2:39:53 PM

^
Oh wow didn't catch that part. So not only are we working for the NSA, the research will not be public. Sweet.

[Edited on August 15, 2013 at 3:04 PM. Reason : v lol]

8/15/2013 2:53:14 PM

8/15/2013 3:03:19 PM

Quote :

"but the idea of an actual SCIF on campus makes me very uneasy"

Centennial campus was designed to be mixed use between an ordinary campus and space rented to corporate partners. If they're putting full-time employees in this lab, then if they're paying the bills it might not be very different from the existing structure. But I don't know the specifics obviously.

Surely it would be different if they were setting up shop across street from campus. We already have companies literally operating out of campus. I'm just saying, if we "sold out", we actually sold out over a decade ago.

8/15/2013 3:06:08 PM

Over the next 5-20 years, Centennial Campus will become more connected to main campus and all of the university will become heavily focused on research enterprise.

There will also be more development for shopping, dining, fitness, etc just basic living. There will be a push for the public to live on Centennial who may not even have any connections to NC State. There's more public housing going up as we speak along Centennial Parkway.

It's essentially the original concept for EPCOT before Disney died and they turned it into a theme park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_Prototype_Community_of_Tomorrow_(concept)

8/15/2013 4:41:34 PM

NSA has been on campus for a long time.

8/15/2013 4:46:13 PM

Quote :

"if no one spills the beans it'll stay that "

Because human corruption is a 19th century thing and we've turned a new leaf.

You might as well be for it. If NCSU turns it down, NSA will just go offer their business to someone else. You can't stop them from doing what they want to do (realistically). Best bet is to keep their facilities close by. Though it'll be hard, North Carolinians will have a little more influence if the lab is at NCSU vs GT or some other out of state university.

Might even help bump the local economy by providing locals with new jobs.

[Edited on August 15, 2013 at 8:51 PM. Reason : .]

8/15/2013 8:47:21 PM

8/15/2013 9:09:27 PM

i have a buddy on the inside and this lab is just for techniques decoding the new chinese encryption system that is quickly being used by freelance hackers world wide.

8/15/2013 10:58:55 PM

^
i'm not a lawyer, and you're probably bullshitting, but do you think it was a good idea to post that?

8/16/2013 8:00:20 AM

Have you seen an E Man post before? Dude is trolling.

8/16/2013 8:56:24 AM

thats not really classified its what hes allowed to tell his family. doesn't mean they are going to shout it out to the public. maybe theres more and maybe thats just a front. i dont know.

8/16/2013 1:30:11 PM

Quote :

"I wouldn't be against NSA-funded grants and more fundamental data analytics research in general, but the idea of an actual SCIF on campus makes me very uneasy. The former is just expanding general research into the field and is open to all as a public resource, the latter begins involving the university more directly into the actual spycraft game which becomes messier."

my thoughts exactly.

I didn't realize there would be a SCIF involved either. I would have been otherwise totally ok with this, despite my overall distaste for the NSA-- for reasons others have stated.

Even having a SCIF in and of itself wouldn't be alarming. But NSA + data analysis + SCIF = getting NCSU DIRECTLY involved in all of the bad shit the NSA does. Or at least I will assume that until there's credible evidence to the contrary.

8/16/2013 1:45:23 PM

I've been in SCIFs that are nothing more than conference rooms.

8/17/2013 9:00:54 AM

^ this

8/17/2013 10:37:09 AM

^^, and/or basically a library for TS info.

8/17/2013 6:38:50 PM

Quote :

"Specific funding, personnel numbers and facility details for the new lab weren't disclosed for security reasons, officials said. Access to the lab will be restricted to people who have government security clearance, but some of the fundamental research will be conducted at the unclassified level in existing faculty labs, they said."

If they are going to use "security reasons" excuse for even the basic information about the facility that is still being planned, imagine how much information they will share "on the unclassified level" once they start operating.

I am sure this will get a nice push from the current state government and NC state will proceed with the plan.

8/20/2013 8:13:36 AM

Quote :

"I've been in SCIFs that are nothing more than conference rooms."

I'm not suggesting they're hiding Osama bin Laden's corpse in there, but for them to go through the high cost and significant trouble of building a SCIF, it's clear they plan to do bring actual data and do work on campus. This takes it a step beyond the rather open DoD labs (ARL, DARPA, NRAL, etc.) into something a level deeper.

8/20/2013 11:05:48 AM

Quote :

" largest sponsored research contract in the university’s history"

All I need to know to understand why it's happening.

gg Centennial.

8/21/2013 9:55:50 PM

This is fantastic news. There are lots of foreign students that need to be monitored at NCSU, and plenty of domestic enemies of the nation here too. Having such a facility close by will ensure enhanced security and good regional coverage of the local mosques. We can now count on military support for the area around Avent Ferry during the coming unrest as well. Money well spent.

8/22/2013 1:32:51 PM

^ lol

8/22/2013 1:36:04 PM

^^ winner.

8/22/2013 4:59:20 PM

During his trip to Jerusalem last year, Chancellor Randy Woodson talked about the importance of "sharing information" with Israel. I think it's truly great that we have a university leader that is not afraid to take on the fight against Islam right here in Raleigh, and do what it takes to prevent our students from being corrupted by jihadist influences on the university's network. We're all safer knowing that someone is watching Resnet to weed out the troublemakers.

8/23/2013 12:59:23 PM

Quote :

"I think it's truly great that we have a university leader that is not afraid to take on the fight against Islam right here in Raleigh, and do what it takes to prevent our students from being corrupted by jihadist influences on the university's network."

oh boy...

If only you knew what kinds of things go on in Premium Palace.

8/23/2013 1:02:08 PM

Mr. Wilde once had a lovely statement about being talked about.

8/23/2013 2:02:07 PM