New cyber crime course offered for spring

By Josh Rutenberg     11/6/08 6:00pm

As the first day of spring registration draws near, students will inevitably begin scrambling to sign up for the best classes. This semester, in addition to the typical roster of courses, a new evening course will be available to students. Alumnus Rudy Ramirez (Lovett '01), a Houston lawyer at the District Attorney's office, will offer a course in cybercrimes and cyberlaw in conjunction with Lovett College, LOVE 247.Ramirez's class will aim to teach students about cyber law as it applies to internet fraud, P2P downloads, hacking and phishing, among other topics. According to Ramirez, cyber crimes are crimes committed through the use of any electronic device, typically computers.

Ramirez said he hoped the internet aspect of the course would attract more students than a standard law class would.

"I hope it's able to draw a wide range of students," Ramirez said. "Not too many people are thrilled to hear about legal history, but when you hear 'cybercrime' you can draw from a broader range of people."

---

---

Ramirez brought up his proposal to Lovett's Academic Coordinators last semester. Peer Academic Advisor Alex Wyatt worked with Ramirez to plan the course in time for this spring.

Wyatt, a sophomore, said Lovett was offering the class because it found the material particularly timely.

"We feel cybercrime is an emerging field," he said. "It allows students to learn beyond the normal spectrum of law."

Ramirez said he hopes to have a guest speaker from the Federal Bureau of Intelligence and other organizations that deal with cybercrime. He also wants to host a field trip for his students to a nearby joint federal and state task force computer lab, though he noted that he had not finalized any plans yet.

Ramirez teaches LOVE 237 and 238: Introduction to Law I and II. He said he hopes to offer legal opportunities for students at Rice and to give potential pre-law students insight into the career.

"I'm trying to give back in a way I can, with regard to law," Ramirez said. "One of the things I am able to do is teach about cybercrime."

Ramirez has a long background in prosecution of cybercrime. His cyberlaw experiences include cases of fraud through the use of cyber giants such as eBay and Amazon. However, he still takes time to give back his services to the Rice community.

For those students aspiring to a career in law, Ramirez suggests checking out Rice's mock trial team. He also encourages students to take Gilbert Cuthbertson's course on American Constitutional Law, POLI 321.

---