Computer Use Policy
Computer Use Policy
These policies and guidelines have been developed for the students, faculty, and staff of Utica College.
INTRODUCTION
I. GENERAL COMPUTING POLICIES
II. STUDENT COMPUTING GUIDELINES
III. FACULTY COMPUTING GUIDELINES
IV. STAFF COMPUTING GUIDELINES
V. ADVISORIES
VI. SECURITY
VI. INDEMNIFICATION PROVISION
Introduction
Use of Utica College's computing resources is a privilege extended by the College to authorized users as a means to promote the mission of the College. This policy is written, as well, to help define and/or explain potential areas of difficulty and to promote collegiality within the Utica College community.
Utica College's computing facilities, including hardware and software, are dedicated to supporting learning and teaching within the Utica College community. This support includes such purposes as helping students accomplish course-related activities, maintaining college records, supporting campus organizations, promoting communication within the college community and with the community at large, assisting in research and providing access to library resources. Any use of the College's computing resources should serve one or more of these purposes.
Users of the College's computing system must be aware that they are first of all subject to local, state, and federal laws. This computer-use policy is not an autonomous and individual document; this policy is intended to work hand and hand with the Code of Student Conduct (found in the current Student Handbook), the current Utica College/AAUP-UC Agreement, and the current Utica College Employee Handbook. If unintended policy conflicts arise, they will be dealt with by one of the three groups below.
These policies are intended to set forth the rights and responsibilities of the College and the authorized users of the College's computer system. Violations of the following will be handled with due process using a graduated system of warnings and punishments by one of the following persons or groups:
Student concerns, questions, violations: Code of Student Conduct and the Dean of Students' Office
Faculty concerns, questions, violations: Associate Deans and Dean of the College with appeals to the Faculty Affairs Committee
Staff concerns, questions, violations: The Supervisor, Director of Human Resources, and a Representative for the Staff Member.
Vendor questions except for non-supported software should be directed to the Office of Information and Planning Services (IPS) -- not the vendor. Only authorized personnel should contact vendors. All technical and support questions shall be referred to IPS.
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I. GENERAL COLLEGE COMPUTING POLICIES
All users of College computing resources are required to follow these general computing guidelines. Misuse of computer resources, including but not limited to these guidelines, may result in a graduated series of disciplinary actions that include but are not limited to a written warning, revocation of computer lab privileges, suspension of an individual's computer account(s), removal of an individual's computer account(s), and/or other disciplinary or legal action by one of the above groups as might be appropriate.
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A. General Concerns
1. Utica College reserves the right to establish and enforce reasonable policies, procedures, and rules for the use of College-owned computer systems, software, and data.
2. Users are reminded that the use of Utica College's hardware, network, and facilities must be consistent with the academic mission of the College and may be restricted due to the rules and regulations of the College.
3. It is incumbent on users to know the policies and practices of computer use, but the College will also provide fair notice of the rules. If a user is not clear about an aspect of this policy or doesn't understand the terminology or intent of the policy, the user should clarify answers from one the Office of the Dean, the Office of the Dean of Students, or Human Resources and/or IPS.
4. The College prohibits the release of personally identifiable information other than directory information about students, faculty, or staff without their written consent.
5. The College is an equal opportunity institution. Neither the College nor the users shall be arbitrarily discriminated against on the bases of (but not limited to) race, sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, or handicapping condition in regard to the use of the computer.
6. Intentionally displaying on a public computer screen or printing materials in a public place that violates the College's sexual harassment/discrimination policy is prohibited. Harassment includes any communication by someone known or unknown likely to cause annoyance or alarm with no purpose of legitimate communication (including but not limited to threats, intimidation, or coercion).
7. No user may use a college computing resources to:
a. invade another's privacy.
b. threaten other persons or their privacy.
c. harass, intimidate, or stalk anyone.
d. knowingly or intentionally propagating any program code that disables or overloads any computer, computer system, or network, or that circumvents any system intended to provide system and/or user security.
8. Users may not vandalize or write graffiti on machines or within the College network; furthermore, users may be held responsible for any damage they cause.
9. When using electronic resources, the College Public Relations memo entitled the "Utica College Media Policy" should be followed. It outlines general media procedures and indicates who may and may not speak to media (Brenda Dow memo to Deans, Associate Deans, and Senior Staff dated April 17, 1998).
10. The Dean of the College in conjunction with the Associate Deans will appoint a committee each Spring to review the Computer Use Policy. Their findings will be reported to the President and Dean, who will then share these findings with the College Council.
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B. Account Use
1. IPS has the final authority to determine users' unique account names, and this may be done in consultation with the user.
2. Users are responsible for the security of their College accounts and files.
a. Authorized users are not allowed to share their accounts with others. The authorized user of the account is responsible for all activities associated with the account, even if these activities are performed by others.
b. Passwords should be changed often and not revealed to others.
c. IPS does not keep a record of passwords but can assist a user in changing a password.
d. Users must log out of their accounts or be accountable for revealing the contents of their files to others.
3. Users may not use a College account to misrepresent the College. Users may not use a College account that they do not have authority to use.
4. Encryption technologies should not be used to prevent others from using College equipment, hide illegal activity, or disrupt the use of the college-wide computer system. The College accepts no liability or responsibility for credit card information or other personal information entered by users on computing devices not administered by the College, whether or not the information was entered through the College's network.
5. Users are responsible for maintaining and not exceeding allowed file space.
6. Accounts on College-owned computers are limited to employees and current students. Accounts may be deleted when employment is terminated, when student status has ended, or at the College's discretion under the advice of one of the disciplinary groups named above. In the case of termination or disciplinary grounds, access to accounts may be denied and material deleted after all appeals have been exhausted and due process considerations met. The College will try to recover or protect user files from deleted accounts, but is under no obligation to do so.
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C. Software Use
1. Users must follow copyright laws, trademark standards, software license agreements, and patent information governing software they use. College-owned software may not be illegally copied.
2. Questions of software use or agreement violation must be referred to IPS.
3. Users downloading shareware should arrange for payment within a reasonable time. Employees may ask their department to pay this fee.
4. Software may not be uploaded or downloaded without consulting IPS since it may create system conflicts or overcrowding or be at variance with licensing agreements.
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D. Network Use
1. Access to the Internet and the College network is managed by IPS.
2. Transmission of illegal material over the College network is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to copyrighted material, any other illegal activities, and activities that violate respectively the Code of Student Conduct, the Employee Handbook or the AAUP-UC Contract.
3. In order to protect student privacy, college core business functions and the systems and software that operate core business functions, IPS will regularly monitor traffic to and from all file servers and to all data repositories housing these records. Monitoring traffic is not construed to mean reading content.
4. IPS will not monitor the content of information transmitted over its network except when there is probably cause to believe it will be destructive as determined by IPS. If the danger to the system or system user is not immanent and the source of the danger is known, IPS will consult with the appropriate administrative office. Any such investigations will be conducted in a way so as to safeguard the privacy of all parties. Such investigations must be announced revealed to the concerned parties.
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E. E-Mail Use
1. Use of alternative e-mail providers is acceptable. Those who use alternative providers must adhere to this Computer Use Policy
2. In exigent, exceptional circumstances, appropriate parties may, by legal means, determine whether an e-mail account can be accessed other than by the originator or receiver of the message. In such a case, the College representative should seek counsel about whether or not such an action is necessary and is being handled in the most appropriate way.
3. E-mail accounts are backed up as a regular course of network operation. Deletion of e-mail messages does not, therefore, remove all traces of the messages because of the nature of the technology.
4. E-mail cannot be guaranteed to be private, but privacy will be respected within the limits of the College's capabilities.
5. The College is not liable for deleted e-mail.
6. Sending or perpetuating chain e-mail messages is expressly forbidden. Chain e-mail is mail that you are asked to forward under your e-mail address. Chain e-mail can be recognized because it usually contains phrases such as "pass this on," "forward - do not delete," and "don't break this chain." Often such letters talk about the luck you will have if you forward the chain letter or the child you will save from dying. If you are unsure, check with IPS.
7. Sending excessive e-mail messages for the purpose of filling a user's allowed disk space is forbidden
8. In order to ensure e-mail resources are managed for the good of the entire college community, e-mail accounts will be allowed a designated amount of space. Accounts that either exceed the allocated size or that have not been accessed in 30 days will be purged. Reasonable notification will be made by IPS prior to purging accounts that exceed the allowable size.
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F. Internet Use
1. The College does not support personal web pages at this time. Students, faculty, and staff are free to set up pages on other providers and identify themselves as associated with Utica College.
2. The College assumes no responsibility for any direct or indirect damages arising from the user's connection to the Internet.
3. Servers and data respositories supporting student records and college core business functions, or the information from these sources will not be made available through the Internet.
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G. Personal Hardware
1. The addition of personal equipment to College computing hardware must be reported to IPS to avoid possible system conflicts or other unanticipated problems.
2. Personal equipment may be subject to incidental access while the College is maintaining College-owned devices.
3. The College is not responsible for maintaining or resolving problems resulting from the use of personal hardware or software.
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H. Personal Use of College-Owned Computer Systems
1. College-owned computer resources are to be used predominately to accomplish the tasks assigned to that position or responsibility.
2. Internet access is intended to support academic or workplace requirements.
3. Incidental use of College-owned computer systems for personal use is permitted if:
a. Use occurs outside the employee's work schedule
b. Use does not interfere with work being performed by another employee
c. Use is not for pay or profit or is related to a non-academic/educational business (e.g. e-mail or Internet browser use for academic/educational consulting is acceptable; e-mail or Internet browser use to support an Avon dealership not related to one's academic task or work--is not acceptable)
d. Does not consume excessive supplies according to the appropriate parties listed above under Student, Faculty, and Staff Concerns, Questions, or Violations.
e. Does not violate software licensing agreements.
f. Excessive use of College-owned computer systems that interferes with college-related activities may result in the loss of computer access.
g. Use of College-owned computers to produce a product (e.g. document, program, system, etc.) may qualify the product as the intellectual property of the College based on existing academic norms and law.
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II. STUDENT COMPUTING GUIDELINES
All the principles of the Code of Student Conduct as found in the current Student Handbook apply to the computing environment. The following guidelines supplement the General Computing Guidelines and the Code of Student Conduct.
A. Access to computer resources
1. Students must possess a current College I.D. or proof of current student status to access general purpose computer labs.
2. E-mail and network accounts are available to currently enrolled students.
3. Use of library computers is governed by the Library's mission and policy.
B. Authorized uses of computer resources
Students may use available College-owned computer resources to complete course assignments and class research. If professors require the use of specific software, they are responsible for the training that students need to use that software. Vendor questions should be directed to IPS. Only authorized personnel should contact vendors.
C. Unauthorized uses of College-owned Computer Systems
1. Students may not install hardware or software to College-owned computer equipment. Shareware is included in this prohibition.
2. Students must use only approved paper and materials in College-owned printers.
D. Software copying and distribution
1. Students may not add or remove software on College computers.
2. Software which may be copied includes but is not limited to shareware, assigned data files, and public domain programs. Such software must be downloaded to a disk and not installed on College-owned machines.
3. Software distributed by a textbook publisher may not be distributed in violation of the publisher's rules.
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III. FACULTY COMPUTING GUIDELINES
Any concerns, questions, or violations should be taken to the appropriate Associate Dean and the Dean of the College, with appeals to the Faculty Affairs Committee. The following guidelines supplement the General Computing Guidelines.
A. Assignment of computer hardware.
College-owned computer equipment shall be maintained by IPS. As College property, computing hardware should not be taken home, relocated, or reassigned without the prior approval or IPS in writing.
B. Assignment of computer software.
1. It is recognized that some software publishers permit owners to have one copy of their software on their employee-owned computer and one copy on their employer-owned computer.
2. Only College-owned software is to be installed and supported on College-owned computers. Exceptions must be approved in writing by IPS.
C. Utica College subscribes to the "Statement on Academic Freedom and Tenure" (AAUP, 1941). As part of this statement indicates: "The teacher is entitled to full freedom in research and publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of his [/her] other academic duties." This freedom applies, of course, in the electronic environment.
D. Professors' use of computing hardware and facilities should be informed by the statement of ethics of their disciplines where appropriate, and by the generally-accepted ethics of the academic community.
E. Professors' use of college data should be governed by the following:
1. College-owned data, information, or reports and their use should be generated in the interests of the College.
2. College-owned data, information or reports must be used or copied by an employee only for functions directly related to College use.
3. Authorized access to College financial, course schedule, student records, and similar data is determined by the college.
4. Use of user ID and password by someone other than the assigned user is prohibited.
F. Instructors providing software to students must ensure that copyright rules are not violated.
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IV. STAFF COMPUTING GUIDELINES
Any relevant principles of the Employee Handbook apply to the computing environment. The following guidelines supplement the General Computing Guidelines.
A. Assignment of computer hardware.
College-owned computer equipment shall be maintained by IPS. As College property, computing hardware should not be taken home, relocated, or reassigned without the prior approval or IPS in writing.
B. Assignment of computer software.
1. It is recognized that some software publishers permit owners to have one copy of their software on their employee-owned computer and one copy on their employer-owned computer.
2. Only College-owned software is to be installed and supported on College-owned computers. Exceptions must be approved in writing by IPS.
C. Data
1. College-owned data, information, or reports and their use should be generated in the interests of the College.
2. College-owned data, information or reports must be used or copied by an employee only for functions directly related to College use.
3. Access to College financial, course schedule, student records, and similar data is authorized by the college.
4. Use of user ID and password by someone other than the assigned user is prohibited.
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V. ADVISORIES
A. Users are responsible for backing up their data. Every effort is made by the IPS staff to prevent loss of data in the event of hardware or software failure or through human error. This may be done by restoring data from backup copies of data stored to magnetic tape or other media. IPS does not back up local hard drives. It is the responsibility of the user to backup to floppy discs or zip drives. Data housed on file servers will be backed up by IPS. However, it must be realized that it may not be possible to restore the latest version of every data file from these backups and that some data loss may occur.
B. Personal computers and file servers on both the instructional and administrative networks operate primarily on software purchased from third party vendors. Because a wide variety of products is available, IPS staff has limited ability to repair bugs, modify conventions or provide training on software not standard throughout the College.
C. The College has in place software and systems that monitor and record Internet and Network usage. These resources are capable of recording information transferred on the system. IPS will review activity and analyze usage patterns to assure system viability. Monitoring content will be subject to the policy outline in section I.D., except when mandated by law and accompanied by the proper subpoena or order.
D. Users should schedule communication-intensive operations such as large file transfers, video download, mass e-mailings and the like for off-peak times. IPS staff are available to schedule these activities.
E. Users are required to scan downloads, uploads, and disks for viruses before use.
F. Users are reminded that use of chat rooms or other electronic communication media are anonymous and may constitute a danger to the user.
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VI. SECURITY
A. The College has installed a varied of security devices to assure the safety and security of its network and associated equipment. Users who attempt to disable, defeat or circumvent any security device will have their accounts immediately disabled and will be referred to the persons or groups outlined in the introduction to this policy.
B. Computers that use their own modems to create independent data connections sidestep the College's network security mechanisms. An individual computer's private connection to any outside computer can be used by an attacker to compromise the College's network to which that computer is attached. Therefore any computer used for independent dial up or leased-line connections to any outside computer or network must be physically isolated from the College's internal networks or approved in writing by IPS. (Major on-line services can be accessed via protected connections making insecure direct dial-up connections generally unnecessary.)
C. FTP and JAVA access will be regulated according to the security needs of the network. Users with a specific need for FTP or JAVA may request such access in writing from IPS. Any machine used for FTP should not contain any sensitive applications or data. Any machine used for FTP should be isolated from all servers that contain sensitive applications or data.
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VII. INDEMNIFICATION PROVISION
Users of College-owned computers agree to indemnify and hold the College and its officers, Trustees, other employees, and agents harmless for any loss, damage, expense, or liability resulting from any claim or action or demand arising out of or related to the user's use of College-owned computer resources and the network, including reasonable attorneys' fees.
Such claims shall include, without limitation, those based on trademark infringement, copyright infringement, dilution, tortious interference with contract or prospective business advantage, unfair competition, defamation, unlawful discrimination or harassment, rights of publicity, and invasion of privacy.
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