Policy Table of Contents
Reason for Policy
College for Creative Studies (“CCS”) maintains extensive Academic Technologies and Information Technologies Resources, including access to the Internet, for its staff, faculty, and students in order to support CCS’ academic mission. Use of CCS’ Technology Resources, including access to the Internet, is a privilege – not a right. This policy shall apply to all staff, faculty, and students who have access privilege through association with CCS. Termination of this privilege, as well as other disciplinary or legal action, may result if this policy is violated or if other improper use is discovered.
Use of CCS’ Technology Resources is provided for academic use and administrative functions directly related to operating CCS. Limited, occasional, non-disruptive, and incidental personal use is permitted, but any use that violates local, state, or national laws, copyright, CCS policy, or is intended for personal profit is prohibited.
Definitions
Academic Technologies and/or Information Technology Resources includes, but is not limited to, the Internet, electronic mail (“e-mail”), Computer Systems (as defined below), databases, cameras, televisions, video cassette recorders, telephones and all audio, video and data recording and playback systems. Computer System and/or System includes, but is not limited to, computer hardware, disk drives, printers, scanners, software applications, the network (campus and residential) and any and all other associated equipment. A user in any individual who uses, logs in, attempts to use, or attempts to log into a System, whether by direct connection or across one or more networks, or who attempts to connect to or traverse a network, whether via hardware, software, or both.
Guidelines
While the following guidelines cannot cover all situations, they should provide a clear guide to what is and is not acceptable use of CCS Technology Resources; use of such resources constitutes acceptance of this policy. Please direct any questions or clarifications to the Academic Technologies or Information Technologies Departments.
All campus software is maintained and administered by the Academic Technologies or Information Technologies Departments. Without exception, only AT or ITS staff members may install software on any CCS owned System. Any software found in violation of this requirement will be deleted immediately and without advance warning. Repeat violators will be subject to appropriate discipline.
No software copy is to be made by any User without a prior, good faith determination that such copying is in fact permissible.
Users must respect the legal rights provided by copyright, trademark, patent, license, or other legal means to programs, data, photographs, works of art and music, written documents, and any other material.
Using any CCS System in such a way as to deny or restrict access for other Users, either overtly or by consuming excessive bandwidth is prohibited. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications generate excessive bandwidth use and may create legal liability for both the User and CCS due to copyright concerns and, as such, installation and/or use of these types of applications on the System is prohibited.
Tampering with or significantly altering the configuration of any piece of the System is prohibited. This applies to memory settings, network settings, anti-virus settings and the like, but does not include such items as customizing screen resolution or screen savers.
Obtaining unauthorized access to equipment, electronic records and files, or other people’s data is prohibited. This also includes network activities such as packet monitoring or sniffing.
Personal computers and/or networking devices running addressing services such as, but not limited to, DNS, DHCP, BOOTP, and WINS shall not be connected to any CCS network (campus or residential). If such services are detected, the network port(s) in question shall be closed immediately, without notice, until such services can be disabled. Every effort will be made to contact the responsible parties and inform them if this occurs. Personal wireless access points and/or hubs, switches, and routers are strictly prohibited on the main campus network.
Computers may not be simultaneously connected to both the CCS residential network and to the network of another Internet provider (such as Comcast®).
Computing facilities at CCS, including the email system, are to be considered non-secure and do not guarantee privacy. While CCS does not routinely access or monitor electronic communications and makes every effort to respect all User privacy, there are times when it may be necessary to monitor electronic traffic and, therefore, CCS reserves the right to do so.
Users are responsible for making backup copies of their own data. CCS is not responsible for the loss of any User data stored on any Computer System.
Users must take precautions to ensure the privacy of their access and that of others. This includes, but is not limited to, not sharing their user account or password with others, logging out when leaving a computer station, making use of a non-obvious/hard to guess password and keeping it secure, and immediately logging out if they come across a computer station that has been left logged in.
Users shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to another person or entity or develop or retain programs for that purpose, without the authorization of the information owner or the AT or IT Departments.
Users shall not intentionally harass other persons, whether on the CCS campus or elsewhere, or develop or retain programs that serve the same purpose.
All Users must respect the integrity of computer systems and networks, both on the CCS campus and at all sites reachable by CCS’ network connections.
Users shall not by any means attempt to infiltrate (e.g. gain access without proper authorization) a computing system or network, either on the CCS campus or elsewhere.
Users shall not attempt to alter, without proper authorization from the AT or IT Departments, either the hardware or the software components of a Computer System, either on the CCS campus or elsewhere.
Users shall not damage or attempt to damage the hardware or the software of the System.
Any use of the Internet from CCS is also subject to Merit’s Acceptable Use Policy.
In cases of doubt, Users bear the burden of responsibility to inquire concerning the permissibility of Academic Technology or Information Technology uses prior to execution. Such inquiries shall be directed to the AT or ITS Departments.
Consequences for Illegal and/or Inappropriate Use
The use of CCS’ Technology Resources for illegal or inappropriate use or in support of such activity is strictly prohibited. Illegal activity is defined as any activity that violates federal, state, or local law and regulations.
Inappropriate activity is defined as any activity that violates this policy, violates the spirit of this policy, or violates the intended use of the Technology Resources. Violators of this Policy will be subject to the appropriate CCS discipline procedure. Sanctions may include warnings; loss of computing, network, and/or lab privileges; suspension; expulsion; termination of employment; and/or legal action. Any action taken by CCS may be done without notice to the User that engaged in the prohibited activity. All Users of CCS’ Technology Resources shall be responsible for damages to the Computer System, equipment and software resulting from deliberate or willful acts. Illegal use of the network, intentional deletion or damage of files or data belonging to others, patent, trademark, and copyright violations, or theft of services will be reported to the appropriate internal or external authorities for sanctions and/or possible prosecution.
Rights and Responsibilities of CCS
CCS reserves the right to monitor any and all activity involving the Technology Resources including, but not limited to, searching data or e-mail stored on all CCS owned Technology Resources at any time and for any reason. As such, Users of the Technology Resources have no right of privacy in such data. CCS reserves the right to terminate or modify, in full or in part, the Technology Resources offered. CCS further reserves the right to terminate the privilege of any User to access the Computer System on its own authority.
Disclaimer
CCS makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the Technology Resources it is providing. CCS shall not be responsible for any damages incurred by a User of the Technology Resources, including loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions. CCS does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy or quality of information obtained via the Internet or electronic mail.
In no event shall CCS be liable for any damages (whether direct, indirect, special or consequential) arising out of the use of the Internet, accuracy or correctness of databases or information contained herein, or related directly or indirectly to any failure or delay of access to the Internet or other network application.