Computer use is an essential part of many Calumet College of St. Joseph activities. This document includes the college-wide policy for management of computer data networks and the resources they make available as well as for stand-alone computers that are owned and administered by the College. It also represents the general ethical principles of the college community and indicates what privileges and responsibilities are characteristic of the college computing environment. The Computer Services Department has the responsibility for providing and maintaining all college computing tools. General policies regarding resources provided by the college are outlined below.

Mission and Purpose:
College computing resources are to be used for purposes related to the college’s mission of education. All classes of users (faculty, staff, and students) may use computing resources only for purposes related to their studies, their instruction, the discharge of their duties as employees, their official business with the college and other college-sanctioned activities. Commercial use for personal gain is prohibited.

Censorship:
Free expression of ideas is central to the academic process. The computer system administrator will not remove any information from individual accounts or from electronic bulletin boards maintained on them unless the administrator finds that:

• The presence of the information involves illegality (e.g. copyrighted material, software in violation of a license agreement).
• The information in some way endangers computing resources or the information of other users (e.g. a computer worm, virus, or other destructive program).
• The information is inconsistent with the mission of the college, involves the harassment of others including the use of obscene, bigoted, or abusive language or images, or is otherwise not in compliance with legal and ethical usage listed below.

Confidentiality:
Information stored on computers is considered confidential unless the owner intentionally makes the information available to other groups or individuals. Computer Services will maintain the confidentiality of all information stored on college computing resources. However, there are legitimate reasons for persons other than the account holder to access computer files or computers or network traffic: ensuring the continued integrity, security, or effective operation of College computing systems; to protect user or system data; to ensure continued effective departmental operations; to ensure appropriate use of College computing systems; or to satisfy a lawful court order. Requests for disclosure of confidential information will be reviewed by the administrator of the computer system involved. Such requests will be honored only when approved by college officials or when required by state or federal law. Except when inappropriate, computer users will receive prior notice of such disclosure.

On the computer network, every user is assigned an individual account(s), which is for the exclusive use of the owner. Messages and Email transmitted to other users should always identify the sender. Obscenities should not be transmitted. The college does reserve the right to inspect, copy, and store the contents of electronic mail messages at any time. However, it will do so only to prevent or correct improper use, satisfy a legal obligation, or insure proper use of the electronic mail facilities.

Facilities Usage:
College computing resource users can facilitate computing in many ways. Collegiality demands the practice of facilitative computing, which includes:

• Regular deletion of unneeded files from one’s accounts on central machines.
• Refrain from overuse of connect time, information storage space, printing facilities, or processing capacity.
• Refrain from overuse of interactive network facilities.
• Refrain from unauthorized or unlicensed use of personal software.
• Refrain from attempting to modify or remove computer equipment, software, or peripherals without proper authorization.

Ethical Usage:
Computing resources should be used in accordance with the high ethical standards of the college community. Examples of unethical use (some of which may be illegal) follow:

• Violation of computing system security.
• Unauthorized use of computer accounts, access codes, or computer identification accounts assigned to others.
• Intentional use of computer telecommunication facilities in ways that unnecessarily impede the computing activities of others (randomly initiating interactive electronic communications or email exchanges, or overuse of interactive network utilities).
• Use of computing facilities for personal or private business purposes unrelated to the mission of the college or college life.
• Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating).
• Violation of software license agreements.
• Violation of network usage policies and regulations.
• Violation of another user’s privacy.
• Attempts to harm or thwart the operations or business of the college or college activities.

Legal Usage:
Computer resources may not be used for illegal purposes. Examples of illegal purposes include:

• Intentional harassment of other users.
• Intentional destruction of or damage to equipment, software, or data belonging to the college or other users.
• Intentional disruption or unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications.
• Unauthorized copying of copyrighted material.

Sanctions:
Violations of the policies described for legal and ethical use of computing resources will be dealt with seriously. Violators will be subject to the established disciplinary procedures of the college, and the loss of computing privileges may result. Illegal acts involving college computing resources may also be subject to prosecution by state and federal authorities.

ELECTRONIC MAIL POLICY

Users of Calumet College of St. Joseph’s electronic mail system are assigned a user-id and password. User’s names and user-ids are included in each mail message. Users are responsible for all electronic mail originating from their user-id. The following practices are not allowed:

• Forgery (or attempted forgery) of electronic mail messages.
• Attempts to read, delete, copy, or modify the electronic mail of other users.
• Attempts at sending harassing, obscene and/or other threatening email to other users.
• Attempts at sending unsolicited junk mail, "for-profit" messages or chain letters.
• Attempts to harm or thwart the operations or business of the college or college activities.
  

NETWORK SECURITY POLICY

In order to promote ethical and facilitative computing, Calumet College of St. Joseph’s network users must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Use of systems and/or networks in attempts to gain unauthorized access to CCSJ’s network systems or remote systems is prohibited and is a punishable disciplinary offense.
• Use of systems and/or networks to harm or thwart the operations or business of the college or college activities is prohibited.
• Decryption of system or user passwords is prohibited.
• The copying of system files is prohibited.
• The copying of copyrighted materials, such as third-party software, without the express written permission of the owner or the proper license, is prohibited.
• Intentional attempts to "crash" network systems or programs are punishable disciplinary offenses.
• Running of HTTP, Email, and FTP servers is strictly prohibited on client machines.
• The willful introduction of computer "viruses" or other disruptive/destructive programs into the organization network or into external networks is prohibited.

Revised and adopted by the Computing/Technology Committee, January 29, 2004.