Information Services

Appropriate Use Policy for Computer and Information Resources

Policy

Connecticut College information systems and resources (including computers,
computer accounts, printers, networks, software, electronic mail, Web pages,
WebCam, audio and video conferencing, and the telephone and voice mail
systems) are for the use of Connecticut College students, faculty and staff.
Users are encouraged to explore and utilize information systems and
resources and to share their computer knowledge and expertise with other
Connecticut College users. Resources may not be used for commercial purposes
outside the scope of the College’s mission.

The provision of information systems and resources at Connecticut College
requires legal and ethical utilization by all users including faculty,
students, staff, alumni and non-college account holders. The facilities at
Connecticut College, including all central computing and telephone
resources, the campus network, and all departmental resources are limited
and should be used in a responsible manner. Many people depend on
Connecticut College's computers and the voice and data network to complete
essential parts of their work; therefore, users must not intentionally
damage the system or misuse system resources so as to prevent others from
doing their work.

The following list, though not covering every situation, specifies policies
and regulations that govern usage of information systems and resources at
Connecticut College and the networks to which Connecticut College is
connected. All users are expected to abide by these regulations and policies
and those that govern the use of the campus computers, computer networks,
labs, and the telephone and voice mail systems.

Use of Computing Resources

All users must comply with federal and state laws and all college
regulations and policies related to any copying and use of computer software
and electronic files. Connecticut College resources must not be used to
violate the terms of license agreements and of copyright and trademark laws.

In addition, other activities that threaten the integrity of the system or
harm individual users are not allowed.

Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• Initiating or propagating electronic chain letters, unauthorized mass
  mailings (contact System Administrator for permissions/restrictions), or
  using e-mail or personal web pages for personal commercial purpose outside
  the scope of the College's mission.



• Falsifying your identity when sending a communication
  
  
• Tampering with, abusing, or otherwise damaging computer or telephone
  hardware or software. This includes software or network tampering (hacking),
  such as attempting to crack or guess passwords, sending anonymous mail, or
  “bombing” a mailbox with multiple copies of a message.
  
  
• Running or installing any program or sending any mass communication that
  overloads or substantially interferes with the proper operation of the
  computer system or network.
  
  
• Overloading or substantially interfering with the proper operation of the
  College’s network and computer data storage.
  
  
• Using the College’s computers or network or the telephone system to transmit
  fraudulent, defamatory, harassing, obscene or threatening messages or any
  communications prohibited by law.
  
  
• Improperly or inaccurately stating or implying the College’s sponsorship or
  endorsement of any communications, including anything contained on a
  personal web page on the College’s computers or network.
  
  
• Engaging in activities that result in any direct cost to the College without
  prior authorization.
  

Users who publish web pages or similar information resources on the College
computers or computer system shall take full responsibility for what they
publish, shall abide by this policy and other College policies, shall comply
with all applicable laws, and shall not publish commercial advertisements
without prior written authorization. Links to commercial sites are
permitted, but advertisements are not. Users shall not accept any form of
remuneration in return for placing anything on their web pages or similar
facilities.

Security

Connecticut College computer and telephone systems are vital to the academic
mission of the college. The information services staff members endeavor to
maintain the integrity and proper functioning of the systems for the benefit
of the College community.

A user must use only his/her own account. A user is responsible for all use
made of his/her account, and may not authorize anyone else to use his/her
account. The user must take all reasonable precautions, including password
maintenance and file protection measures to prevent its unauthorized use.

The structure of accounts and passwords plays an important role in
protecting the work and privacy of all users. You must log in only to your
own account, except for extraordinary situations where faculty or staff
receive a user’s permission to access their account temporarily or where use
of a group account has been approved by the network administrator. In all
other circumstances, you may not use another person’s password or otherwise
seek to gain access to another user’s account.

Within means available, every member of the faculty, staff and student-body
must take personal responsibility for maintaining the security of
institutional records. Institutional records include all matters pertaining
to personnel, payroll, registrar, admissions, financial aid, development,
medical records, security reports, financial data and other information of
privileged and private nature.

No one has the right or authority to extend his or her own established range
of access to computer records. Users must not attempt to modify the system
facilities or attempt to crash the system. They must not attempt to subvert
the restrictions associated with their computer accounts. They must not
tamper with any software protection placed on any computer applications.
They must not modify or delete data in a college data base without
authority. This includes making changes to your own personal data in any
college information system.

Users must not search for, access or copy directories, programs, files,
disks or data belonging to others without specific authorization to do so.
Programs and data residing in centralized college systems are not considered
public domain and should not be used, in part or in whole, for any purpose
other than that which is officially authorized.

Privacy

The College acknowledges its obligation – within the limitations of this
policy and its ability – to respect the privacy of users’ electronic files
and communications on the College’s information systems and resources. All
system administrators shall respect the privacy of users and shall comply
with the terms of this policy.

However, individual users of information systems and resources should be
sensitive to the inherent limitations of shared network resources. No
computer security system can absolutely prevent unauthorized persons from
accessing stored information and the College cannot, and does not, guarantee
the privacy or confidentiality of stored information or electronic
communications.

The College has the right to monitor and access a user's communications,
files, stored information and use of the system only under the following
limited circumstances:

• When the user has consented, or has voluntarily made information or
  communications accessible to the public, as by posting them to a web page or
  listserv;
  
  
• When necessary to maintain college business functions and the employee is no longer with the college, is suspended, or is otherwise unavailable;
  
  
• When required by law or by College policies or regulations, as reflected in
  the Information for Faculty, the Employee Handbook, or the Student Handbook;
  
  
• When necessary to protect the integrity, security and proper functioning of
  the College’s computers and networks or to protect the College from
  liability;
  
  
• When necessary to enforce this policy or other College policies and
  regulations, as reflected in the Information for Faculty, the Employee
  Handbook, or the Student Handbook, including the College’s sexual harassment
  policy and anti-discrimination policies, and to investigate when there is
  reasonable cause to believe that any of those policies or any state or
  federal laws has been or is being violated. A user’s communications or files
  will be accessed for this purpose only with the prior approval of the Vice
  President for Information Services or designee in consultation with the
  appropriate Senior Administrators.
  
  
• When there is an existing College
  procedure that provides for an expedited review of alleged violations of law
  or College policies or regulations, that procedure will be used to determine
  whether it is appropriate to access a user’s files or communications, unless
  exigent circumstances require immediate access.
  

If the College monitors or accesses a user’s files or communications, it
will respect information and communications that are privileged or otherwise
protected from disclosure by law. Any monitoring or access to a user’s files
or communications will be no more extensive than necessary to accomplish the
purpose for which it is authorized under this policy. Affected users will be
notified of such monitoring or access provided that the notice is allowed by
law and College policy and that it will not compromise the College's
investigation or an investigation of any law enforcement organization.

Other Applicable Rules, Laws

Users of the College’s electronic resources, including E-mail
communications, are subject to College policies and other statements of
conduct as published in the Student Handbook, Faculty Handbook, and the
Employee Handbook as well as all applicable federal and state laws. It
should be understood that this Acceptable Use Policy does not supersede
existing College regulations and policies – including the College’s
non-discrimination and sexual harassment policies – or the laws and
regulations of the state of Connecticut and/or the United States of America.

Consequences

System administrators shall have the right to temporarily suspend any user’s
access to the system without notice where there is reasonable cause to
believe such access poses a threat to the security or proper functioning of
the system or where it is necessary to comply with the law.

Violations of this policy or any other College rules on computer use will be
considered grounds for removal of account and network privileges, and where
appropriate, other disciplinary action. The College may revoke a user’s
account and network privileges for violations of law, of this policy or
other College policies and regulations, only after notice and opportunity to
be heard. Other possible disciplinary action will be determined through
referral to the appropriate disciplinary authorities under existing College
procedures.