Appropriate Use Procedure of the Internet and Campus E-mail

General Statement of Procedure

It shall be the procedure of Treasure Valley Community College to provide within available resources, a comprehensive range of appropriate technologies to support a wide range of instruction and learning and to allow faculty and students to interact in learning environments independent of time or place. TVCC shall also make use of appropriate technologies for the efficient management and administration of the College's internal and external business and operations.

It is the task of administration to support faculty, staff, and students in the application of technology to learning and teaching, to provide responsive helpdesk services, to provide district network services, to provide reliable access to electronic information systems and resources, to plan and budget for the College's future technologies, to develop and maintain standards and regularized procedures for operations, to manage inventory and to coordinate the College's electronic information resources and systems. It is the responsibility of administration to ensure secure and reliable network operations, and to oversee the implementation of new electronic information and learning technologies for the benefit of the College.

Achievement of excellence across the TVCC mission of instruction, research, and service outreach is the goal. Access to systems, software, internal information, and external data networks is important to all members of the College community. To protect that access all members of the College community who use the College's computing equipment and network resources must act responsibly. Users and system administrators must all guard against misuse that would effect services, both at the College and on those networks which can be reached from the College.

Training and support in the use of educational and information technologies is an important part of the mission of the College to support students, faculty, and staff. The College will provide, within available resources, such training and support as necessary for the efficient and effective use of technology resources.

General Computing Procedures

1. Application of Procedures. The provision and use of computing and networking privileges is governed by TVCC's procedures as well as those applicable policies and standards implemented by the State of Oregon, or other governmental authorities. System and facility managers are responsible for ensuring full compliance.
   
2. Institutional Purposes. Use of computing resources is for purposes related to TVCC's mission of education and public service. All computer service users may use computing resources ONLY for purposes related to their TVCC studies, their instruction, their duties as employees, their official business with the College, and their other College-sanctioned activities as specified in the State ethics laws.
   
3. Copyright. TVCC utilizes a wide variety of software, with a wide range of license and copyright provisions. Users are responsible for complying with the license and copyright provisions of the software that they use. No software copy is to be installed, made, or distributed by any user without a prior determination that such an activity is in fact permissible. All users must respect the legal protection provided by copyright and license to programs and data, including protections extended to those materials which may be found on the network and internet.
   
4. Right to Privacy. Care will be taken to ensure the privacy of files. In the normal course of operating and maintaining the network and the systems connected to it, the contents of files and of data on the network will not be examined unless such files or data are causing network difficulties. Employees of the college can expect to be notified when support personnel have needed access to their college provided computers or files for maintenance or operational purposes. Network staff, charged with the responsibility for maintenance of the integrity and security of computing systems, are permitted to copy or move network stored user files for routine backups and preservation. System administrators and support technicians can become aware of non-mail file contents during the course of systems operations or maintenance. Suspect non-mail network files may be examined if they are causing network difficulties. Although files are being maintained on college owned networks and equipment, users can expect that TVCC staff will not inspect the contents of college mail files, without owner permission or proper justification and administrative authorization. Mail files cannot be opened by TVCC staff without the owner's knowledge.
   
   All TVCC files, including mail files, are subject to search and seizure by various law enforcement agencies without notification. Various State and Federal legal agencies, using appropriate legal processes, may require access to mail files without user knowledge.
   
5. Lab Access. Computer labs are college resources, and as resources their use may be allocated to serve the greatest needs of the college. Computer facilities are not for use by the public or the general student population. TVCC labs are not for recreational purposes. General purpose computer labs are made available quarterly for TVCC educational purposes to those students who have current student validation and who agree to follow lab procedures. Specific labs that are designed to support specific classes or courses of study may also be made available during times when they are not otherwise utilized. At such times, authorized students needing access to the specific programs residing on specific machines in those labs will have preferential access.
   
6. Computer Access. Computers which are in specific classrooms, offices or other non-public areas are not intended for general access. Unauthorized use of computers or computer equipment is prohibited. With the exception of information kiosk stations and library reference and research terminals, TVCC does not make computers available for public use.
   
7. Network Resources. Computing and networking resources are sometimes overburdened. Conflicts may arise regarding allocation of bandwidth, access to specific programs or computers, or other access to needed resources. Priorities among users will vary depending on need and the determinations of the Administration.
   
8. Operational Limits. System managers have discretion to set and revise reasonable usage priorities and operational procedures (such as hours of operation, usage time limits, populations to be served, etc.) They may also set such routines as may be reasonably necessary for the operation of their systems or facilities. Food and beverages are not permitted in computer labs. Network operations and configurations will be determined by the administration who will consider security and operational efficiencies as well as college needs.

Computer Code of Electronic Citizenship

1. Usage. Computing resources should be used appropriately in accordance with the high ethical standards of the college community as described in college publications. Additionally, all uses of TVCC networks and equipment must comply with the standards of State ethics laws and use policies. The network shall not be used to transmit any communication in any form, nor store any file that could be found to be obscene, abusive, or highly offensive by prevalent community standards.
   
2. Passwords. Passwords may not be shared or made available to others. Users shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, whether on the TVCC campus or elsewhere, without permission.
   
3. Identification. Users must not forge or otherwise attempt to send mail which contains false address information, or represent themselves as others.
   
4. Harrassment. Users shall not develop or implement programs or communications that harass other users or that create a hostile work or learning environment, either on the campus or elsewhere.
   
5. System Misuse. Users shall not impair the use or operations of any computing system or network on the campus or elsewhere.
   
6. Hacking. Users shall not, by any means, attempt to infiltrate or 'hack' into a computing system or network, either on the TVCC campus or elsewhere.
   
7. Alterations. Users shall not attempt to damage, or alter without proper authorization, the hardware or the software components of a computing system or network, either on campus or elsewhere.
   
8. Equipment Attachment. Users may not physically attach non-TVCC computers, including personally owned laptops, to TVCC owned computer equipment or peripherals, or to the network without Administration authorization. Users may not reconfigure or reconnect TVCC systems or equipment without administrative authorization.
   
9. Compliance. Users are expected to comply fully with the instructions of facility staff and system managers. In particular, users will vacate terminals, workstations, or the facility and will surrender other resources (such as printers and software) promptly when asked to do so, both at closing times and when necessary to permit access by others.
   
10. Copyright. Users are expected to respect property rights. Users may not upload, download, store, or transmit any materials in violation of copyright laws.

Electronic Mail
Electronic mail at TVCC is an important resource for academic and administrative communications and is an essential element in the College's day-to-day activities. A major reason for this, in addition to the obvious benefits of speed and increased accessibility, is the "targeted" nature of electronic mail messages. These messages generally deal with direct communications between individuals or small groups. These services should be focused on facilitating individual and small group interaction, and should serve a direct administrative or academic purpose.

1. Student Messages. Student mail users may not send any global or group messages, unless it is a direct part of their studies or work assignment. Students may not send 'random' e-mail messages.
   
2. E-Mail Purposes. College e-mail capabilities may not be used for non-college sanctioned purposes or non-related fundraising. It may not be used for non-college related purposes or for political lobbying.
   
3. Mail Disruptions. Electronic mail systems may not be disrupted, used for chain letters or used to conduct illegal activities. 'Mail bombs' or multiple mail messages may not be sent with the intent of disrupting service to individuals or the system.
   
4. Prohibited Messages. Users may not send messages which could be interpreted as harrassing, threatening, or obscene, or which create a hostile environment.

Use of Computing Resources for all TVCC Web Pages
College web pages must comply with the guidelines established by the College, and will only be posted by the web master upon compliance with the guidelines established by the College and approval by the appropriate Dean. The College's computing resources are intended to enable the institution to carry out its responsibilities of education and public service. Therefore, these functions have priority in using computing resources, including the posting of web pages. As members of the faculty, or as students in classes which publish web pages, users may publish web pages on the World Wide Web within limits established by the Administration, and within the reasonable physical limits of the systems involved. All TVCC web pages are treated as publications, and they must comply with standards, procedures, and policies set forth by the College.

1. Responsibility. Users assume responsibility for the content of their web pages. They must abide by all local, state, and federal laws that pertain to communication and to publishing. This includes libel and copyright laws which pertain to all published material, including cartoons, pictures, graphics, text, song lyrics, and sounds.
   
2. Content. Web page content is governed by the policies of the college regarding publications, and the procedures regarding responsible computing and network use and those regulations imposed by applicable federal, state or local laws, including laws regarding the right to privacy and laws which prohibit defamatory material. Users of the college's information systems are advised that their communications are subject to such laws and that the consequences of violations can be severe. Responsibility for the content of users' web pages resides solely with the author(s). The views and opinions expressed by users on their personal pages are strictly the views and opinions of the authors and do not carry the official sanction of the College.
   
3. Commercial Activity. Users may not use home pages posted on TVCC web servers for non-college related commercial activity. This includes, but is not limited to, running any sort of private business through a College hosted home page.
   
4. Fund Raising and Advertising. Users may not use web pages for fund-raising or advertising for commercial or non-commercial organizations, except for college-related events.
   
5. Use of the College Name or Logo. Users may not use the college name in their web pages in any way that implies endorsement of other organizations, products, or services. Permission to use the college name or logo in any way is granted by the college president or authorized personnel.
   

Adjudication, Enforcement, and Sanctions

1. Responsibility. The principal responsibility for investigation of suspected non-compliance with the provisions of this procedure rests with the appropriate Dean or designee.
   
2. Rights. The investigation of alleged or suspected non-compliance with procedure is to be conducted with due regard for the rights of all users.
   
3. Suspended Service. System managers may suspend service to users without notice when reasonably necessary to the operation or integrity of the system or the networks connected to it. Cessation of service, whether by network disconnection or disablement of login capability, shall be utilized in preference to file inspection when remedying or investigating instances of alleged disruption.
   
4. File Contents. Non-mail file contents may become known during the course of systems operations or maintenance. Suspect files may be examined if they are causing network difficulties.
   
5. Violations. Violation of the procedures described herein for legal and ethical use of computing resources will be dealt with seriously. Individuals accused of violations will be subject to the normal disciplinary and grievance procedures of the college and, in addition, the loss of computing privileges may result. Illegal acts involving TVCC computing resources may also be subject to prosecution by state and federal authorities. TVCC will cooperate with local, state, and federal agencies to insure that users of the network are in compliance with appropriate laws and regulations.

Liability

1. Limits of Liability. TVCC makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, that the functions or services provided through the network system will be error free or without defect. The college will not be responsible for any damages users may suffer, including, but not limited to, the loss of network services or access. The college will not be responsible for the accuracy of any information obtained through or stored on the college network system or computers.