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Source of the
information
The information contained in
this document is taken from Columbus State Community college Policy No. 15-01 and
Procedure No. 15-01
(C).
Users who violate these
policies may be denied access to college computing resources and may
be subjected to other penalties and disciplinary action, both within
and outside of the college. The college may also refer
suspected violations of applicable law to appropriate law
enforcement agencies.
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Resource usage
Use of Columbus State
Community College resources is for purposes related to the
instructional and administrative mission of
the college. Faculty, staff, and students may use computing resources for purposes related to their
instruction, their studies, their duties as employees of the college, official business of the college,
or other college-sanctioned activities. The use of college computer and information
resources for commercial purposes other than college-related is prohibited. Facilities used for
connectivity are to be used in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner.
Academic dishonesty, such as
plagiarism. Use of Columbus State
Community college resources is for purposes related to the
instructional and administrative mission of the college.
Faculty, staff, and students may use computing resources for
purposes related to their instruction, their studies, their duties
as employees of the college, official business of the college or
other college-sanctioned activities. The use of college
computer and information resources for commercial purposes other
than college-related is prohibited. Facilities used for
connectivity are to be used in a responsible, ethical, and legal
manner.
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Guidelines for usage
This policy applies to all
users of college computing resources, whether affiliated with
the college or not, and to all uses
of those resources, whether on campus or from remote locations, including dial-up sessions. Additional
policies may apply to specific computers, computer systems, or networks provided or operated by
specific units of the college. All sections of this policy also apply to college publications on
the Internet.
As a part of the educational,
physical, and social learning infrastructure, Columbus State
Community College acquires, develops, and maintains computers,
computer systems, and networks. The
computing resources are intended for college-related purposes,
including direct and indirect support
of the college’s instruction, research, and service missions;
of college administrative functions;
of student and campus life activities; and of the free exchange of ideas among members of the college
community and between the college community and the wider local, national, and world
communities.
The rights of academic freedom
and freedom of expression apply to the use of college computing resources. So, too, however, do the
responsibilities and limitations associated with those rights. The use of college computing resources,
like the use of any other college-provided resource and like any other college-related
activity, is subject to the normal
requirements of legal and ethical behavior within the college
community. Thus, legitimate use of a
computer, computer system, or network does not extend to whatever is
technically possible. Although some limitations are built into
computer operating systems and
networks, those limitations are not the sole restrictions on what is
permissible. Users must abide by all applicable restrictions,
whether or not they are built into the operating system or network and whether or not they can be
circumvented by technical means.
The Internet provides access
to a wide range of information and expands educational resources well beyond traditional collections. Not
all sources on the Internet contain information that is accurate, complete, current, or legal.
Columbus State Community College does
not necessarily endorse the viewpoints nor vouch for the accuracy of
information accessed through the Internet and cannot be held
responsible for its content. Some resources and destinations
accessed through the Internet may contain information that some
people may find offensive or objectionable in nature or content.
Internet users access sites at their own risk. Workstations are in
open labs and offices, and images on the screen may inadvertently be
viewed by a wide audience. Columbus State is not responsible for the
information accessed by anyone at their workstations.
Columbus State Community
College views Information Technology services and associated
equipment as an integral part of the
learning process and individual development, and realizes the key role technology plays in
students’ success. Therefore, priority to access and resource use is given to academic and
college-related work. Accordingly, the college will strive to provide the access necessary to
accomplish such work. Resources used for general interest that relate to educational material and
learning is encouraged, but priority will be given to course-related usage.
All users of college computing
resources must:
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Comply with all federal, state, and other applicable laws;
all generally applicable college
rules and policies; and all applicable contracts and licenses.
Examples of such laws, rules,
policies, contracts, and licenses include the laws of libel,
privacy, copyright, trademark,
obscenity, and child pornography; the Electronic Communications
Privacy Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which
prohibit "hacking," "cracking," and
similar activities; the college’s code of student conduct; the college’s sexual harassment policy;
and all applicable software licenses. Users who engage in electronic communications
with persons in other states or
countries or on other systems or networks should be aware that
they may also be subject to the
laws of those other states and countries and the rules and
policies of those other systems and
networks. Users are responsible for ascertaining, understanding, and complying with the laws,
rules, policies, contracts, and
licenses applicable to their particular uses.
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Use only those computing resources that they are authorized
to use and only in the manner and
to the extent authorized. Ability to access computing resources
does not, by itself, imply
authorization to do so. Users are responsible for
ascertaining what authorizations
are necessary and for obtaining them before proceeding.
Accounts and passwords may not, under any
circumstances, be shared with, or used by, persons other than those to whom they have been
assigned by the college.
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Respect the privacy of other users and their accounts,
regardless of whether those accounts are securely protected. Again, ability to access
other persons’ accounts does not,
by itself, imply authorization to do so. Users are responsible
for ascertaining what
authorizations are necessary and for obtaining them before
proceeding.
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Respect the finite capacity of those resources and limit
use so as not to consume an unreasonable amount of those resources or to interfere
unreasonably with the activity of
other users. The college may require users to limit or refrain
from specific uses in accordance
with this principle or for other reasons.
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Refrain from using those resources for personal commercial
purposes or for personal financial or other gain. Personal use of
college computing resources is permitted when it does not consume a significant amount of
these resources, does not interfere
with the performance of the user’s job or other college
responsibilities, and is otherwise in
compliance with this policy. The college may limit personal use if needed.
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Refrain from stating or implying that they speak on behalf
of the college and from using
college trademarks and logos without authorization to do so.
Affiliation with the college does
not, by itself, imply authorization to speak on behalf of
the college.
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Users who violate this policy may be denied access to
college computing resources and may
be subjected to other penalties and disciplinary action, both
within and outside of the college.
Violations will normally be handled through the college
disciplinary procedures applicable
to the relevant user. For example, alleged violations by students
will normally be investigated, and
any penalties or other discipline will normally be imposed, by
the Office of Associate Provost.
However, the college may temporarily suspend or block access to an account, prior to the initiation or
completion of such procedures, when it reasonably appears necessary to do so in order to protect
the integrity, security, or functionality of college or other computing resources or to
protect the college from liability.
The college may also refer suspected violations of applicable law
to appropriate law enforcement
agencies.
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The college employs various measures to protect the
security of its computing resources and of its users’ accounts. Users should be aware, however,
that the college cannot guarantee
such security. Users should therefore engage in safe and
responsible computing practices by
establishing appropriate access restrictions for their accounts,
guarding their passwords, and
changing them regularly.
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Users should also be aware that their uses of college
computing resources are not necessarily private. While the college does not routinely
monitor individual usage of its computing resources, the normal operation and maintenance
of the college’s computing resources require the backup and caching of data and
communications, the logging of activity, the monitoring of general usage patterns, and
other such activities that are necessary to provide service. The college may also
specifically monitor the activity and accounts of individual users of college computing
resources, including individual login sessions and communications, without notice, when:
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It reasonably appears necessary to do so to protect the
integrity, security, or functionality of college or other computing resources or to
protect the college from liability.
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There is reasonable cause to believe that the user has
violated, or is violating, this policy.
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An account appears to be engaged in unusual or unusually
excessive activity, as indicated by
the monitoring of general activity and usage patterns.
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It is otherwise required or permitted by law.
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Any such individual monitoring, other than that required by
law, or necessary to respond to
perceived emergency situations, must be authorized in writing and
in advance by the President or
his/her designee. Every effort will be made to keep those records
private, unless disclosure is
required by law. The college, at its discretion, may disclose the
results of any such general or
individual monitoring, including the contents and records
of individual communications, to
appropriate college personnel or law enforcement agencies
and may use those results in appropriate
college disciplinary proceedings. Communications made by means of college computing resources
are also generally subject to
Ohio’s Public Records Statute to the same extent as they would be
if made on paper. At the
termination of an individual investigative or monitoring
process, both internally and externally of the college, the individual within the
college who has been monitored will be notified of the monitoring activity, unless the college
is legally restricted from doing so.
Columbus State Community
College’s World Wide Web pages are considered official college publications as well as campus wide
information sources. As with printed publications, information regarding the college must be
approved by the appropriate manager
prior to being published on the college's home
page.
Administrative and academic
units of the college are encouraged to develop individual
home pages as part of the college’s presence
on the World Wide Web. Official college pages will be linked to appropriate, previously created,
categories within the Columbus State
home page.
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