Section IX - Information Systems & Technology
IX A
Acceptable Use (Electronic Access)
To state the College’s policy regarding the acceptable use of technology resources provided by Randolph Community College
The College expects employees and students to use computers, networks, network access, telephones, and other information technologies in a responsible, considerate, ethical, and lawful manner. Compliance with policies that ensure the security and integrity of all College information systems is mandatory and critical to ensure continuing provision of technological resources to the entire RCC community. This policy applies to all students, faculty and staff of the College and to all users of technology resources provided by the College.
Randolph Community College understands that information technology has become vital in its mission of teaching and training. Thus, the College owns a variety of technological resources that are provided primarily to support the academic and administrative functions of the College. These technological resources enable users to locate and disseminate information, to communicate and collaborate with others in a global setting, and to build the necessary strategic technologies for the current and future needs of the College community.
Use of RCC technology resources shall be consistent with local, state, and federal law and in accordance with all College policies and procedures. Disregard for the rights of authorship, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the College community. Access to technology resources is a privilege, not a right, and as such, can be withdrawn from those who use it irresponsibly. Users of RCC technology resources who are determined by the College to have purposely violated any of the information technologies policies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension of access to technology resources, discharge, dismissal, suspension, expulsion, and/or legal action.
Guidelines for Networking/Internet Access
The College provides network and Internet access to aid in the transfer of information electronically. These networks may be used for a wide variety of on- and off-campus communications relating to college business. This policy addresses acceptable use of network and Internet access.
Network resources should be used in an effective, efficient, ethical, considerate and lawful manner. Users of networks are expected to demonstrate respect for intellectual property, data ownership, system security, and the individual’s right to freedom from intimidation or harassment.
Network and Internet use shall comply with local, state, and federal law and RCC policies and procedures. Generally, a user's network and Internet use will not be monitored except in the following types of situations: the user gives prior consent, the College needs to ensure the security or operating performance of its systems or networks, the College has a reasonable concern that a violation of College policy or applicable law has occurred, or the College is complying with a valid subpoena or search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. While general content review will not typically be undertaken, monitoring of electronic information may occur for these reasons and others as necessary. For these reasons, the College cannot guarantee the privacy of electronic communications.
Network and Internet access is a privilege, not a right, and as such, can be withdrawn from those who use it irresponsibly. Unauthorized use of the network, intentional deletion or damage to files and data belonging to other users or copyright violations may be considered theft pursuant to some state and federal laws.
To ensure appropriate use of information systems and networks, users must do the following:
- Use resources only for authorized purposes
- Protect any user ID and password from unauthorized use
- Access only files and data that are publicly available, or to which the user has been given authorized access
- Use only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license agreements
- Be considerate in the use of shared network resources. Users should refrain from monopolizing systems, overworking networks with excessive data transfers or downloads, and abusing disk space on workstations or network servers with personal data
- Immediately inform Computer Services of any occurrences of a computer virus
- Intentionally using information systems or networks to send or receive offensive, insulting, harassing, attacking, or obscene text and/or images
- Engaging in any activity that might be harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating computer viruses, disrupting services, or damaging files on workstations or servers
- Using the computer to perpetrate any form of fraud, or software, film or music piracy
- Attempting to circumvent, subvert, or damage system software or security measures
- Using another person's user ID/password or trespass in another user's files or folders without permission
- Intentionally wasting limited resources including network bandwidth
- Utilizing the network for commercial purposes
- Creating, modifying, executing, or retransmitting any computer program intended to obscure the true identity of the sender of electronic mail or electronic messages including, but not limited to, forgery of messages and/or alteration of system and/or user data used to identify the sender of messages
- Violating any copyright laws
- Engaging in personal social networking activities that conflict with work commitments and misusing state internet resources for personal use.
- Visiting internet sites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic or otherwise illegal material
- Publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false material about RCC, RCC employees and/or RCC students on social networking sites, 'blogs' (online journals), 'wikis' and any online publishing format.
Adopted: 04/15/1999
Revised: 05/15/2008, 03/17/2011