Policies and Procedures
Acceptable Use of College Computing Resources
Chapter: 2
Section: 17.01
Computer Index Code: C2s17.01
Origination Date: 10/98
President's Cabinet Approval: 10/98
Trustees Approval: 10/14/98
Revision Date:
POLICY # C2S17.01
Subject: Chapter 2 Information Technology
Section 17.01 Acceptable Use of College
Computing Resources
I. PURPOSE
This document defines the acceptable use of SALT LAKE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE (SLCC) computing resources. Computing
resources include the computing hardware, software, cabling
and telecommunications, and all computing peripherals
owned or leased by the College and used in the conduct of
College business, regardless of location of these resources.
This policy also applies to use of computer resources
which are entrusted to the College by other organizations.
II. POLICY
SLCC computing resources are provided for the use of the
College's students, faculty, staff, and alumni in support
of its instructional programs, learning activities, and
administrative activities. They are to be used in support
of the mission of the College. College computing resources
are public resources, and as such they may not be used for
personal profit and/or gain, or for the promotion of non-
college sponsored commercial ventures. Unacceptable use of
computer resources as defined by the College is prohibited.
Computing resources are owned and/or operated by SLCC, and
all rights to these services may be terminated without notice.
The College's role in managing computing resources is as an
information carrier, and it does not consider transmission
through this system as an endorsement of such transmission.
Chapter: 2
Section: 17.01
Computer Index Code: C2s17.01
Origination Date: 10/98
President's Cabinet Approval: 10/98
Trustees Approval: 10/14/98
Revision Date:
PROCEDURES FOR POLICY # C2S17.01
Subject: Chapter 2 Information Technology
Section 17.01 Acceptable Use of College
Computing Resources
I. REFERENCES
A. Student Services. Student Code of Conduct
B. Academic Affairs Policy 1.01. Academic Freedom,
Professional Responsibility, and Tenure
C. Personnel Policy 3.06. Employee Definitions
and Categories
D. Personnel Policy 3.03. Conflict of Interest
E. Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964
F. Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972
G. State of Utah Executive Order 1993. Standards
and Procedures on Sexual Harassment Prevention
H. State of Utah Government Records Access and
Management Act (GRAMA)
I. United States Copyright Act
J. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
of 1974 (FERPA)
K. Electronic Privacy Act
L. Authority to Promulgate Policies and Procedures,
U.C.A. 76-8-708
M. Damage to Records, U.C.A. 76-8-412, 413
N. Vandalism on Campus, U.C.A. 76-8-703,705,706
O. Salt Lake Community College Human Resource
Progressive Discipline Procedures
II. DEFINITIONS
A. Computer Resources: Computer resources include the
computing hardware, software, cabling and tele-
communications, and all computing peripherals owned or
leased by the College and used in the conduct of
College business, regardless of location of these
resources. Also included are computer systems which
are entrusted to the College by other organizations.
B. Computer System Administrators: Any person with the
authority and/or responsibility for granting permission
to users for the use of computer resources at the College.
C. Copyrighted Materials: Any material protected by United
States or internationally accepted copyright laws.
D. Harassing Conduct: Conduct evaluated as demeaning or
hostile as defined by federal and state laws regarding
harassment.
E. Hostile Educational Environment: A hostile educational
environment is established when harassing conduct is
sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to
interfere with or limit the ability of an individual to
participate effectively and positively.
F. "Light of Day Test": A test to insure the appropriate
use of computer resources. The user should be able to
display any messages or materials in a public forum
without concern for its impact.
G. User: Any person who maintains an official relationship
with the College and has been granted rights to use
computer resources by a computer system administrator.
III. PROCEDURES
A. User Responsibilities:
1. System Usage: Electronic communications facilities
are to be used for education, research, academic
development, administrative and support services,
and public service. Fraudulent, harassing or obscene
messages and/or materials are not to be knowingly
retrieved, transmitted or stored. Users may not
encroach on others' use of computer resources.
Activities defined as encroachment are determined by
the computer system administrator and include, but
are not limited to, excessive use of computer resources
for trivial applications; sending harassing messages;
sending frivolous or excessive messages, including
chain letters, junk mail, and other types of broadcast
messages, either locally or over the Internet; using
excessive amounts of storage; intentionally introducing
any rogue or malicious programs to SLCC hardware or
software; or physically damaging systems.
2. Privileges: Access to and privileges on SLCC campus
computing resources, including the issuing of passwords,
are approved, assigned and managed by the administrators
of specific individual systems. Eligible individuals
may become authorized users of a system and be granted
appropriate access and privileges by following the
approval steps prescribed for that system. Users may
not, under any circumstances, transfer or confer these
privileges to other individuals. Any account assigned
to an individual shall not be used by others without
written permission from the appropriate systems
administrator. The authorized user is responsible for
the proper use of the systems, including appropriate
password protection.
3. System Performance: No one shall deliberately attempt
to degrade the performance of a computer system or to
deprive authorized personnel of resources or access to
any College computer system, especially that access
which carries out the priorities of education and
administration. This does not apply to those tasked
with testing system performance as part of their normal
job routine.
4. Unauthorized Access: Knowledge of specific features of
a computer security system or a special password is not
to be used to damage computer systems, obtain extra
resources, take resources from another user, gain access
to systems, or use systems without proper authorization.
5. Computer Software Protected by Copyright: Copyrighted
material shall not be copied in any manner by users of
College computing facilities, except as permitted by
law, or by contract with the owner of the copyright.
Computer software may be copied in order to make back-up
copies if permitted by the copyright owner. The number
and distribution of copies may not exceed the number of
authorized licensed users purchased. This rule applies
to all images, sound files, text files, or other
copyrighted files, as well as to entire programs and
codes not considered part of the public domain.
6. Personal use of Computing Resources: College computing
resources are provided for the conduct of College
activities. However, personal use of College computing
resources is permitted as long as the following five
conditions are satisfied:
1. there is no additional accrued cost to the College
as a result of this use;
2. the use will pass the "light of day" test;
3. the use does not interfere with nor interrupt
College operations;
4. the use does not conflict with any state or
federal laws; and
5. the use is not for personal profit and/or gain,
or for the promotion of non-college sponsored
commercial ventures.
7. Appropriate User Behavior: SLCC's role in managing
computing resources is as an information carrier,
and it does not consider transmission through this
system as an endorsement of such transmission.
Users are responsible for maintaining an environment
as described below.
a. One in which resources are shared equitably
among users. The system administrator of each
system sets minimum guidelines within which
users must conduct their activities. The user
is responsible for adhering to these guidelines
as well.
b. One that is conducive to learning as indicated
in the Student Code of Conduct. A user who
harasses, or makes defamatory or derogatory
remarks, or transmits such, bears sole
responsibility for his or her actions.
Many SLCC instructional computing systems
provide access to outside networks, both
public and private, which furnish electronic
mail, information services, bulletin boards,
conferences, and other resources. Users are
advised that the College does not assume
responsibility for the contents of any of
these outside networks, and that they may
encounter material which may be offensive
or objectionable in nature or content.
Public forums include computer labs; and,
as such, users shall not knowingly access
materials which may be offensive or
objectionable in a public forum.
All users shall comply with the acceptable
use guidelines for any outside networks or
services they may access through SLCC
computing resources. Proper etiquette on
outside networks is required. Documents
regarding etiquette are available through
system administrators in College computer
labs and through specific individual networks.
Network etiquette guidelines are also available
through links on the College's World Wide Web
home page.
All users agree never to attempt to transmit,
or cause to be transmitted, any message in
which the origination is deliberately
misleading.
In the event someone transmits, or causes to
be transmitted, a message inconsistent with an
environment conducive to learning, or with a
misleading origination, the person who produced
the transmission will be solely accountable
for the message, and not SLCC, which is
acting solely as the information carrier.
c. One that is free of illegal or malicious acts.
Any attempt to increase the level of access to
which the user is authorized, or to deprive
other authorized users of resources or access
to any SLCC computing resources, shall be
regarded as malicious, and could be determined
to be an illegal act. Illegal acts are defined
by Federal and State law.
d. One that is secure. Any user with knowledge of
passwords or of loopholes in computer security
systems shall not damage computing resources,
obtain extra resources, take resources from
another user, gain unauthorized access to
resources, or otherwise use of computing
resources for which proper authorization has
not been given. Users are responsible for
proper password maintenance, including periodic
changes and safeguarding their password. Users
also are responsible for backup of their own
data. Any user who finds a possible security
lapse on any system is strongly requested to
report it to the appropriate system administrator.
B. Violations: An individual's computer use privileges may be
suspended immediately upon the discovery of a possible
violation of this policy and procedures. Violations will
be dealt with according to the disciplinary procedures set
forth in the Student Code of Conduct or by the Human
Resources Department. In such cases, the full range
of disciplinary sanctions is available, including not
only the loss of computer use privileges, but dismissal
from the College, and legal action. Conduct that violates
this policy and procedures may constitute a criminal
offense.
C. Additional Guidelines: System administrators may
establish more detailed guidelines, as needed, for
specific computing systems and networks. These guidelines
will cover, but will not be limited to, such issues as:
connect time and disk space allowed, responsibility
for account approval, commercial uses of accounts,
handling of unretrievable mail, and other items related
to administering the system.
D. Confidentiality and Privacy: Employee files (including
e-mail) are records defined and processed according
to the Government Records Access and Management Act
(GRAMA). Consequently, files may be subject to
inspection through the College GRAMA officer. In such
cases, the College GRAMA officer has authority to
inspect files to determine which portions may be
exempt from disclosure. Non-public files will be
safeguarded as though they were confidential to the
maximum extent possible.
In any event, system administrators will respect
the user's privacy, and will not examine, access,
or move individual files or e-mail, except in
special circumstances. Users will be notified, in
advance, of access to their files in the following
circumstances:
a) moving files or e-mail which have an adverse
effect on system-wide performance, or
b) performing necessary system maintenance on
either the file server or the local computer.
In the following circumstances, however, advanced
notification of access is not practical:
a) investigating an apparent violation of this
policy and procedures,
b) forwarding of undelivered mail messages, or
c) closing an account which contains unread mail
or undeleted files.
E. Nondiscrimination: No user shall discriminate
against any person while using SLCC computer
resources. However, the College cannot protect
users from offensive or discriminatory material
which may be encountered while using Internet and
World Wide Web access.
Discriminatory conduct or materials may include,
but are not limited to, any conduct or written or
graphic material that either: (1) harasses,
denigrates, or shows hostility towards an
individual or group, or (2) creates a hostile,
intimidating, or offensive educational environment.
Any user who believes he or she has been subject
to discrimination shall inform the SLCC Office
of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. They shall
be advised that they have the right to be free from
retaliation for filing the complaint. Further,
the user should report any conduct which they
believe in motivated by retaliation for filing
the complaint to the appropriate College
administrator.
For More Information, Contact:
Nancy Sanchez
Director of Risk Management
(801) 957-4041
E-mail: nancy.sanchez@slcc.edu
http://www.slcc.edu
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