Overview
Though there are a number of reasons to provide students with network access, by far the most common is for enhancing their education. This access carries certain responsibilities and obligations as to what constitutes acceptable use of the school's network. This policy explains how the school's information technology resources are to be used and specifies what actions are prohibited. While this policy is as complete as possible, no policy can cover every situation, and thus the student is asked additionally to use common sense when using school resources. Questions on what constitutes acceptable use should be directed to the student’s instructor.
Purpose
Since inappropriate use of corporate systems exposes the school to risk, it is important to specify exactly what is permitted and what is prohibited. The purpose of this policy is to detail the acceptable use of the school's information technology resources for the protection of all parties involved.
Scope
The scope of this policy includes any and all use of the school's IT resources, including but not limited to, computer systems, email, wired network, wireless network, and the corporate internet connection.
E-Mail Use
All students enrolled at Perry Tech will be assigned a student email account. This account may be used by faculty and staff as a means to communicate with students. Official messages and documents may be sent to this account. It is the responsibility of the student to check their Perry Tech email account.
- The following is never permitted: spamming, harassment, communicating threats, solicitations, chain letters, or pyramid schemes. This list is not exhaustive, but is included to provide a frame of reference for types of activities that are prohibited.
- The user is prohibited from forging email header information or attempting to impersonate another person.
- Email is an insecure method of communication, and thus information that is considered confidential or proprietary to the student should not be sent via regular email.
- It is the school's policy not to open email attachments from unknown senders, or when such attachments are unexpected.
- Upon graduation, the student email account will be accessible for 180 days.
- 180 days after graduation the student email account will be deleted.
Confidentiality
Confidential data must not be: shared or disclosed in any manner to non-employees of the school; posted on the internet or any publicly accessible systems; or transferred in any insecure manner.
Network Access
The student should take reasonable efforts to avoid accessing network data, files, and information that are not directly related to his or her education. Existence of access capabilities does not imply permission to use this access.
Unacceptable Use
The following actions shall constitute unacceptable use of the school network. This list is not exhaustive, but is included to provide a frame of reference for types of activities that are deemed unacceptable. The student may not use the school network and/or systems to:
- Engage in activity that is illegal under local, state, federal, or international law.
- Engage in any activities that may cause embarrassment, loss of reputation, or other harm to the school.
- Disseminate defamatory, discriminatory, vilifying, sexist, racist, abusive, rude, annoying, insulting, threatening, obscene or otherwise inappropriate messages or media.
- Engage in activities that cause an invasion of privacy.
- Engage in activities that cause disruption in the classroom or create a hostile learning environment.
- Make fraudulent offers for products or services.
- Perform any of the following: port scanning, security scanning, network sniffing, keystroke logging, or other IT information gathering techniques.
- Install or distribute unlicensed or "pirated" software.
- Reveal personal or network passwords to others.
Blogging and Social Networking
The school recognizes that many of its students use social media. However, students should exercise caution to protect the reputation and goodwill of the school. Students should not use social media during school hours or on equipment provided by the school unless such use is education-related and is authorized by the student’s instructor.
Instant Messaging
The student should recognize that instant messaging may be an insecure medium and should take necessary steps to protect confidential data.
Overuse
Actions detrimental to the school network or other resources, or that negatively affect student performance are not permitted.
Web Browsing
The internet is a network of interconnected computers of which the school has very little control. The student should recognize this when using the internet, and understand that it is a public domain and he or she can come into contact with information, even inadvertently, that he or she may find offensive, sexually explicit, or inappropriate. The student must use the internet at his or her own risk. The school is specifically not responsible for any information that the student views, reads, or downloads from the internet.
Personal Use. The school recognizes that the internet can be a tool that is useful for both personal and educational purposes. Personal usage of school computer systems to access the internet is permitted during lunch, breaks, and before/after school hours, as long as such usage follows pertinent guidelines elsewhere in this policy and does not have a detrimental effect on the company or on the student’s performance.
Copyright Infringment
Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.
Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office: www.copyright.gov.
The school's computer systems and networks must not be used to download, upload, or otherwise handle illegal and/or unauthorized copyrighted content. Any of the following activities constitute violations of acceptable use policy, if done without permission of the copyright owner:
- copying and sharing images, music, movies, or other copyrighted material using P2P file sharing or unlicensed CDs and DVDs
- posting or plagiarizing copyrighted material
- downloading copyrighted files which the student has not already legally procured
This list is not meant to be exhaustive; copyright law applies to a wide variety of works and applies to much more than is listed above.
Peer-to-Peer File Sharing
Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking is not allowed on the school network under any circumstance.
Streaming Media
Streaming media can use a great deal of network resources and thus must be used carefully. Streaming media is allowed for education-related functions only as permitted by the instructor.
Monitoring and Privacy
Students should expect no privacy when using the school network or schools resources. Such use may include but is not limited to: transmission and storage of files, data, and messages. The school reserves the right to monitor any and all use of the computer network. To ensure compliance with school policies, this may include the interception and review of any emails or other messages sent or received, inspection of data stored on file directories, hard disks, and removable media.
Bandwidth Usage
Excessive use of school bandwidth or other computer resources is not permitted. Large file downloads or other bandwidth-intensive tasks that may degrade network capacity or performance must be approved by the student’s instructor. If approved, large downloads are to be performed during times of low company-wide usage.
Circumvention of Security
Using school-owned or school-provided computer systems to circumvent any security systems, authentication systems, user-based systems, or escalating privileges is expressly prohibited. Knowingly taking any actions to bypass or circumvent security is expressly prohibited.
Use for Illegal Activities
No school-owned or school-provided computer systems may be knowingly used for activities that are considered illegal under local, state, federal, or international law. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Unauthorized port scanning
- Unauthorized network hacking
- Unauthorized packet sniffing
- Unauthorized packet spoofing
- Unauthorized denial of service
- Unauthorized wireless hacking
- Any act that may be considered an attempt to gain unauthorized access to or escalate privileges on a computer or other electronic system
- Acts of terrorism
- Identity theft
- Spying
- Downloading, storing, or distributing violent, perverse, obscene, lewd, or offensive material as deemed by applicable statues
- Downloading, storing, or distributing copyrighted material
The school will take all necessary steps to report and prosecute any violations of this policy.
Software Installation
No non-supplied software is to be installed on school devices without permission from IT Services. Numerous security threats can masquerade as innocuous software - malware, spyware, and trojans can all be installed inadvertently through games or other programs. If a certain program is required, notify your instructor and they can contact IT Services.
Reporting of Security Incident
If a security incident or breach of any security policies is discovered or suspected, the student must immediately notify his or her instructor who will notify IT Services who will follow any applicable guidelines as detailed in the school 520-12 Incident Response Policy. Examples of incidents that require notification include:
- Suspected compromise of login credentials (username, password, etc.).
- Suspected virus/malware/trojan infection.
- Loss or theft of ID badge or keycard.
- Any attempt by any person to obtain a user's password over the telephone or by email.
- Any other suspicious event that may impact the school's information security.
Enforcement
This policy will be enforced by the IT director and/or the deans. Violations may result in disciplinary action, which may include suspension, restriction of access, or more severe penalties up to and including dismissal from school. Where illegal activities or theft of school property (physical or intellectual) are suspected, the school may report such activities to the applicable authorities.