Responsible Use of Information Technology
POLICY TITLE: Responsible Use of Information Technology
POLICY NUMBER: 8.1
POLICY SECTION: Information Technology
EFFECTIVE: January 1, 2002
REVISED: October 23, 2007
BACKGROUND:
The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is an educational institution which encourages continuous learning, experimentation, and the development of the complete person. The College is committed to respecting individual privacy and freedom while expecting each individual to act in a responsible, legal, ethical and efficient manner when using the college’s information technology systems and resources. These systems are designed to encourage high-quality educational, professional, career development and self-discovery activities.
The purpose of this policy is to define responsible and ethical behavior that guides faculty, student, and staff use of information technology resources at CCRI.
POLICY STATEMENT:
CCRI provides access to information technology resources for faculty, staff, students, and certain other users to support our mission of access to learning and to conduct business. Every authorized user of information technology resources at CCRI is responsible for utilizing these resources in an efficient, ethical, and legal manner and in ways consistent with overall college policy.
DEFINITIONS:
Information technology: includes but is not limited to desktop computers, workstations, network servers, mainframes computers, software, digital information and voice, video and data networks, including official College pages on social networking sites.
PROCEDURES:
The following principles serve to guide the responsible use of information technology for all CCRI users.
- Respect the rights of others by complying with all college policies regarding sexual, racial, and other forms of harassment, and by preserving the privacy of other individuals. For example, you should not send harassing messages via email or social networking or transmit or reveal personal or private information about individuals unless you have authorization from those individuals.
- Use computing facilities, accounts and data only when you have appropriate authorization and use them for approved purposes. For example, you should not use CCRI information Technology resources to run a business or to access another individual’s computer account.
- Respect all pertinent licenses, contractual agreements, and copyrights. Use only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license requirements. For example, you should not post another individual’s copyrighted material on your web page or install software with a single user license on multiple computers.
- Preserve the integrity of computing systems, electronic data, and communications networks. For example, you should not modify settings on a desktop computer to make it unusable to others or excessively utilize networked resources, like music videos, that overload CCRI’s network bandwidth.
- Respect and adhere to all applicable local, state and federal laws. For example, you should not use CCRI’s information technology resources to attack computers on another network by launching viruses, worms, or other forms of attack.
Privacy
Electronic resources, including but not limited to, programs, files, data, and email belonging to an information technology user at CCRI are private. CCRI reserves the right to have authorized College personnel examine computing resources, communication systems, files, electronic mail, and printer listings. Reasons for examination include but are not limited to performing system maintenance, preventing or investigating unauthorized access and system misuse, assuring compliance with software copyright and distribution policies, and complying with legal and regulatory requests for information. Every effort will be made to insure the privacy of a user’s files. However, if policy violations are discovered, they will be reported accordingly.
Enforcement
Members of the CCRI community who believe they have witnessed or been
a victim of a violation of this policy should notify or file a complaint
with appropriate college office as follows. Students should report
suspected violations to the Dean of Students. Faculty members
should report suspected violations to the Vice President of Academic
Affairs. Staff members should report suspected violations to their
department head who may report the problem to the Director of Human
Resources. Reports of suspected unauthorized use or misuse of CCRI
information technology resources will be investigated pursuant to
standard college procedures.
Information technology users who are found in violation of this policy
will be subject to CCRI disciplinary processes and procedures including,
but not limited to, those outlined in the Student Handbook, the CCRI
Employee Handbook, and any applicable bargaining unit contracts.
Privileges to use CCRI information technology resources may be revoked.
Illegal acts may also subject users to prosecution by local, state,
and/or federal authorities.
POLICY APPLIES TO:
This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff of the Community College of Rhode Island and to all other users of information technology resources at CCRI. These users are responsible for reading, understanding, and complying with this policy.
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:
Information Technology
ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY:
The examples of unauthorized use of CCRI information technology resources given above are not meant to be exhaustive. Questions regarding this policy or the application of this policy to a specific situation should be referred to the Executive Director & Chief Information Officer, Information Technology. Whenever you are in doubt regarding an issue of questionable use, it is in your best interest to resolve the issue before pursing any questionable use of information technology resources.
RELATED POLICIES:
This policy is supplemented by all other college policies and by the policies of those networks to which CCRI is interconnected, including but not limited to Oshean. Applicable local, state, and federal laws also apply to information technology users at CCRI.
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