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Network Usage Agreement

Intended Users

The Houghton College computing and network resources are provided primarily for the use of college students, faculty and staff.  These are intended to be used for educational purposes and to carry out the legitimate business of the College.  Appropriate use of the resources includes instruction, study assignments, research, communication and the official work of the campus organizations and agencies of the college.  In each area of our campus community users are expected to use Houghton College’s computer resources first and foremost for tasks related to their respective roles.  In addition, access to the network may be provided to alumni and members of the local community for the purpose of communicating with college students and employees and for accessing college information resources and the Internet.

 

Access Privilege is Not Transferable

The privilege of using the campus and network computing resources provided by the college is not transferable or extendible by members of the college community to people or groups outside the college without the explicit approval of the Director of Technology Services or the Houghton College Computer Policies and Planning Committee.

 

Expected Behavior

Those who use the computing and network resources are required to behave in their use of the technology in a manner consistent with mature Christian behavior and the Responsibilities of Community Life as well as federal and state law.  This includes the use of campus personal computers, college-provided laptops and printers, departmental computing facilities, general-use computers, printers, campus network resources, and networks throughout the world to which the college provides computer access.  Improper use of college computing and network resources will result in disciplinary action.

 

Falsifying E-mail

Access to e-mail systems is provided by Houghton College for communicating electronically.  Use of such capabilities is a privilege afforded to students and employees of the college.  Any attempt to falsify the source of an e-mail message (i.e. make a message appear to come from someone who did not send it) will result in disciplinary action.

 

Distributing Unsolicited E-Mail

Sending unsolicited e-mail to the Houghton College post office(s) or across the Internet is a waste of Internet bandwidth and may be illegal.  This type of e-mail can seriously interfere with the operation of any individual’s e-mail system.  Anyone who transmits spam to the Houghton College post office(s) or the Internet from a Houghton domain will have their account privileges suspended pending further investigation.  Anyone receiving spam from someone on the Internet or from someone on campus should immediately report the incident to the Technology Services Help Desk.

 

Account Security

You are responsible for the use made of any computer account provided for you.  All accounts are required to be protected from unauthorized access by the use of a password.  You are responsible for guarding against unauthorized use of your account.  If you discover that someone has made unauthorized use of your account, you should immediately report the intrusion to the Technology Services Help Desk.  Do not tell your password to anyone or give them access to your account.

 

Information Privacy

Information stored on Houghton College’s computers and network equipment is private property.  Some of it is personal property (email messages, class assignments, term papers, etc.) and some of it is the property of Houghton College (information produced by, or for, Houghton College employees in carrying out the legitimate business of the college).  Along with the privilege of using the college’s computer and network resources comes the responsibility to honor the privacy of other people’s information.  Attempts to browse, copy, or modify files or passwords belonging to other people or organizations, whether at Houghton College or elsewhere, will result in strict disciplinary action.

 

System Security

Access to information stored on Houghton College’s computers and network equipment is controlled by assignment of accounts and passwords.  These accounts and passwords are controlled by the network administrators.  This security information is the property of Houghton College.  If you know about or learn about a hole in system or network security, you have an obligation to report this information to the Technology Services Help Desk.   Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.  Any attempt to access, copy or modify this security information or to obtain system privileges to which you are not entitled or any action which interferes with the supervisory or accounting functions of the systems or that is likely to have such effects will result in strict disciplinary action. Technology Services personnel may routinely monitor an individual's computer use,  although they do not routinely examine files or read electronic mail in an individual's account.  However, they have the right to do so and will do so in the event computers are or are believed to be misused.  Evidence of misuse will be reported.  Please use your account wisely.

 

Hacking

Any attempts to gain unauthorized access to other systems located on the Houghton College network or any networks connected to Houghton College via the Internet will be considered a violation of this Acceptable Use Policy.  Any electronic files found on any system relating to hacking and connected to the Houghton College network will be immediately removed and that individual will be found in violation of this policy.

 

Viewing or Accessing Offensive Material

Use of college owned or provided equipment for the viewing of or accessing pornographic or otherwise offensive material is strictly forbidden.  This applies to any screen display or printing of images, sounds or messages that could reasonably be considered pornographic or offensive.  Any person, whether student, employee or guest of the college, who is caught accessing such material using college owned equipment or network resources will be appropriately disciplined.  While Houghton College currently has filtering software in place attempting to block this type of material, we cannot guarantee that all such sites are blocked.

 

Transmitting Offensive Material

Use of college owned or provided equipment to transmit pornographic, harassing or otherwise offensive material is strictly forbidden.  This applies to any screen display or printing of images, sounds or messages that could reasonably be considered pornographic, harassing or offensive.  Any person, whether student, employee or guest of the college, who is caught transmitting such material, whether requested by the recipient or not, will be appropriately disciplined.

 

Respect for Copyrights and License Agreements

The College presents for your use many programs and data which have been obtained under contracts or licenses stating that they may be used but not copied, cross-assembled, or reverse-compiled.  In addition, other institutions and individuals on attached networks make software or digital media available under similar conditions.  You are responsible for determining that programs or data are not restricted in this manner before sharing them, copying them in any form, or before reverse-assembling engineering them in whole or in any part.  If it is unclear whether you have permission to copy or share such software or not, assume that you may not do so.

 

Peer-to-Peer Filesharing

Peer-to-peer filesharing of copyrighted materials without permission from copyright holder is strictly prohibited via the Houghton College network, or any and all of its resources.  Any individual found sharing copyrighted materials using Houghton College resources within our local area network, wide-area network or the Internet will be found in violation of this policy and will be subject to those consequences named in this policy.

 

Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are man-made programs or program fragments which are potentially damaging to computer based information and resources.  All users need to be sensitive to the ease of spreading viruses and should take steps to insure that files and disks are virus free.  If you suspect that any file, disk or system that you are using is infected with a virus you should report it immediately to the Technology Services Help Desk. Anyone found creating, modifying or willfully disseminating computer viruses on Houghton College computers or network resources will be strictly disciplined.

 

Commercial Use

The computing and network resources of the College may not be used for direct sales without the explicit approval of the Director of Technology Services and the Houghton College Computer Policies and Planning Committee.

 

Consequence of Violating Appropriate Use Policy

Any person using Houghton College computing or network resources that in any way violates this appropriate use policy is subject to any or all of the following disciplinary actions:

1.       Verbal or written warning to the offender.

2.       Restriction of system access for a specified period or until acts of restitution have been performed.

3.       Revocation of all system privileges for a specified period.

4.       Statement of charges sent to the Dean of Students (for student offenders) or to the appropriate director or college Vice President (for employee offenders) which could lead to other penalties depending on the seriousness of the offense.

 

Appeals

Users wishing to contest an administrative decision made concerning their account or use of Houghton College computers and network resources have the following appeal path:

·         Contact the network administrator who disabled the account

·         Submit an appeal, in writing, to the Director of Technology Services

·         Submit an appeal, in writing, to the Houghton College Computer Policies and Planning Committee

 

Questions

If you have questions about the "Appropriate Use" of computer resources and networks at Houghton College, you should contact either the Director of Technology Services or a member of the Houghton College Computer Planning and Policies Committee.