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Computer Resource Guidelines
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Computer resources at Northeast State are available to all
students, faculty, and staff for authorized use in a responsible,
ethical, and equitable manner. It is the responsibility
of the Office of Information Technology personnel to maintain
a stable operational environment for all users and institutional
programs. Cooperation of all users in the form of
ethical and responsible behavior is required at all times so
that all may share resources freely and equitably.
The following lists of user responsibilities are intended to be
illustrative, and not exhaustive. Subject to conformance with
Federal and State of Tennessee law and with State of Tennessee
and Tennessee Board of Regents policies, Northeast State
is authorized to supplement the user responsibilities listed
below.
Access
- Users shall obtain proper authorization before using TBR
or Northeast State information technology resources.
- Users shall not use TBR or Northeast State information
technology resources for purposes beyond those for which
they are authorized.
- Users shall not share access privileges (account numbers
and passwords) with persons who are not authorized to use
them.
- Users shall not use TBR or Northeast State information
technology resources in an attempt to access or to actually
access computers external to the TBR or Northeast State system
when that access is not authorized by the computer’s
owner (no “hacking” allowed).
Respect for Others
- A user shall not attempt to obstruct usage or deny access to other users.
- Users shall not transmit or distribute material that would be in violation of existing TBR or Northeast State policies or guidelines using Northeast State information technology resources.
- Users shall respect the privacy of other users, and specifically
shall not read, delete, copy, or modify another user’s
data, information, files, e-mail or programs (collectively, “electronic
files”) without the other user’s permission. Users should
note that there should be no expectation of privacy in electronic
files stored on the resident memory of a computer available for general public access, and such files are subject to unannounced deletion.
- Users shall not intentionally introduce any program or
data intended to disrupt normal operations (e.g. a “computer
virus” or “worm”) into Northeast State information
technology resources.
- Forgery or attempted forgery of e-mail messages is
prohibited.
- Sending or attempts to send unsolicited junk mail or chain
letters is prohibited.
- Flooding or attempts to flood a user’s mailbox is prohibited.
Respect for State-owned property
- A user shall not intentionally, recklessly or negligently misuse,
damage or vandalize Northeast State information technology
resources.
- A user shall not attempt to modify Northeast State information
technology resources without authorization.
- A user shall not circumvent or attempt to circumvent normal
resource limits, logon procedures or security regulations.
- A user shall not use Northeast State information technology
resources for purposes other than those for which they
were intended or authorized.
- A user shall not use Northeast State information technology
resources for any private or personal for-profit activity.
- Except for those not-for-profit business activities which
are directly related to an employee’s job responsibilities or
which are directly related to an organization which is affiliated
with Northeast State, a user shall not use Northeast State
information technology resources for any not-for-profit business
activities, unless authorized by the President (or his designee).
- Users shall at all times endeavor to use Northeast State
information technology resources in an efficient and productive
manner, and shall specifically avoid excessive game
playing, printing excessive copies of document files, data, or
programs; or attempting to crash or tie-up computer resources.
Additional Responsibilities of Employees and
Independent Contractors
- Users who are Employees and Independent Contractors
shall not make use of Northeast State information technology resources for purposes which do not conform to the purposes,
goals, and mission of Northeast State and to the user’s
job duties and responsibilities.
- Users shall not use Northeast State information technology
resources for solicitation for religious or political causes.
No unlawful uses permitted
Users shall not engage in unlawful uses of the information
technology system resources of the TBR or Northeast State.
Unlawful activities are violative of this policy and may also
subject persons engaging in these activities to civil and/or
criminal penalties. This list of unlawful activities is illustrative
and not intended to be exhaustive. Questions concerning
potential unlawful use of information technology
may be directed to the Vice President for Information
Technology.
Obscene materials
The distribution and display of obscene materials is prohibited
by the laws of Tennessee (see Tenn. Code Ann. §
39-17-902). Obscene materials are defined under Tennessee
law (see T.C.S. § 39-17-901(10)) as those materials
which:
- The average person applying contemporary community
standards would find that the work, taken as a
whole, appeals to the prurient interest;
- The average person applying contemporary community
standards would find that the work depicts or describes,
in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct; and;
- The work, taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic,
political, or scientific value.
Federal law (18 U.S.C. 2252) prohibits sexual exploitation
of a minor, including knowingly possessing
materials implying minors engaging in sexual activity.
The violation of this section is a Class E felony.
Defamation
Defamation is a civil tort that occurs when one, without
privilege, publishes a false and defamatory statement,
which damages the reputation of another.
Violation of Copyright
Federal law gives the holder of copyright five exclusive
rights, including the right to exclude others from reproducing
the copyrighted work. Sanctions for violation
of copyright can be very substantial. Beyond the
threat of legally imposed sanctions, violation of copyright
is unethical appropriation of the fruits of another’s
labor.
Pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of
1998, the TBR designated agent for receipt of complaints
of copyright infringement occurring with the use of
Northeast State information technology resources is the
Tennessee Board of Regents Assistant Vice Chancellor
for Information Technology. Northeast State has designated
the Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness as Northeast
State’s campus agent regarding complaints of
copyright infringement.
Gambling
Gambling, including that performed with the aid of the
Internet, is prohibited under Tennessee law (see Tenn.
Code Ann. § 39-17-502).
Sanctions
Violators of the college computer use guidelines will be subject to immediate suspension of their user account; referral to police agencies in the case of suspected federal or state law violations; loss of computing access privileges; and possible suspension or expulsion from the college.
All Northeast State employees and students are eligible for
an account on the computer systems. Administrative computer
user accounts will be established upon the request of a
vice president, dean, division chair or director. All requests
for the establishment of user accounts shall be submitted on
a Computer Account Request form. Users needing access to
administrative databases are also required to complete an
Administrative Database Authorization Request form. The
original request forms are kept on file in the Office of Information
Technology.
Student accounts are established on the network server at
the beginning of each semester. Student e-mail accounts are
active for the semester in which the student is enrolled and
are automatically renewed for subsequent semesters. When
a student has not been enrolled in the college for two consecutive
semesters, their e-mail account is removed from the
system.
Privacy Considerations, Electronic Mail and/or Data Files |
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In an operational sense, electronic mail and files in accounts
and on the network are regarded as private; that is, employees
of Northeast State do not routinely look at this information.
However, Northeast State reserves the right to view or
scan any file or software stored on the college system or transmitted
over the college network, and may do so periodically
to verify that software and hardware are working correctly,
to look for particular types of data or software (such as computer
viruses), or to audit the use of resources. Electronic
mail and data on college computing systems or transmitted
over the college network may be periodically copied to
backup tapes. Material of questionable content that may
come to the attention of the college personnel during these
and other activities may be acted upon. Faculty, staff, and
students of the college are encouraged to exercise good judgment
in the use of computing resources, data, and electronic
mail.
Northeast State makes reasonable efforts to maintain confidentiality
and, when sources outside the college request an
inspection and/or examination of any college owned or operated
communications system, computing resource, and/or files or information contained therein, Northeast State
will treat files and information as confidential unless any
one or more of the following conditions exist:
- when approved by the President of Northeast State Technical Community College
- when authorized by the owner(s) of the information
- when required by federal, state or local law
- when required by a valid subpoena or court order
When notice is required by law, court order or subpoena,
computer users will receive prior notice of such disclosures
(viewing information in the course of normal system testing
or maintenance does not constitute disclosure).
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