COMPUTER USE POLICY

General Policy

In support of the University's mission of teaching, research and service, Suffolk provides access to computing and information resources within institutional priorities and financial capabilities. The University encourages faculty, employees, and students to make full use of these resources. Use of the computing and information resources is a privilege extended in good faith to faculty and employees and carries with it the responsibility to abide by certain policies and guidelines to ensure that all users enjoy the benefits of these resources.

Guidelines for Use

I.The computer facilities and information resources are for the use of authorized persons only. Faculty, employees, and students are responsible for maintaining password security and the security of the computer system they use. Faculty and employees must not allow anyone to use their passwords to gain access to the computer facilities including e-mail.

II.Computer and information resources are meant solely for legitimate purposes relating to education, coursework, teaching, research and administration of the University. Among the uses that are inappropriate are:

A.Causing intentional damage to any component of the computing and information resource facilities.

B.Unauthorized access, alteration, copying or deletion of system accounts, passwords, directories, files or programs belonging to any other user.

C.Unauthorized dissemination of confidential records obtained through computer and information resources.

D.Sending foul, inappropriate or threatening messages such as those including offensive racial or sexual content.

E.Using the facilities to harass or intimidate individuals or interfere with their normal use of the system.

F.Playing practical jokes, sending chain letters or "fake" e-mail, "spamming" (sending hundreds of copies of the same message), introducing computer viruses or otherwise deliberately breaching system security.

G.Soliciting for unauthorized outside business ventures or political or religious causes.

H.Creating personal copies of licensed, proprietary software or running illegally copied software. (See University Policy on Copyright)

III.Any faculty member, employee, or student worker who has access to confidential information must access only the information that they have a legitimate administrative or academic need to use, modify or otherwise view. The confidentiality of all such information must be maintained.

IV.Each school of the University has an Academic Computing Department or a Computer Resource Center with more specific guidelines for use of specialized resources provided by the schools. Faculty, employees, and students must familiarize themselves with those guidelines and abide by them. In addition, both the Sawyer and Moakley Libraries have specialized resources as does University Media Services (UMS). Again, users must abide by any specialized guidelines issued by those departments.

Faculty and Employee Consent to Abide by the Computing Policy

Copies of the University policy will be placed in faculty and employee handbooks and will be distributed to employees at the new employee orientation.

Faculty members and employees will be asked to affirmatively accept this policy on their first "log-in," when a summary of the policy will come up on the screen before log-in is complete.

Confidentiality of Computer Files

The University cannot guarantee the privacy or security of users' computer files, including email messages, nor the anonymity of any user.To help safeguard security, administrative and academic users on the Exchange Email System are recommended to change email passwords every semester.While the University does not monitor email, staff of Information Technology Services and the Academic Computing Departments may be required to enter users' files, if necessary, to correct system problems or to address other improper system use.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervisors are responsible for assuring that all faculty, staff, ad student employees in their area of authority have the appropriate training for and orientation to responsible computer use.

Guidelines for Creating Suffolk University Websites, Web Pages, and Web Facilities

Suffolk University websites, web pages, and web facilities are global representations of the University's image and will maintain graphic standards developed by Suffolk University to establish and maintain a consistent public image and to reinforce the mission and identity of Suffolk University.A Suffolk University website is defined as a set of websites, web pages, and web facilities, both internal and external, that represents any school, department, administrative or organizational unit, faculty member, institute, alumni office, or student organization of Suffolk University.

Commercial advertising is prohibited on University websites, web pages, and web facilities.This includes ads for businesses or services owned and/or operated by a University employee.Only community advertising may appear on University websites, web pages, and web facilities.A discounted product or service offered to University students or employees through student services or human resources is an example of community advertising.Alumni relations and fundraising activity including gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships on any Suffolk University websites, web pages, and web facilities must comply with existing University policies.Any such pages must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Advancement.

Suffolk University is committed to providing access to web-based information in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, amended.Suffolk University's websites, web pages, and web facilities will not be used for the:

• creation or transmission (other than for research or teaching purposes) of any offensive, obscene, or indecent images or material;
  
  
• creation or transmission of any material likely to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety;
  
  
• creation or transmission of defamatory material;
  
  
• storage or transmission of material that infringes on copyright/intellectual property rights, laws, and policies; and
  
  
• purposes unrelated to the staff member's employment or to the research, educational, community service, or administrative purposes of the University.

All written policies, including the University web policy, must be observed in authoring any University affiliated website, web page or web facility.Please contact Web Services/UMS for the latest copy of the University web policy. More information on web page development is available at www.suffolk.edu/webservices.