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District Network and Computer
Use Procedure
Download the Document (PDF)
Introduction
Chaffey College has a strong commitment to providing
a quality education for its students, including access to and experience
with current technology. The District's goals for technology in education
include providing access to all students, faculty and staff, fully
integrating technology into the daily curriculum and preparing students
and educators to meet the challenge of a highly technological and
information-rich classroom and workplace.
Authorization
This procedure is authorized by Board Policy 3.10
Computer Use. Employees and students who use district computers
and networks and the information they contain, and related sources,
shall not abuse those resources and will respect the rights of
others. The procedures shall include that users must respect software
copyrights and licenses, respect the integrity of computer-based
information resources, refrain from seeking to gain unauthorized
access, and respect the rights of other computer users. This is
an Information Technology Services department procedure that can
be modified through the Technology Committee.
Definitions
Definitions and concepts used within this procedure
are applied using a "reasonable person standard" within
the context of professional practice.
Purpose
To inform all District students, faculty, staff and others
of the proper use of District information resources whether these
resources are individually controlled, shared, stand-alone or networked.
This procedure encompasses the use of personal computers, desktops,
laptops, workstations, associated peripherals, software and information
resources, regardless of whether used for administration, research,
teaching or other purposes.
| 1. |
This procedure applies to:
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all District students, faculty, staff and others granted
the use of District information resources and |
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all computer and computer communications facilities
owned, leased, operated, or contracted by the District.
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| 2. |
The District computer and network systems are owned by Chaffey
Community College District. All individuals must have proper
authorization in order to use these resources. The computer
and network resources are for District instructional, educational
and work-related purposes only. Users also are reminded that
the ".cc" and ".edu" domains on the Internet
have rules restricting or prohibiting commercial use, and users
may not conduct inappropriate activities within those domains.
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| 3. |
Conditions of Use
| 3.1 |
When using the District network and computers, all
users are expected to follow the rules contained in this
procedure and to use the network and computers in an
ethical and lawful manner. Individual departments within
the District may define additional conditions of use
for information resources under their control. These
statements must be consistent with this overall procedure
but may provide additional detail, guidelines and/or
restrictions.
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| 4. |
Legal Process
| 4.1 |
A user of District information resources who is found
to have violated any of these policies or procedures
will be subject to established disciplinary action.
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| 5. |
Copyrights and Licenses
Computer users must respect copyrights and licenses to software
and other online information.
| 5.1 |
Copying - Software protected by copyright may not be
copied except as expressly permitted by the owner of the
copyright or otherwise permitted by copyright law. Protected
software may not be copied to, from, or by any District
facility or system, except pursuant to a valid license
or as otherwise permitted by copyright law. Computers used
by students are locked down; therefore downloading and
installing software applications onto district computers
is not acceptable except when supervised by faculty as
part of the curriculum. Downloading software applications
for staff is not acceptable unless prior approval has been
obtained from the supervisor or system administrator. Faculty
may download files and/or software applications on their
assigned workstations as deemed necessary. Automatic software
updates for currently owned software is acceptable. All
software applications downloaded must conform to copyright
and license restrictions.
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| 5.2 |
Number of Simultaneous Users - The number and distribution
of copies must be handled in such a way that the number
of simultaneous users in a department and/or District does
not exceed the number of original copies purchased by that
department and/or District, unless otherwise stipulated
in the purchase contract or licensing agreement.
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| 5.3 |
Copyrights - In addition to software, all other copyrighted
information (text, images, icons, programs, etc.) retrieved
from the computer or network resources must be used in
conformity with applicable copyright and other law. Copied
material must be properly attributed. Plagiarism of computer
information is prohibited in the same way that plagiarism
of any other protected work is prohibited.
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| 6. |
Integrity of Information Resources
Computer users are responsible for maintaining the integrity
of computer-based information resources.
| 6.1 |
Modification or Removal of Equipment - Prior authorization
from the supervisor or system administrator is required
to modify or remove computer equipment, software, or peripherals.
It is recognized that portable equipment or equipment for
which one has personal responsibility (e.g. a laptop) may
be moved. Definitions and concepts are applied using a "reasonable
person standard within the context of professional practice."
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| 6.2 |
Unauthorized Use - Computer users will use the district
system in a manner consistent with their work assignment.
Users must not interfere with others' access and use of
District computers. This includes, but is not limited to:
the sending of chain letters or excessive messages, either
locally or off-campus; running grossly inefficient programs
when efficient alternatives are known by the user to be
available; unauthorized modification of system facilities,
operating systems, or disk partitions; attempting to crash
or tie up a District computer or network; and damaging
or vandalizing District computing facilities, equipment,
software or computer files.
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| 6.3 |
Unauthorized Programs - Computer users are expected to
access authorized programs only. Users must ensure that
they do not use programs or utilities that interfere with
other computer users, or that modify normally protected
or restricted portions of the system or user accounts.
Computer users must not intentionally use programs which
disrupt other computer users, or which access private or
restricted portions of the system, or which damage the
software or hardware components of the system.
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| 6.4 |
Computer users must not seek to gain unauthorized access
to information resources and must not assist any other
persons to gain unauthorized access.
| 6.4.1 |
Abuse of Computing Privileges - Users of District
information resources must not access computers, computer
software, computer data or information, or networks
without proper authorization, or intentionally enable
others to do so, regardless of whether the computer,
software, data, information, or network in question
is owned by the District. For example, abuse of the
networks to which the District belongs, or the computers
at other sites connected to those networks, will be
treated as an abuse of District computing privileges.
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| 6.4.2 |
Reporting Problems - Any defects discovered in system
accounting or system security should be reported promptly
to the appropriate system administrator and/or supervisor
so that steps can be taken to investigate and solve
the problem.
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| 6.4.3 |
Password Protection - A computer user who has been
authorized to use a password-protected account will
be subject to both civil and criminal liability if
the user discloses the password or otherwise makes
the account available to others without permission
of the supervisor or system administrator. Generic
user accounts and passwords by definition are shared
with appropriate and authorized users.
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| 7. |
Usage
Computer users must respect the rights of other computer users.
Attempts to circumvent these mechanisms in order to gain unauthorized
access to the system or to another person's information are a
violation of District procedure and may violate applicable law.
| 7.1 |
Unlawful Messages - Users may not use electronic communication
facilities to send defamatory, fraudulent, harassing, obscene,
threatening, or other messages that violate applicable
federal, state or other law or District policy, or which
constitute the unauthorized release of confidential information.
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| 7.2 |
Obscene Material - Creating, transmitting, viewing, uploading,
or downloading of obscene materials is strictly prohibited.
Use of computers to research material associated with instructional
assignments is permitted.
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| 7.3 |
Information Belonging to Others - Users must not intentionally
seek or provide information on, obtain copies of, or modify
data files, programs, or passwords belonging to other users,
without the permission of those other users.
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| 7.4 |
Rights of Individuals - Users must not release any individual's
(student, faculty, and staff) personal information to anyone
without proper authorization.
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| 7.5 |
User Identification - Users shall not send communications
or messages anonymously or without accurately identifying
the originating account or station.
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| 7.6 |
Political Use - The District is a non-profit, tax-exempt
organization and, as such, is subject to specific federal,
state and local laws regarding sources of income, political
activities, use of property and similar matters. District
information resources must not be used for partisan political
activities where prohibited by federal, state or other
applicable laws.
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| 7.7 |
Personal Use - Occasional personal use of the computer
and associated resources is authorized as long as it does
not distract from work-related activities. Participation
in online or electronic CHAT is only allowed for Chaffey
business-related purposes.
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| 7.8 |
Personal Computers -
Only district approved and certified equipment shall be connected to the District
network. Personal computers or other network devices are not to be connected
to the District network. District loaner laptops are available for checkout
from departments when the facility/location used does not have access to a
permanent computer.
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| 8. |
Nondiscrimination
| 8.1 |
All users have the right to be free from conduct which
harasses or discriminates against any person on the basis
of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender,
marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation,
age (over 40), sexual orientation, medical condition or
military status as a Vietnam era veteran as required by
all federal and state laws that is connected with the use
of the District's network and computer resources.
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| 8.2 |
No user shall use the District network and computer resources
to transmit any message, create any communication of any
kind, or store information which violates any District
procedure regarding discrimination or harassment, or which
is defamatory or obscene, or which constitutes the unauthorized
release of confidential information.
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| 9. |
Disclosure
| 9.1 |
Privacy - The District reserves the right to monitor
all use of the District network and computer system if
abuse is suspected, to assure compliance with these policies
and procedures, to maintain system integrity, to ensure
system security and to promote best business practices.
The District will exercise this right only for legitimate
District purposes. This provision does not replace or supersede
established disciplinary processes as outlined in all known
negotiated contracts. Those with administrator access will
not view employees' mail without authorization from the
Superintendent or his/her designee.
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| 9.2 |
Possibility of Disclosure - Users must be aware of the
possibility of unintended disclosure of communication.
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| 9.3 |
Retrieval - It is possible for information entered on
or transmitted via computer and communications systems
to be retrieved, even if a user has deleted such information.
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| 9.4 |
Public Records - The California Public Records Act (Government
Code Sections 6250 et seq.) includes computer transmissions
in the definition of "public record" and nonexempt
communications made on the District network and computer
system must be disclosed if requested by a member of the
public.
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| 9.5 |
Chaffey College reserves the right to employ software
for use in filtering unwanted, unsolicited, harmful, or
otherwise inappropriate material following established
District process.
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| 10. |
Dissemination and User Acknowledgment
| 10.1 |
All users shall be provided copies of these procedures
and be directed to familiarize themselves with them.
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| 10.2 |
Prior to receiving an account on the District network
and computer system, users must sign a statement acknowledging
that they have read and will comply with the District's
Computer Use policy and associated procedures. In addition,
they must acknowledge receipt of the Accountability Statement
and will comply with the following requirements:
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Passwords and/or codes will not be shared
with other employees or students.
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| b. |
Confidential data will be disposed of in
an approved manner.
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| c. |
Creation or transmission of any false statement
which tends to cause injury to one's reputation
is strictly prohibited.
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Creating, transmitting, uploading or downloading
obscene materials is strictly prohibited.
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| e. |
Use of the District computers/networks is
for college-related activities only.
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| 10.3 |
An initial screen addressing a synopsis of these procedures
shall be installed on computers with access to the administrative
information system. This screen shall appear prior to accessing
the administrative information system. Users must positively
acknowledge the statement that they have read and understand
this procedure and that they will comply with it. A user
acknowledgment shall be in the form as follows:
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"The information you are requesting to access is
protected by State and Federal law and is regarded as confidential
by the District.
You must agree to:
- Access only the information needed to complete your assigned authorized
task(s),
- Collect and retain only such information as is needed to effectively
conduct District business,
- Handle such information in a secure, confidential and appropriate
manner in compliance with relevant laws, regulations, policies and
procedures, and
- Protect the privacy of employee and/or student records, and prevent
inappropriate or unnecessary disclosure of such records.
You must acknowledge the following:
I understand that by proceeding into the Chaffey College District software
system, I agree to comply with the above and understand that if I fail
to abide by these conditions, my access to all District information systems
may be terminated and that I may be subject to formal disciplinary action."
Type 'Y' to accept or 'N' to logoff.
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| 11. |
Chaffey E-Mail Usages
| 11.1 |
Ownership
Chaffey College owns the e-mail system and is ultimately responsible for its
use and content.
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| 11.2 |
Personal Use
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Occasional personal e-mail is authorized as long
as it does not distract from work-related activities.
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E-mail is a business tool entirely owned by the district,
which reserves the right to monitor mail should policy
abuse be suspected.
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Mail containing lewd or inappropriate content is
unacceptable. |
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Chain letters are prohibited.
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| 11.3 |
Privacy
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Those with administrator access to mail will not
view employees' mail without authorization from the
Superintendent or his/her designee.
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Those with administrator access may also view employees'
mail at the request of the user/owner of the email.
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In accordance with 9.1, the district retains the
right to monitor mail.
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Users must take steps to ensure that their password
is unique and that it stays private.
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Users are forbidden to give their password to others
without permission of the supervisor or system administrator.
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| 11.4 |
E-Mail Features and User Responsibilities
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District e-mail offers a variety of features including
return receipt, blind carbon copy and urgent delivery.
Use of all features is authorized but employees should
be judicious in the use of these features since they
increase mail traffic and may take priority in mail
queues.
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Use of graphics and sounds should be avoided as even
small items can greatly increase the message size.
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Transmissions of graphics, audio or other sizable
files should be kept to a minimum.
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Attachments from graphic-intensive programs such
as PowerPoint should be zipped before sending.
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Prudence must be exercised in using global distribution
lists. Mass mailings increase traffic in the system
and are often not appreciated by the recipient.
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Large attachments should be used sparingly on global
distribution lists. The size limit for an email sent
to a distribution list is 300 Kb.
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Topics must be business related.
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Content must be timely and contain current information.
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Revised: 4/14/05
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