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The
Mid-State Technical College District ("District") promotes
the use of Internet resources for purposes consistent with the educational
mission and curriculum. The District's goal is to promote the free
exchange of information between and among currently enrolled students,
faculty, staff, and the global information community. The District
provides access to local, national and international sources of
information and provides an atmosphere that encourages access to
knowledge and sharing of information. Responsible use of this access
includes:
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Respect
for the privacy of others; for example, users shall not seek
information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data
or passwords belonging to other users. |
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Respect
for the legal protection of copyright and license agreements
for programs and data. |
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Respect
for the integrity of computing systems; for example, users shall
not intentionally develop programs that harass other users or
infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage or alter
the software or hardware components of a computer or computing
system. |
District
computer systems facilitate access to and distribution of information.
The District has no editorial control over the content, materials
or data distributed or disseminated on the network. The quality
and content of the materials that exist on electronic data networks
are beyond the control of the District. Users are responsible for
the materials that they access through District resources.
POLICY REQUISITE
All users of computing systems must read, understand, and comply
with the terms outlined in this Policy, as well as any additional
guidelines established by District computer systems administrators.
By using any of these systems, users agree that they will comply
with these policies. Users understand and agree that the District’s
role in managing these systems is only as an information carrier,
and that they will never consider transmission through these systems
as an endorsement of said transmission by the District.
RIGHTS
These computer systems, facilities and accounts are owned and operated
by the District. The District reserves all rights, including termination
of service without notice, to the computing resources which it owns
and operates. This policy shall not be construed as a waiver of
any rights of the District, nor shall they conflict with applicable
law.
AUTHORIZED USE
Access and privileges on the District’s computing systems
are assigned and managed by the administrators of the specific individual
systems. Eligible individuals may become authorized users of the
system and be granted appropriate access and privileges by following
the approval steps prescribed for that system.
| GENERAL
ACCEPTABLE USES OF THE NETWORK |
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Scholarship,
scientific research, or instructional applications. |
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Communication
and exchange for professional development, to ensure information
is current, or to debate issues in a field or sub-field of knowledge. |
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Access
to college and university libraries and information and news
from a variety of sources and research institutions. |
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Access
to information resources, computers and people throughout the
world. |
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Interaction
with students, faculty and staff by electronic mail. |
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Discussion
groups on a wide variety of topics. |
UNACCEPTABLE
USES OF THE NETWORK
Use of any and all of the District’s computer systems for
any of the purposes listed in this section is strictly prohibited.
Liability for violations of prohibited uses shall remain solely
and exclusively with the user. By using the District’s computer
systems, the user further agrees to indemnify the District for any
liability incurred by the District for misuse by the user.
The user agrees to comply with the acceptable use guidelines for
whichever outside networks or services they may access through the
District’s system.
The user agrees that, in the event that someone does transmit, or
causes to be transmitted, a message, information or material of
any kind that is inconsistent with an environment conducive to learning
or conducting college business or with a misleading origin, the
person who performed the transmission will be solely accountable
for the message, not the District, which is acting solely as the
information carrier.
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computer accounts and/or equipment may not be used for the following
purposes: |
1. |
Illegal
Activity: Any illegal use of the network, or its use in support
of such activities, is strictly prohibited. Illegal activities
shall be defined as a violation of local, state, and/or federal
laws. Criminal activities include: |
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| a. |
Hacking/Computer
Vandalism. Activities which interfere with or disrupt
network users, services or equipment are prohibited. Such
interference or disruption includes, but is not limited
to:
| i. |
Distribution
of unsolicited advertising or mass mailings; |
| ii. |
Propagation
of computer worms or viruses; and |
| iii. |
Using
the network to make or attempt to make unauthorized
entry to other computational, information or communications
devices or resources or to other users' files. |
| iv. |
Downloading
and/or running any destructive or disruptive programs
on MSTC computer systems. |
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Intentional
interception of any electronic communication is considered improper
access and may also be in violation of the Electronic Communications
Privacy Act, Chapter 119. The submission, publication or transmission
of information for the purpose of inciting crime is strictly
prohibited.
Unauthorized reconfiguration of or physical tampering with District
resources is not allowed. Users must not attempt unauthorized
modification or repair to any equipment belonging to or under
the control of the District. |
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| b. |
Violation
of Software Licenses. The District licenses the use
of its computer software from a variety of companies.
The District does not own this software or its related
documentation and, unless authorized by the software
developer, does not have the right to reproduce it.
Users must not violate the license agreements on any
software applications installed on a District computer.
Use of District computing facilities for private business
activities or other non-educational functions violates
the software license agreements extended to educational
institutions and is not permitted.
It
is District policy that users of District computing
facilities shall use the software only in accordance
with the license agreement.
Users
of District computing facilities found to be making,
acquiring or using unauthorized copies of computer software
will be disciplined as appropriate under the circumstances. |
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| c. |
Violation
of Copyrights. Information and resources accessible via
District computer accounts are the private property of
the individuals and organizations who own or hold rights
to the resources and information. Users must not access
information or resources unless permission to do so has
been granted by the owners of rights to those resources
or information. Users must not submit, publish, plagiarize,
or transmit material which violates or infringes upon
the copyrights held by others. |
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2. |
Inappropriate
Use: Inappropriate use shall be defined as actions that conflict
with the General Acceptable Uses of the Network, as well as
other violations listed in this policy. Any inappropriate
use of the network, or its use in support of such activities,
is prohibited. District computing resources may not be used
for political campaigns. Users must not use the District network
access to create, publish, display, or transmit any materials
that are threatening, defamatory, fraudulent, seditious, abusive,
obscene, profane, or sexually oriented. Repeated transmission
of material to a person who finds such transmission offensive,
obscene or discriminatory will be treated as harassment and
is against District policy and State and Federal regulations.
Users
agree not to attempt to transmit, or cause to be transmitted,
any message in which the origination is deliberately misleading. |
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3. |
Commercial/For
Profit Activity: Any commercial, for-profit activity including
marketing, sales, and distribution of mass mailings is prohibited.
Users may not use the District network to make private purchases
or transfer personal funds. |
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4. |
Extensive
Personal Use: Extensive use of the District's network access
for personal business is prohibited. |
Unauthorized
access, attempted access or use of any District computer or computer
network system is a violation of Wisconsin and/or other applicable
Federal laws, and is subject to prosecution. The District reserves
the right to prosecute any unlawful access or injury to any computer,
computer system, computer network, computer program, or data to
which the District provides access and or/services.
Any student who uses District resources illegally or improperly
may be subject to disciplinary actions, which may result in any
or all of the following: referral to authorities, expulsion from
the College, suspension from classes and activities, loss of computer
privileges. The District will review alleged violations of the Acceptable
Use Policy on a case-by-case basis. Failure to abide by these guidelines
will result in revocation of privileges to use the computer systems.
ACCOUNT AND SYSTEM SECURITY
Each individual user is responsible for the proper use of his/her
assigned account, including password protection. Users must not
share computer account or access information with others who have
not received District authorization. In the event of disciplinary
action, the fact that someone else used your account will be no
excuse for violations of this Acceptable Use Policy. User accounts
assigned to another person must not be used without written permission
of the system administrator.
District personnel responsible for the care, operation, use and
maintenance of computing systems will make every reasonable effort
to minimize the loss of data in their efforts to maintain privacy
and security on the systems. However, the District is not responsible
for the loss of data or interference with files resulting from its
efforts to maintain the District's computer facilities.
Users should save their data files to their own disks. The District
is not responsible for lost or deleted files that have been saved
onto District disks. The District is not responsible for disk or
file damage due to viruses. Users are advised not to reveal the
address, phone number, or other personal details about themselves
or others.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING
Computer files, electronic mail and accounts on District computing
systems are not the private property of the user. Users should have
no reasonable expectations of privacy. Authorized District personnel
may access any files when necessary for the maintenance or protection
of the computing facilities and to conduct college business. When
maintenance is being performed, every effort will be made to ensure
the privacy of users' files. However, in the course of network maintenance
and administration, the activities of individuals improperly using
the network may be monitored. Individuals using the network without
authority, or in excess of their authority, are subject to having
all of their activities on the network monitored and recorded. Anyone
using the network expressly consents to such monitoring and is advised
that, if such monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity,
the District may provide the content of such monitoring to law enforcement
and other agencies as appropriate.
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