7.2 College Equipment

Purpose

To establish a policy regarding college equipment on campus.

Scope

All employees of Rochester University.

Policy

Equipment Use

Computers, electronic equipment (such as VCR’s, PA’s and TV’s), and other college property are purchased for College use and support. This equipment shall not be used for personal use, non-College activities, hobbies, or outside employment of any type.

All electronic, mechanical, computer and software must remain at its installed location. Relocation of equipment should be coordinated with the ITS Helpdesk prior to moving. Use of RC equipment may be accomplished following the approval from the supervising administrator and the ITS Director.

Electronic media and files stored on RC computers are considered the property of Rochester University and should be used only for College related activities. Electronic data is not to be transferred to a personal device or released to sources outside RC. Doing so may result in employee disciplinary action as well as potential criminal charges.

Computer programs must be used according to licensing agreements. Most software is protected by copyright laws and should be treated as other copyrighted materials. If you have any questions concerning the license agreements, contact the ITS Department. Unauthorized copying, duplicating, selling, renting, or transferring of copyrighted software or documentation is a criminal offense and will not be tolerated. Personnel who become aware of such activities should notify the ITS Director immediately.

Computer Access

All work data files must be stored on the network file storage (Y Drive, Z Drive). All data stored on the network server is accessible by ITS personnel working with the system.

The network administrator has the capability to “shadow or remote control” a workstation. This means that ITS personnel can take control of a user’s computer from a remote location to troubleshoot a problem. Personnel concerned with this feature should contact the ITS Director.

Each user is required to obtain a private password to gain access to the network. This password must be protected from unauthorized use. No user may “loan” their password out or use another person’s password.

Computer Laboratory Use

The primary purpose of the computer lab is to support academic instruction through classroom and laboratory training.

The lab may also be used by students to prepare term papers and other academic projects. Faculty and staff may use the lab to prepare College material. These uses are available on a space-available basis. Individuals without a Rochester University computer account can use the public kiosk computers located in the Library.

The Events Coordinator is responsible for scheduling classroom use of the computer lab. The computer lab will be opened and available to the greatest extent possible. Users are “strongly encouraged” to complete computer lab work at the earliest opportunity. The campus network may experience unscheduled “downtime” for reasons beyond RC control.

Internet and Email Use

ITS keeps logs of all accounts and their use. Network access is designed for academic and research use.

E-mail is not secure and should not be used for any sensitive information. Each employee with a user account will receive a Rochester University E-mail address. All E-mail messages may be audited by the system administrators.

Because of federal laws, state laws, Internet agreements, and licensing agreements pertaining to campus computer systems, “all files and materials” on all College computer systems shall be treated as College property.

The following guidelines apply to all users:

• The system may not be used for any purpose contrary to state or federal laws, or RC policy.
• Users may not interfere with or disrupt other users, services or equipment. This includes distribution of unsolicited advertising, so-called chain letters, “spamming,” propagating computer worms, viruses, or any attempt whatsoever to go into “administrative” status. Attempts at “cracking”—whether internal or external—will not be tolerated.
• It is assumed that all information on the Internet is owned by the originating source. Users must respect copyright laws and legal ownership of the information. All user files should be respected to the greatest extent possible. Accessing and/or sending pornographic material using Rochester University equipment is strictly prohibited. Not adhering to this policy can result in serious disciplinary action.

Network and Internet use is tracked and recorded by the ITS Department. Unauthorized or non-educational use will result in possible loss of privileges and disciplinary actions.