Computer Security and Use Agreement

1. User Agreement

1. User Agreement

Faculty, staff, and students who use FDTC computer resources must abide by this procedure. Failure to comply may result in College disciplinary action, including suspension, termination, or legal action.

2. Definitions

a. Computer resources: all computer networks, computers, printers, scanners, digital cameras, and other computer-related equipment owned by Florence-Darlington Technical College

b. Unauthorized access: (1) any attempt to gain access to another user’s password; (2) any attempt to gain access to another user’s programs, account, personal information (e.g. social security number, date of birth, etc.) with that user’s express permission, unless access is needed for authorized college business purposes

3. Philosophy

First and foremost, the Internet for FDTC is a business tool, provided to you at significant cost. That means we expect you to use your Internet access only for business-related purposes. FDTC is committed to providing a wide range of computer resources to support the needs of the students, faculty, and staff. The College provides access to local, national, and international sources of information in an atmosphere that nurtures academic freedom, encourages sharing of knowledge, promotes the creative process, and supports collaboration in support of the College mission.

4. Responsibility

The use of FDTC computer resources by students, faculty, and staff is a privilage. It is the responsibility of each faculty member, staff member, and student to comply with this procedure. Failure to follow this procedure will result in appropriate disciplinary action and may lead to limited or total restriction of the use of computer resources. Users are responsible for safeguarding assigned passwords and for using them only for their intended purposes. Users are responsible to not share their passwords with any other individual. The only exception is when a member of IRM needs a user’s password to work on his or her account. The user must immediately change his or her password as soon as the work has been completed.

5. Appropriate Use

Computer resources are provided for the use of the College’s students, faculty, and staff. Appropriate use of computer resources by students includes instruction, study assignments, research, and class-related communication. Appropriate use of computer resources by faculty and staff is limited to uses directly related to their work. Other appropriate uses of computer resources include approved use by alumni, student employees, consultants, part-time employees, and members of the local community for the purpose of accessing college information resources.

6. Illegal Use of Software

All computer programs and files, unless they have been explicitly placed in the public domain, are private property and may not be copied or distributed without authorization. It is the policy of FDTC to conform to all copyright laws relating to computer software. The use or distribution of unlicensed or pirated software is prohibited and will be subject to disciplinary action.

Students may not load any software on FDTC computers. Software not acquired by Florence-Darlington Technical College may not be installed on FDTC computers without prior, written authorization by the appropriate supervisor and the Director of Information Technology. Any installation or use of such software without approval shall constitute misuse and will subject the employee to disciplinary action. Any software that is installed on an FDTC computer becomes the property of FDTC.

7. Changing Settings on College Computers

Altering system software or hardware configurations without authorization, or disrupting or interfering with the delivery or administration of computer resources is prohibited. Failure to follow this procedure will result in appropriate disciplinary action and may lead to limited or total restriction of the use of computer resources.

8. Electronic Mail

Email is not to be used for personal use or gain. Use of email for personal profit, commerce, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or for political or religious use is prohibited.

9. Other Prohibited Activities

Any of the following constitute unauthorized use of computer resources and are expressly prohibited. Failure to comply with result in appropriate disciplinary action and may lead to limited or total restriction of the use of computer resources.

a. Unauthorized access (as defined in 2b)

b. Game playing: Unauthorized playing or downloading of games on FDTC computer resources is prohibited.

c. E-commerce: The College’s computer resources are reserved for instructional purposes and the professional or scholastic activities of its faculty, staff, and students.

d. The use of computer resources for personal, business, or commercial use or gain, such as posting of commercial web pages and the distribution of unsolicited advertising, is prohibited.

e. Harassment: Users of college computing resources shall not use these resources to harass or annoy others, or prevent them from legitimately using the facilities. Use of electronic mail to send other users unsolicited obscene, demeaning, and/or menacing email messages constitutes harassment and is prohibited.

f. Pornography: The display of any kind of sexually explicit image or document on any FDTC computer is a violation of our policy on sexual harassment. In addition, sexually explicit material may not be archived, stored, distributed, edited, or recorded using our network or computing resources.

g. Tampering/viruses/worms: Any deliberate attempt to tamper with, disrupt, delay, or endanger the operation of the college’s computer resources is prohibited. The creation or propagation of computer worms, or viruses, or the distribution of electronic mail or software intended to replicate or do damage to another user’s account, hardware, software, or data is prohibited.

h. Failure to comply with staff directives: Academic use of computing facilities has precedence over recreational use, such as use of chat rooms or bulletin boards. Failure by a student who is using computer resources for recreational  use to give way to those who must do required work will result in appropriate disciplinary action and may lead to limited or total restriction of the use of computer resources.

i. Other illegal activities: No individual shall use college computer resources in any activity that violates federal, state, or local laws.

10. Monitoring of Accounts

Use of computing resources provided by FDTC is subject to monitoring for security and/or network management reasons. FDTC’s computer security systems are capable of recording each site visit, each chat, newsgroup, or email message, and each file transfer into and out of our internal networks, and we reserve the right to engage in such monitoring at any time. No FDTC computer use should have any expectation of privacy to his or her internet usage. FDTC reserves the right to inspect any and all files stored in private areas of our network in order to assure compliance with policy.

11. Copyright

Users who violate any copyright declarations are acting outside the course and scope of their employment or other authority and FDTC is relieved of any legal responsibility . Users will be personally responsible and liable for such infringing activities.

12. Compliance

All employees will sign a statement verifying that they have read, understand, and will comply with the above procedure (54-5 - Acceptable Use of Computer Resources). This statement will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.