Guidelines for use of Campus and Network Computing Resources
The King's University College makes available computing and network resources that may be used by College students, faculty and staff. The resources administered by the Department of Computer Services are intended to be used for educational purposes and to carry out the legitimate business of the College. Appropriate use of the resources includes instruction, independent study, authorized research, independent research, and the official work of the offices, departments, recognized student and campus organizations, and agencies of the College. The computing and network resources of the College may not be used by members of the College community for commercial purposes or for financial gain. The privilege of using the campus and network computing resources provided by the College is not transferable or extendible by members of the College community to people or groups outside the College except by authorization by the Department of Computer Resources. Those who avail themselves of the campus and network computing resources are required to behave in their use of the technology in a manner consistent with the College's code of conduct.
1. The framework of responsible, considerate, and ethical behavior expected by the College extends to cover use of campus microcomputers and workstations, and use of campus network resources, and use of networks throughout the world to which the College provides computer access. The following list does not cover every situation which pertains to proper, or improper, use of the resources, but it does suggest some of the responsibilities which you accept if you choose to use a College computing resource or the network access which the College provides.
2. If you have any computer account, you are responsible for the use made of that account. You should set a password which will protect your account from unauthorized use, and which will not be guessed easily. If you discover that someone has made unauthorized use of your account, you should change the password and report the intrusion to Computer Services. You should change your password on a regular basis, to assure continued security of your account.
3. You must not intentionally seek information about, browse, obtain copies of, or modify files, passwords, or tapes belonging to other people, whether at the College or elsewhere, unless specifically authorized to do so by those individuals. (Note: if an individual has explicitly and intentionally placed information on a public server, or clearly designated a set of files as being for shared public use, others may assume authorization.)
4. You must not attempt to decrypt or translate encrypted material, or obtain system privileges to which you are not entitled. Attempts to do any of these will be considered serious transgressions.
5. If you encounter or observe a gap in system or network security, you must report the gap to the User Support Technician or the Director of Computer Services. You must refrain from exploiting any such gaps in security.
6. You must refrain from any action which interferes with the supervisory or accounting functions of the systems or that is likely to have such effects.
7. You must be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities, and take care not to display on screens in such locations images, sounds or messages which could create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others. You must also refrain from transmitting to others in any location inappropriate images, sounds or messages which might reasonably be considered harassing.
8. You must avoid tying up computing resources for trivial applications; sending frivolous or excessive mail or messages locally or over an affiliated network; printing excessive copies of documents, files, images or data. You must refrain from using unwarranted or excessive amounts of storage; printing documents or files numerous times because you have not checked thoroughly for all errors and corrections; or running grossly inefficient programs when efficient ones are available. You must be sensitive to special need for software and services available in only one location, and cede place to those whose work requires the special items.
9. You must not prevent others from using shared resources by running unattended processes or placing signs on devices to "reserve" them without authorization. Your absence from a public computer or workstation should be no longer than warranted by a visit to the nearest restroom. A device unattended for more than twenty minutes may be assumed to be available for use, and any process running on that device terminated. You must not lock a workstation or computer which is in a public facility. You must also be sensitive to performance effects of remote login to shared workstations: when there is a conflict, priority for use of the device must go to the person seated at the keyboard rather than to someone logged on remotely.
10. The College presents for your use many programs and data which have been obtained under contracts or licenses saying they may be used, but not copied, cross-assembled, or reverse-compiled. You are responsible for determining that programs or data are not restricted in this manner before copying them in any form, or before reverse-assembling or reverse-compiling them in whole or in any part. If it is unclear whether you have permission to copy such software or not, assume that you may not do so.
11. Duplicating software which is protected by copyright or trade secret law is a violation of the law.
12. The principles of academic honesty apply to work of authors and publishers in all media, and to information obtained regardless of the mechanism used to do so. Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authored integrity, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community.
13. If you create or maintain electronically-stored information which is important to your work or to the College in general, you are responsible for making frequent backups of the information.
14. Messages, sentiments, and declarations sent as electronic mail or sent as electronic postings must meet the same standards for distribution or display as if they were tangible documents or instruments. You are free to publish your opinions, but they must be clearly and accurately identified as coming from you, or, if you are acting as the authorized agent of a group recognized by the College, as coming from the group you are authorized to represent. Attempts to alter the "From" line or other attribution of origin in electronic mail, messages, or postings, will be considered transgressions of College rules.
15. If you create, alter, or delete any electronic information contained in, or posted to, any campus computer or affiliated network it will be considered forgery if it would be considered so on a tangible document or instrument.
16. You must not create and send, or forward, electronic chain letters.
17. You should be aware that there are Federal, Provincial and sometimes local laws which govern certain aspects of computer and telecommunications use. Members of the College community are expected to respect these laws, as well as to observe and respect College rules and regulations.
Responsibilities
"The King's University College community is based on the biblical concept of community and mutual trust. All members of the College community are called upon to share the ideal of Christian community. All are equal in their worth as God's creatures, and all are liable to discipline....
Any of the following activities or conduct as they relate to student affairs shall constitute and offense and may be punishable.
1. Academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, fraud, or deceit.
2. Subjecting any person to physical or mental indignity.
3. Intentionally damaging, destroying, or moving without authority the property of the College, or of any student, or staff member, without proper consent.
4. Unauthorized use of or entry to College property.
5. Participation in unauthorized hazardous activities within the College.
6. Failure to cooperate with any College official or employee acting in the performance of his/her duty, and failure to comply with College regulations.
7. Failure to obtain approval, permission, or to otherwise follow procedures as required by the College as outlined in the College Calendar, Student Handbook, and Housing Policies (The King's University College Student Handbook, 1997/98)