Acceptable Use PolicyTechnology Services
Policy statement
Technology resources provided by Gustavus Adolphus College are privileges made available to students, faculty, staff and approved guests of the College to facilitate and enhance their work, teaching, learning, and scholarly research. These resources include college-owned hardware, software, accompanying network resources, and technology support personnel. All constituents are expected to exercise responsibility, use technology resources ethically, respect the rights and privacy of others, and operate within the bounds of state and federal law, as well as the educational mission of the College.
Intended use of technology
The intended use of the College's technology resources is to support teaching, learning, research and campus services. All use of technology must be consistent with this purpose. Activities that are not in keeping with the intended use will not be tolerated, and may result in revocation of privileges. Such activities may include, but are not limited to
- Activities that interfere with or deny access to other users
- Activities that jeopardize the security or integrity of the system
- Activities that are harassing, fraudulent, or threatening
- Activities that significantly diminish or impede the educational use of these resources or flow of network traffic to other users, such as email spamming, file sharing or game playing
- Activities that alter the configuration of college-owned equipment in campus labs and other public areas, including the installation of software
- Activities that are commercial in nature
- Activities that create a hostile or offensive work environment
- Activities that violate copyright laws or other federal and state statutes
Copyright
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. You should assume materials you find on the Internet are copyrighted unless a disclaimer or waiver is expressly stated. Some examples of copyright violations would include:
- displaying pictures or graphics you have not created yourself
- offering sound recordings you have not produced yourself
- using programs to distribute copyrighted files
- placing any materials owned by others on your web page (or any other medium) without the expressed permission of the original owner
Fair use
Educational institutions enjoy special exemptions from copyright protection called Fair Use, whereby reasonable portions of copyrighted material may be distributed by instructors to students in a class. For further information see the Library of Congress's Copyright Office Circular 21: Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians.
Violations
The College strives to direct its efforts to the enhancement of technology resources and not the policing of the use of those resources. Engaging in any activity that violates the intended use of campus technology will result in the disabling of the offender's technology privileges, and will be referred to the appropriate college judicial organization for review and any disciplinary recourse. Violations of state or federal law may be reported to the appropriate authorities.