COMPUTER USE POLICY

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to explain the terms of use for instructional computing resources available to students of Cypress College. All computing resources are intended to support the research and educational mission of Cypress College; their use is a privilege and a responsibility. The use of computing resources is subject to all applicable local, state and federal laws, the general guidelines outlined in this document, and any specific guidelines in effect at individual computing centers. (See NOCCCD Board Policy 10009 for more information).

• Definitions
  • Electronic communications, electronic communication services or electronic communication systems include, but are not limited to, electronic mail, electronic mail address or account, District computer systems, Internet Services, voice mail, audio and video conferencing, and facsimile messages that are used to create, send, forward, rely to, transmit, store, hold, copy, download, display, view, read, access, or print.
    
    
• Service Restrictions
  • Users of Computer and Electronic Communications Systems and services are expected to do so responsibly and in compliance with state and federal laws, policies and procedures of the District, and with normal standards of professional and personal courtesy and conduct. Reasons for restricting access to the electronic communications services include, but are not limited to, the following: when required by and consistent with law; when there is significant reason to believe that violations of policy or law have occurred; when failure to act my result in significant bodily harm, when significant property loss or damage would result, when loss of significant evidence of one or more violations of law or of District policies would result, when significant liability to the district or to members of the District community would result; or District business operational needs warrant.
  • Electronic communications access privileges may not be transferred or converted to other individuals.
    
    
• Access and Disclosure
  
  Users should have no expectation of privacy or confidentiality in the content of electronic communications or other computer files sent, received, or stored.
  
  Although the District does not routinely inspect, monitor, or disclose electronic communications, the District reserved the right to inspect, monitor, or disclose electronic communications without prior notices and without consent. Reasons for inspecting, monitoring or disclosing electronic communications include, but are not limited to, the following: when required by and consistent with law; when there is significant reason to believe that violations of policy or law have occurred; when failure to act may result in significant bodily harm, when significant property loss or damage would result, when loss of significant evidence of one or more violations of law or of District policies would result, when significant liability to the District or to members of the District community would result; or significant liability to business purposes, such as inspection of the contents of electronic messages in the course of an investigation triggered by indications of misconduct.
  
  
• Users
  
  Users of District electronic communication services are limited to District students, faculty, staff and other authorized persons.
  
  
  • The use of Distruct computer systems and electronic communication systems and services for any of the following is prohibited:
  • Any prpose which violates state or federal law including, but not limited to, violation of copyright laws and any unaughorized access, attempted access or use of any District or other computing and/or network system;
  • Reposting personal communications without the author's prior consent;
  • Advertising, campaigning, soliciting or proselytizing for any religious or political cause, outside organization, or individual;
  • Personal use inconsistent with policy;
  • Sending defamatory, indtimidating, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, abusive or patently offensive material to or about others, sending messages that disclose personal information without authorization, or sending material that could bbe construed as harassment or disparagement others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, sisability, religion, or political beliefs;
  • Sending or accessing pornography or patently obscene material other than for authorized research or instructional purposes;
  • Any use that violates District policies or guidelines including, but not limited to, policies or guidelines regarding intellectual property, nondiscrimination, or sexual or other forms of harassment.
    
    
• Representation
  
  Users of the District's electronic communication services shall not give the impression that they are representing, giving opinions, or otherwise making statements on behalf of the District or any unit of the Distric unless appropriately authorized to do so.
  
  
• False Identity
  • Users of the District's elenctronic communication services shall not employ a false identity or otherwise transmit or attempt to transmit any message which is misleading as to origination.
  • Violation of software licensing agreements, using software without obtaining legal authorization, or unauthorized duplication, transmission, or use of unlicensed copies.
  • Private commercial purposes not under the auspices of the District;
  • Personal financial gain;
  • Any purpose that could reasonably be expected to interfere with or disrupt use of the Electronic Communication Systems or cause, directly or indertecly, excessive strain on any computing facilities, or unsolicited interference with others' use of the system, including, but not limited to the following:
  • Sending or forwarding "junk" e-mail or mass electronic mailings
  • Exploiting list servers or similar broadcast systems
  • Knowingly resending the same e-mail repeatedly
  • Knowingly loading virus programs onto or from any computer system (viruses);
  • Attempting unauthorized access or alteration to data, files, passwords or breach of security measures on any electronic communication systems, or attempting to intercept, eavesdrop, record, read, receive or alter other person's e-mail without proper authorization (hacking);
  • Unauthorized tampering with computing resources
    
    
• Policy Violations
  
  Violations of District policies and procedures governing the use of District computer systems and electronic communication services may result in the temporary or permanent restriction of access to District computer systems and electronic communication services and appropriate with existing board policies and State Education Code. Violation of state or fedleral law may result in a referral to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Campus Computer Center/Labs
Individual computing centers maintain their own specific policies that supplement the Board Policy. Users of individual computing centers are to follow these policies. Computing Centers and Labs are authorized to enforce both the District/Campus Acceptable Use Policy and their own indiviual policies. Users who establish individual computer accounts for use of Internet e-mail, applications or campus resources will be required to abide by all the policies.