PURPOSE: To establish standards for the use of information technology resources at Trident Technical College, including e-mail, software, hardware, network resources, and infrastructure.

1. DEFINITIONS:
   Information Technology Resources - assets that support computing and telecommunications including electronic sources that store and transport data, video and voice information.
   
   User - any authorized full or part-time faculty or staff member currently employed by the College, any authorized full or part-time student currently enrolled at the College or any other individual or group of individuals authorized to use College owned computers or information technology resources.
   
   Information Technology Services-the department of the college responsible for all IT resources except the enterprise applications and databases.
   
   Network – Two or more computer systems linked together that enable users and computers to share information, software applications and other resources; the infrastructure that connects them; and access to the internet.
   
2. USER RESPONSIBILITY
   
   Users are responsible for: 
   • Reviewing, understanding and complying with all policies and procedures related to access, acceptable use, and security of College information technology resources.
   • Asking systems administrators or data custodians for clarification on access and acceptable use issues not specifically addressed in College policies, rules, guidelines and procedures.
   • Information that may adversely affect the College must not be downloaded, uploaded or transmitted on College equipment, voice mail or e-mail. Inappropriate materials include statements, graphics or images that are defamatory, racial, sexual or otherwise offensive or prohibited by law.
   • The College does not allow users to play games, computer-based or otherwise, during working hours. Users must not abuse the capability to use the College's internet access to obtain non work-related information, just as users must not abuse telephones, fax machines, copiers or any other college resource for personal use. Personal use is a management issue monitored by supervisors, not IT Services staff. However, if IT Services staff encounters evidence of abuse, they will notify the Director of IT Services who will inform the Vice President of Technology and Planning. The Vice President will work with the cabinet members, as appropriate, to resolve the issue.
     
3. ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL)
   
   E-mail use includes the ability to send and receive textual messages over a local network or the internet that may include media and data files. The College permits personal use of College e-mail accounts and internet access as long as it does not interfere with job duties, or cause excessive network traffic or storage issues.
   
   The College prohibits the following: 
   • Forging e-mail author information.
   • Distributing computer viruses by e-mail. Users must not knowingly distribute or initialize computer viruses, worms or other harmful software programs on College resources.
   • Misuse of mailing distribution lists, propagating "chain letters" or virus hoaxes, "spam" (spreading e-mail or postings widely and without good purpose), or "bombing" (flooding an individual, group, or system with numerous or large e-mail messages).
   • E-mail messages that contain pornography, obscenity, defamation, threats, and harassment that constitute a violation of local state and federal law or messages which would not be allowable by any other means of communication.
     The College reserves the right to refuse e-mail from external entities that send unsolicited, mass or commercial messages, or messages that appear to contain viruses to College users, and to filter and discard such messages.
   • Someone other than the original addressee may read e-mail messages and may disclose e-mail messages to outside parties or courts of law in connection with disputes, grievances or litigation. Accordingly, users should ensure that e-mail messages are courteous, professional and businesslike.
   • E-mail messages should not contain unnecessary graphic backgrounds or unnecessary image files.
4. SOFTWARE
   
   Software includes computing instructions that are stored electronically, i.e., computer programs or applications, and typically requires a license agreement for legal use.
   
   Information Technology (IT) Services supports and provides access to licensed software applications on College servers and lab computers. After a user has received approval from the supervisor, Information Technology Services will approve and install all software applications.
   
   Users must not install licensed or unlicensed software on any College computer system without written authorization from IT Services, which may be via e-mail message. However, users may install authorized business-related internet plug-in software (e.g., Acrobat Reader, Flash Player) on College-owned computers. The College provides a listing of software that users may install at www.tridenttech.edu/fscc/plugins.htm
   
   Vendor restrictions on the use of software vary widely. Users should carefully review software licensing agreements and accompanying documentation before using software applications.
   
   Users must not duplicate copyrighted and licensed software unless the software license explicitly permits it. Unauthorized duplication of licensed software is a violation of College policy and state and federal laws, and the user making the copies may be held personally liable for violations.
   
   Users must not copy, store, display, or distribute copyrighted material using College systems or networks without the express permission of the copyright owner, except as otherwise allowed under copyright laws. Infringements of copyright laws can result in termination of a user's access to College systems and networks as well as other disciplinary action.
   
   The College will remove copyrighted computer software that does not comply with this procedure from College-owned computers, unless the user produces a proper license for the software.
   
   Users may make no changes in system settings and software configurations without the written authorization IT Services.
   
5. HARDWARE
   
   Hardware includes all tangible equipment used to process, transmit and store information and data. Examples of computer hardware equipment include but are not limited to: the Central Processing Unit (CPU), disk drives, monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners, personal digital assistants, cables and digital cameras.
   
   Generally, the College assigns hardware to a specific department rather than to an individual user. When a College employee accepts another position within the College, the former supervisor retains the hardware, and the new supervisor will assign replacement hardware to the employee.
   
   IT Services installs all computer hardware. Users may not physically move or modify any College-owned IT resources including attaching any additional device (whether college-owned or personal) to their computer resources without written authorization from IT Services. Such devices include, but are not limited to, an external disks, printers, scanners or digital cameras.
   
   Only IT Services has the authority to relocate computer hardware.
   
6. NETWORK AND INTERNET ACCESS
   
   The College network and Internet access is for authorized users only. The College does not routinely inspect, monitor or disclose content. However, anyone using the network consents to monitoring and is advised that, if the monitoring process reveals evidence of criminal activity, the College would provide the content and transmission details to law enforcement and national defense agencies as appropriate. The college prohibits the transmitting, storing, downloading, uploading, viewing, receiving of data, or otherwise using computing resources in a manner that would constitute a violation of state or federal law, including but not limited to obscenity, pornography, defamation, threats, harassment, and theft.
   
   Inappropriate uses of network resources include, but are not limited to:
   • Use that may cause excessive network traffic or computing load on the network.
   • Use that denies or interferes with service to other network users in any way, including monopolizing network resources for non-College related activities (e.g. downloading large streaming media for entertainment purposes).
   • Use that interferes with other users (for example, consuming unreasonably large amounts of limited system resources such as server storage or printer supplies.)
   • Using the College network to gain unauthorized access to any computer systems.
   • Unauthorized monitoring or interception of electronic communications.
   • Using servers to exchange pirated software or any other illegal or fraudulent activity. 
     
7. INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIFICATIONS
   
   Information Technology Services has the responsibility of recommending to the President's Cabinet the appropriate network and infrastructure specifications for the College.  The President's Cabinet will make the final decision.
   
8. POLICY & PROCEDURE VIOLATION
   
   The College regards any violation of the Use of Information Technology Resources procedure as a serious offense. Violators of this procedure are subject to disciplinary action as prescribed in the Employee Handbook and Student Catalog/Handbook, in addition to possible cancellation of information technology resources and systems access privileges. A violation of the procedure should be reported immediately to the appropriate administrator. Unauthorized use of College computing facilities can be a criminal offense.  The penalties can be as severe as suspension or dismissal from the College and/or criminal prosecution.
   
9. SECURITY
   
   The College assigns responsibility for protecting its resources and data to IT system administrators, who treat the contents of individual accounts and personal communications as confidential. The authority to investigate computer use is vested only in appropriate managers, and cannot be done without authorization from a cabinet member. IT system administrators do not examine or disclose the contents except: 
   • As required for system maintenance including security measures.
   • When there is reason to believe an individual is violating College policy or the law.

Users should logout of a computer system when leaving the system for an extended period of time and at the end of the workday.

Users are responsible for the proper use of their network accounts. Users must limit their access to their own accounts and not attempt to access other users' accounts without specific authorization. Users must take all reasonable precautions, including password maintenance, to prevent use of their accounts by unauthorized persons.

^{This page was last updated January 24, 2005.}