Definition:
At Brescia University, institutional technology includes computer laboratories, computer and related equipment, software access, network bandwidth, phone system, access card system, multimedia systems, copiers, security and fire systems, university-owned cell phones.
Purpose:
Brescia University’s institutional technology is primarily provided to enhance learning, to enrich educational opportunities, and to increase the efficiency of university operations. Personal use of institutional technology within the parameters of the Brescia Technology Use Policy can enrich the campus and is permitted. Any use which is incompatible with purposes of institutional technology or the mission of Brescia University is prohibited.
Ethics:
All use will be in accordance with federal, state, and local law, as well as with basic ethical principles. In particular:
- No material may be installed, downloaded, or transmitted in violation of copyright law or intellectual property rights.
- Use of technology to compose or transmit anything that could be considered discriminatory, offensive, obscene, threatening, harassing, intimidating, demeaning, slanderous or disruptive to any employee or other person is
prohibited. - Use of technology as a forum for broadcasting grievances is prohibited. All grievances must be handled in accordance with the provisions of the respective handbooks (i.e.., Faculty, Staff, Student).
- Use of technology to intentionally receive, view, transmit, print or copy pornographic information or images is prohibited. Materials are deemed pornographic at the sole discretion and judgment of the University.
- Deliberate vandalism to equipment or systems including creating or intentionally propagating viruses, malware, etc., stealing or sabotaging other’s work, disabling or by-passing security systems, hacking into private files, or re-configuring systems without permission from the Director of IT is prohibited.
- Non-Brescia commercial use of Brescia technology, without appropriate Cabinet permission, is prohibited.
Courtesy
All technology users shall be courteous of other users. Resources including laboratory access, computer and related equipment, software access, and network bandwidth are to be equitably shared with recognition of higher priority needs. As determined by the IT department, excessive use of such technology resources, may be limited or prohibited.
Responsibility:
- Brescia equipment and systems are to be reasonably cared for by all users. In particular, all equipment connecting to the Brescia network is required to have active, up-to-date virus and spy-ware protection. Users must inform and obtain approval from the Brescia IT Department before making significant changes to equipment (e.g., location, installation or removal of licensed software or hardware).
- All users must keep private information secure. This includes but is not limited to selecting sound passwords, regularly changing passwords, maintaining security of passwords, and keeping personal and University data secure. Users of
University technology are specifically prohibited both from allowing anyone else independently to use a computer or device currently authenticated with their own user account and from allowing anyone to use their login and/or password, other than authorized Information Technology Department staff. “Independent use” is any use in which account/password holder cannot directly monitor and/or view at all times the current additional screen(s) logged onto their individual account/password. [Revised, Institutional Computing Committee, 03-21, 2017] - All users should maintain reasonable backups of important electronic files. Further, they should respect limits on storage capacity of all systems and comply with directives from the IT director to delete unnecessary files. Materials which
jeopardize the functionality of the Brescia network may be deleted by the IT staff, though reasonable effort to notify the owner will be made beforehand. - Each user is personally responsible for the content of his or her email and for the content of files on his or her computer or storage media to which he or she has access. Attempts to disguise or misrepresent the origin of information are
prohibited. Users must recognize that even private electronic communications are not necessarily secure, and that publicly posted information may be impossible to completely rescind. - Users should not waste resources, e.g. by excessive printing.
Communications:
As open intellectual inquiry and freedom of thought are essential characteristics of meaningful education, Brescia does not censor content of legal communication and encourages openness. As part of a learning community, individuals are expected to show commitment to such values as human dignity, professionalism, respect, and truth. Brescia e-mail distribution lists (e.g. all users, faculty assembly, etc.) are provided as a service to the community and do carry additional restrictions.
- Distribution lists are to be used only for official Brescia business or announcements of clear relevance to the Brescia community.
- Distribution lists are not to be circulated outside the Brescia community
- Announcements should use the smallest list suitable for the announcement’s purpose.
Privacy:
The Brescia IT department respects user privacy. Files, including e-mails, stored on Brescia equipment are the property of Brescia and may be accessed in the following cases:
- To retrieve files or work on files at the user’s request,
- To diagnose problems with, or maintain the functionality of Brescia equipment,
- To comply with legal mandates (e.g. subpoena),
- To conduct essential Brescia business, or
- To investigate evidence of suspected violation of the Brescia Technology Use Policy.
In cases C, D and E above, the IT Director will first obtain written permission from the President or the Vice President of Business and Finance or the Vice President of Academic Affairs.For purposes of technology planning and maintenance, it is occasionally necessary to collect technology use statistics. In general, such data will be studied only in the aggregate without identifying specific users associated with given activity. When violations of the Brescia Technology Use Policy are detected, Brescia reserves the right to track and identify the individuals responsible.
Enforcement
Violators of the Brescia Technology Use Policy are subject to the provisions of their respective handbooks (i.e., Faculty, Staff, or Student). If circumstances allow, users violating these policies may receive a notification from IT prior to sanctions. Sanctions may also include the following:
- A verbal or written warning
- Restriction of technology privileges and/or suspension or denial of Brescia technology use
- Notification to supervisor or other agent for disciplinary action
- Any combination of the above.
Any person receiving sanctions under the Brescia Technology Use Policy is entitled to review/grievance procedures as delineated in other, appropriate Brescia documents such as the faculty, staff, and student handbooks.