Acceptable Use Policy
Hiram College Computing Facilities and Services
Revised November
13, 2007
Purpose
The purpose of the Hiram College computer facilities, and the services and data that they contain, is to provide technology resources to further the College mission. All use of these facilities and services must be in accord with this purpose.
Synopsis:
Access
The computer facilities at Hiram College consist of an Ethernet network connecting numerous personal computers, servers, and other systems to each other and to the Internet as well as the software necessary to run this hardware and the data contained therein. These facilities and the services and data they provide are available to the faculty, staff, students and other members of the College community who have been properly authorized. Access to these computing facilities is authorized and regulated through the restrictions, terms, and obligations entailed by the policies of the College. This document is the principle source of the policies that govern this authorization. By accessing one of the computer systems of Hiram College, the user is agreeing to abide by the principles and conditions outlined in this document. Unauthorized use of the Hiram College computing facilities and services is prohibited.
Administrative Procedures
Users are responsible for understanding and following the administrative procedures set by the Dray Computer Center staff. The Computer Center notifies the College community about day-to-day operations and important happenings by posting messages on http://home.hiram.edu. Users are responsible for the information in these messages. It is advised that users check the Hiram College homepage at least once a day for updates and notices.
Application
Hiram College faculty, staff and students may become authorized users of the College computing facilities by application to the Hiram College Computer Center as provided in this document. Application may be for authorization for personal access to College systems and software or for authorization to connect a device, such as a personal computer, to the network. The forms and procedures are available at the Dray Computer Center. After the authorization is approved, the Computer Center will make the College resources available to the user. No anonymous users or devices are allowed. Unless otherwise specified, authorization is specific to the user making application and is not transferable to other users or devices.
Identifiers
All access to Hiram College computing facilities and services require that each user have a unique, non-transferable identity (normally a username for a person) and a machine name for a device. This identity is used to represent a user or device in various college computer facilities. The Computer Center provides this identifier as part of the authorization process. Identifiers granted to authorize student academic access expire when the class being taken or other academic need for that access ceases. All student identifiers and access terminate at the end of the spring semester, and all student accounts, files, and programs are deleted. Students need to re-apply for an identifier for access after the end of every summer for the subsequent year. Unless otherwise provided by the Computer Center, only the person or device given authorization may use the identifier. Use of an identifier in a manner other than that authorized by the Computer Center is prohibited. Laptops and other intrinsically mobile computers will often be authorized to use any network port, while the desktops should use the port that they were authorized to use.
Misusing An Identifier
The misuse of the identity of a user or a device constitutes forgery or misrepresentation. Conduct that involves unauthorized or inappropriate access or misuse of College computer facilities and services is subject to Hiram College disciplinary action. This conduct includes the following: allowing another individual to use one’s username; using another individual’s username, even if the individual has neglected to safeguard it; using another individual’s computer system or device without authorization from them; using the College computers in the commission of a crime; or accessing computers on which you do not have authorization. If any Computer Center personnel suspect that someone is using an identifier (e.g., a username or a device such as a personal computer) other than the individual to whom it was assigned, access to that identifier may be cut off without further warning.
Passwords
Users have the responsibility to safeguard the access to the College computing facilities granted with authorized identifiers (e.g., HiramNet usernames, or VMS usernames) by protecting them with confidential passwords known only to themselves. All actions taken under the auspices of an identifier and their legal consequences are the responsibility of the user granted the identifier.
Direct Logins
In order to log in to the Hiram College computer system from another system via the College network, a user must have legitimate access to both systems. Users must request approval from the Computer Center before making logins from an off-campus system. All non-approved network logins from an off-campus computer system will be treated as violations of this code.
System Management
The management and control of the Hiram College computing facilities is vested in the Hiram College Computer Center. Users are prohibited from exercising any management functions whatever on College owned computer systems, College owned devices connected to the College network, on the College network itself, or on any other system on the network for which they do not have explicit authorization from the Hiram College Computer Center. Such management functions include monitoring network traffic, installing network security objects or services such as NT Domains or Active Directory Trees, WINS servers, DHCP servers, SMS servers, firewalls, or installing hardware such as routers or packet sniffers. The presence of such software or hardware attached to the College network is a violation of this policy. The Computer Center may remove from the network and confiscate any device suspected of violation of this provision with no further warning. Permissions for these for academic purposes may be sought from the Dray Computer Center.
Administration
Daily administration of the Hiram College computer facilities is also centralized in the Hiram College Computer Center. All questions regarding the operation of these systems should be directed to that location. In particular, difficulties logging into a system, mechanical failures, or suspicious activity on a system should be brought promptly to the attention of the Computer Center.
Call the helpdesk at: x5313
Security
Hiram College does not represent that data on the College network is secure or will be kept private or confidential. The College recommends that users avoid sending confidential or private information across the network and even avoid storing it on computer systems connected to the network.
Attacks
Users acknowledge that any device connected to the College network may become the subject of an unauthorized attack. An attack may make the device unusable. The user explicitly recognizes the possibility of these attacks, and agrees to hold the College free of any liability.
Privacy
As far as College owned systems connected to the network are concerned, because of ordinary and necessary procedures, the privacy of personal information in these systems cannot be guaranteed. As part of the normal and routine operations necessary to maintain the College computer systems, the staff of Dray Computer Center may find it necessary from time to time to examine user information, move it, modify it, review its content, or even delete it. These operations will normally be done with no further notice to users.
Preservation
Users also need to be aware that Hiram College does not represent that material put on its systems or network will be retrievable or will be preserved without corruption. Users are advised to always have appropriate backup copies of any computerized material. All computers are equipped with CD ROM drive and 1.44 Floppy Disk Drive for your convenience.
Unauthorized Devices
Users may not add unauthorized hardware to the network. Besides unauthorized computers, unauthorized network mini-hubs, office network hubs, switches, routers, printers, or any other unauthorized hardware may not be connected to the network. Before purchasing such equipment, check with the Computer Center to see if it is a device that the Computer Center will authorize for use on the College network.
Network Services
The normal authorization to connect a device, such as a personal computer, to the network does not authorize the user to offer any services to the network. Additional authorization to offer services to the network must be obtained from the Hiram College Computer Center before such services are offered. A few examples of services that are prohibited are FTP servers, e-mail servers, news servers, Web servers, file servers, and any server that has any system management functions. Devices suspected to be in violation of this provision may be removed from the network by the Computer Center and confiscated without further notice. Web servers used for academic and administrative purposes and under the control of a faculty or staff member are authorized services.
Connections
The Computer Center will allow the connection of faculty, staff, student, and College guest personal computers to the network if the proper authorization is obtained.
Hardware Requirements
There are currently no restrictions on hardware that can be connected to the network as long as the machine has an approved Ethernet card and is authorized for connection by the Hiram College Computer Center. Our network is most compatible with IBM personal computers using current hardware technology. Users may find that older machines or machines by other manufactures, such as Apple, or Sun, or Compact, will work satisfactorily. Machines that in the opinion of the Computer Center may prove to be inadequate may still be authorized to connect to the network as a designated research connection. Recommendations for hardware and software are given at http://home.hiram.edu. Equipment which violates the policies in this document or which causes a problem on the network is prohibited.
Configuration
Each user will provide software that uses the TCP/IP protocols to connect their authorized device to the network, and will configure that software with the addresses and other parameters specified by the Computer Center.
Personal Computer Operations
The user is responsible for the correct operation and the software and hardware maintenance and repair of user-owned computer systems. College-owned systems that are supported by the Computer Center will be repaired by the Computer Center. Repairs to non-College-owned or non-supported systems may be made by the user, or by other means, such as by using a vendor of the user’s choice. The Computer Center is responsible only to maintain the network port installed in connecting a non-College owned or non-supported system and to verify that the port is working correctly.
Software
The user will provide the software needed to access the College computing facilities and services. A list of the software required to access various network services is available at http://home.hiram.edu
We have found that Windows XP seems to work especially well on the network. Computers using other operating systems such as the MAC OS, or some variant of Unix such as Linux or Solaris, may be authorized to use the network or other College computing facilities as a research connection providing the hardware technology is reasonably current. The research connection status serves notice that this operating system has not been thoroughly tested on our computing facilities and some of the functions of the network may not be available to these systems. Machines using Microsoft Windows 3.1 or earlier or using Novell NetWare are not currently authorized to use the network.
Devices and computing systems connected to the College computing facilities must, at all times, be in full compliance with the software and hardware licensing policies of the vendors whose products are being used. By using or connecting to College computing facilities, users warrant that their use of these facilities is in full compliance with this policy. The user explicitly agrees to hold Hiram College harmless for any legal liability caused by a violation of this policy.
Hiram College will not be liable for loss of data, for damage to software, or for damage to a device (such as a computer system) attached to the College computing facilities nor for damages to third parties as a result of actions done through the one of these devices. By accessing the College computing facilities with a device, the user acknowledges that the hardware, software, and data of this machine could be damaged as a result of this connection. By this access, the user also acknowledges the acceptance of all risks and liabilities associated with this connection in return for the benefits that access to the College computing facilities provides. In addition, the user specifically agrees to indemnify Hiram College from any legal consequences arising from the connection of the computer system to the Hiram College network.
Hiram College views the abuse of computer facilities and services as a serious offense. Outlined below is a small list of some uses of the College computing facilities that are prohibited. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but it serves to illustrate general types of prohibited activities:
Using College computing facilities to store or transport illegal, obscene, or offensive material.
Providing unauthorized facilities or services to the College network. Example: Using Napster.
Doing anything that reduces or bypasses the security of the College computing facilities. Example: Purposely sending computer viruses.
Depriving or attempting to deprive other users of College-owned computer resources or access to those resources. Example: Unplugging computers in a computer lab so that your friends can plug in and use these computers later.
Using any electronic mail or messaging system to send abusive, obscene, or otherwise harassing communications, "chain letters," or other schemes that may cause excessive network traffic or computing load. Mail bombing (sending a large number of messages to a single mailbox) or attempting to capture or crack passwords or break encryption protocols is prohibited. Reasonable size mass mailings, however, are allowed. An example of not allowed email activity is emailing pornography to the entire campus or a significant fraction thereof.
Altering the software or hardware configuration of any computer or adding any device or system to the network without permission of the Director of Computer Services. Example: Installing games on lab computers.
The Computer Center reserves the right to remove users or devices from the College network and other computing facilities without prior notification if an impropriety is detected or suspected. If your domain account or other College account has been suspended, your privileges to use any of the other Hiram College computer facilities are also suspended. This suspension includes the use of the personal computers in any public or Residence Hall laboratory. If you cannot access your domain account or other College account you should come to Dray Computer Center in person, with your Hiram ID card, to resolve the problem.