COMPUTER USE POLICY

General Policy

In support of the University’s mission of teaching, research and service, Suffolk provides access to computing and information resources within institutional priorities and financial capabilities. The University encourages faculty, employees, and students to make full use of these resources. Use of the computing and information resources is a privilege extended in good faith to faculty and employees and carries with it the responsibility to abide by certain policies and guidelines to ensure that all users enjoy the benefits of these resources.

Guidelines for Use

I.                   The computer facilities and information resources are for the use of authorized persons only. Faculty, employees, and students are responsible for maintaining password security and the security of the computer system they use. Faculty and employees must not allow anyone to use their passwords to gain access to the computer facilities including e-mail.

 

II.                Computer and information resources are meant solely for legitimate purposes relating to education, coursework, teaching, research and administration of the University. Among the uses that are inappropriate are:

 A.    Causing intentional damage to any component of the computing and information resource facilities.

 B.     Unauthorized access, alteration, copying or deletion of system accounts, passwords, directories, files or programs belonging to any other user.

 C.     Unauthorized dissemination of confidential records obtained through computer and information resources.

 D.    Sending foul, inappropriate or threatening messages such as those including offensive racial or sexual content.

 E.     Using the facilities to harass or intimidate individuals or interfere with their normal use of the system.

 F.      Playing practical jokes, sending chain letters or “fake” e-mail, “spamming” (sending hundreds of copies of the same message), introducing computer viruses or otherwise deliberately breaching system security.

 G.    Soliciting for unauthorized outside business ventures or political or religious causes.

 H.    Creating personal copies of licensed, proprietary software or running illegally copied software. (See University Policy on Copyright)

 

III.             Any faculty member, employee, or student worker who has access to confidential information must access only the information that they have a legitimate administrative or academic need to use, modify or otherwise view. The confidentiality of all such information must be maintained.

 

 IV.             Each school of the University has an Academic Computing Department with more specific guidelines for use of specialized resources provided by the schools. Faculty, employees, and students must familiarize themselves with those guidelines and abide by them. In addition, both the Sawyer and Moakley Libraries have specialized resources as does University Media Services (UMS). Again, users must abide by any specialized guidelines issued by those departments.

Faculty and Employee Consent to Abide by the Computing Policy

Copies of the University policy will be placed in faculty and employee handbooks and will be distributed to employees at the new employee orientation.

Confidentiality of Computer Files

The University cannot guarantee the privacy or security of users’ computer files, including email messages, nor the anonymity of any user.  To help safeguard security, administrative and academic users on the Exchange Email System are recommended to change email passwords every semester.  While the University does not monitor email, staff of Information Technology Services and the Academic Computing Departments may be required to enter users’ files, if necessary, to correct system problems or to address other improper system use.

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervisors are responsible for assuring that all faculty, staff, ad student employees in their area of authority have the appropriate training for and orientation to responsible computer use.

Guidelines for Creating Suffolk University Websites, Web Pages, and Web Facilities

Suffolk University websites, web pages, and web facilities are global representations of the University’s image and will maintain graphic standards developed by Suffolk University to establish and maintain a consistent public image and to reinforce the mission and identity of Suffolk University.  A Suffolk University website is defined as a set of websites, web pages, and web facilities, both internal and external, that represents any school, department, administrative or organizational unit, faculty member, institute, alumni office, or student organization of Suffolk University.

Commercial advertising is prohibited on University websites, web pages, and web facilities.  This includes ads for businesses or services owned and/or operated by a University employee.  Only community advertising may appear on University websites, web pages, and web facilities.  A discounted product or service offered to University students or employees through student services or human resources is an example of community advertising.  Alumni relations and fundraising activity including gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships on any Suffolk University websites, web pages, and web facilities must comply with existing University policies.  Any such pages must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Advancement. 

Suffolk University is committed to providing access to web-based information in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, amended.  Suffolk University’s websites, web pages, and web facilities will not be used for the:

• creation or transmission (other than for research or teaching purposes) of any offensive, obscene, or indecent images or material;
• creation or transmission of any material likely to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety;
• creation or transmission of defamatory material;
• storage or transmission of material that infringes on copyright/intellectual property rights, laws, and policies; and
• purposes unrelated to the staff member’s employment or to the research, educational, community service, or administrative purposes of the University.

All written policies, including the University web policy, must be observed in authoring any University affiliated website, web page or web facility.  Please contact Web Services/UMS for the latest copy of the University web policy. 

Sanctions for Violations of this Policy

ITS or the applicable Academic Computing Department will notify the faculty member, employee, or student, or if deemed necessary, the appropriate Dean or the Director of Human Resources, of any inappropriate activity. It is expected that the inappropriate activity will cease at this warning. If inappropriate use persists, ITS or the applicable Academic Computing Department will suspend the user’s computing privileges. Privileges will remain suspended until a thorough review of the incident has been completed and a decision has been made about the imposition of sanctions, if any.   Note: If ITS or the Academic Computing area determines that the inappropriate activity is a serious harm to the system, user computing privileges will be suspended immediately without warning.

Depending upon the severity of the incident sanctions might include warning, temporary or permanent suspension of computer privileges, suspension or termination. Persons who engage in activities that violate state and federal law will be referred to the proper law enforcement authorities.

 

Sargent Hall Laptop Network Connection Policy for Students:

Sargent Hall has a wireless network and over 3000 public ports in the classrooms, library, cafeteria and lobby which allow users to plug in their laptop for Email and Internet access. All laptops must be scanned for viruses and obtain a certification sticker from Academic Technology (6th floor, room 655) before connecting to the Sargent Hall Network ports. The Symantec Antivirus program is available free of charge to all registered students and can be downloaded from Campus Cruiser.  Students must keep their systems up-to-date with the latest security updates and current virus definitions from Symantec or any antivirus program.

If your laptop causes suspicious traffic over the network, it will be suspended from the network until it is checked by Academic Technology

 

Sargent Hall Computer Lab Policy

Students must present their Suffolk ID to gain access to the computer lab. The lab is reserved for law students and law alumni only.

Equipment in the lab consists of 44 HP Computers with Windows 7, 3 MAC Computers with Snow Leopard, 6 HP LaserJets, 2 dedicated laptop printers, 1 HP Scanner, Microsoft Office, Email, IE, Westlaw and Lexis.

Students must log in using their Suffolk email username and password.  All work must be saved externally to a USB key drive or disk.  In the event the computer reboots or becomes unresponsive, any unsaved work will be lost.  Academic Technology is not responsible for any damage or loss of data resulting from the use of the lab computers.

Printing is free but all print jobs are logged.  Printing is for school related documents only.  Westlaw & Lexis searches must be printed to the designated stand-alone printer. If printouts are not picked up within 24 hours they will be discarded.