Computer Network and Resource Usage Policy

The College provides access to a wide range of IT based systems. This provision including the use of e-mail, the Internet together with a number of business applications are introduced to assist the functioning of the College but it may also create unforeseen consequences and problems.

The facilities that provide access represent a considerable commitment of resources for telecommunications networking, software, storage, etc. This usage policy is designed to help you understand our expectations for use of the resources and in particular the conditions of the Internet, and to help you use those resources wisely. We are committed to adhere to the JANET Acceptable Use Policy:

http://webarchive.ja.net/services/publications/policy/aup.html

It is important that anyone agreeing to this policy has reviewed the JANET policy as accepting this policy means you have agreed with the JANET policy also.

Certain terms in this policy should be understood expansively to include related concepts. "Document" covers just about any kind of file that can be read on a computer screen as if it were printed page, including the so-called HTML files read in an Internet browser, any file meant to be accessed by a word processing or desktop publishing program or its viewer, or the files prepared for the Adobe Acrobat reader and other electronic publishing tools. "Graphics" includes photographs, pictures, animation, movies, or drawings. "Display" includes monitors, flat-panel active or passive matrix displays, monochrome LCD's projectors, televisions and virtual-reality tools.
“Actionable” refers to any activity which could give rise to sanctions for abuse of the system.
Where a user requires assistance reasonable adjustments to this policy may be applied.

General Usage

1. The College will provide both students and staff with network accounts to gain access to the College's IT systems. This account remains the user's responsibility until they have left the College. You are responsible for your network account and all use of the system via your account. You must not allow any other user access to College IT Systems through your account. Where activities are deemed to be actionable the responsibility for those activities remains with you, the account owner.
2. You are responsible for safeguarding your password for your network account. For reasons of security, your individual password should not be printed, stored on-line or given to others. User password rights given to users should not give rise to an expectation of privacy. Your ability to connect to other computer systems through the network does not imply a right to connect to those systems or to make use of those systems unless authorised to do so.
3. Where a user has been loaned a laptop or other portable computer (such as a PDA / Blackberry) the user must keep confidential the Passwords to access the device and must take measures to ensure the physical security of the device.
4. Connection to other computer systems through the College system assumes that you have accepted the Acceptable Use Policies of the other systems. Violation of the AUP will also constitute a breach of the Colleges AUP.
5. The College has software and systems in place that monitor and record all computer and network activity. Our security systems are capable of recording (for each and every user) each World Wide Web site visit, each chat, newsgroup or e-mail message, and each file transfer into and out of our internal networks, and we reserve the right to do so at any time. No user should have any expectations of privacy as to his or her computer and network usage. Our managers will review network and Internet activity reports and analyse usage patterns, and they may choose to publicise this data to assure that College Internet resources are devoted to curriculum and business related activity.
6. All users, both students and staff, will be provided with access to certain core applications including a storage area for data, printing, Internet Access and Email address.
7. The College may choose to introduce quotas to enable better management of the IT Systems made available.
8. We reserve the right to inspect any and all files stored in private areas of the network in order to assure compliance with policy (this includes devices such as Wireless Computers, USB keys, PDAs, CD or DVD disks) which are connected to the Colleges network. Computers and e-mail accounts are the property of the College. You should, therefore, have no expectation of privacy in any e-mail sent or received.
   Note, however, the contents of files and emails will not be inspected except as part of a legitimate investigation or where necessary to establish the correct routing of an email or such other circumstances where direct examination of the file is unavoidable.
   Periodically all college computers are subject to a Sheep dip process whereby all files are examined for harmful / illegal content.
9. The display or access of any kind of sexually explicit image or document on any College system is a violation of our policy. In addition, sexually explicit material may not be archived, stored, distributed, edited or recorded using our network or computing resources. This policy also prevents users from participating in racist, sectarian or pornographic user groups or accessing sites which encourage harassment of individuals. In the same vein, content which contains inappropriate or defamatory language or infringes copyright may not be displayed or stored on the College systems
10. Users shall not perform any other inappropriate uses identified by the systems administrators.
11. Users have no specific guarantee of system availability either for access to files, email or the Internet. Whilst every effort is made to maintain system availability, unforeseen circumstances as well as system upgrades or maintenance may cause the system to become unavailable. In such circumstances the IT department will post information regarding planned system outages in advance on notice boards and the College Intranet.
12. Users have no specific guarantee of system fidelity and the College will not be held responsible for financial loss resulting from the use of the system or its failure.
13. Users must not attempt to circumvent system safeguards such as antivirus or content screening in any way.
14. Users must not attempt to intercept, monitor or scan the network in any form unless expressly part of the user's duties.
15. Users must not attempt to use College assets to make fraudulent offers of products, items or services originating from any College account.
16. The College will provide a number of specialist line of business applications. These will be made available as required by both staff and students. They are to be used solely for College business. Any abuse of these systems will constitute a breach of this policy.
17. Users should not attempt to install or uninstall applications on any College system. Any software installation onto any College IT System will be carried out by the College's IT Support under the authorisation of the College's IT Systems Manager and/or Software Licensing Officer.

E-mail Usage

An E-mail has been established to have the same authority in law as a written document; in this regard users should keep in mind the following:

1. Users should not make derogatory remarks in e-mails about any other person. Any written derogatory remark may constitute libel.
2. E-mails sent via the College's system may constitute a document for the purposes of freedom of information. Therefore at any time an e-mail may have to be retrieved and delivered to an outside body making a properly authorised request under the Freedom of Information Act. E-mails therefore should be constructed along formal lines, avoiding content which could be misconstrued and having a properly formatted introduction and signature. Details of the formatting are available in the document BMC Email Template.doc which can be found at: http://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/aup/BMCemailTemplate.doc
3. Users should try not to create e-mail congestion by sending trivial messages or unnecessarily copying e-mails. Users should regularly delete unnecessary e-mails to prevent over-burdening the system. Quotas may be introduced to provide better management of the Email system.
4. Any user who harasses others, transmits or causes to be transmitted communications that may be construed as harassment or disparagement of others, via the e-mail system or any College system will be deemed to have breached this policy and may be subject to sanctions under the College harassment policy.
5. By sending e-mails on the College's system, you are consenting to the processing of any personal data contained in that e-mail and are explicitly consenting to the processing of any sensitive personal data contained in that e-mail. As a result of this personal / private emails may be viewed by the authorised support staff for the reasons of investigating email problems or other possible breaches of this policy. If you do not wish the College to process such data you should communicate it by other means.
6. E-mail content and attachments (whether sending or receiving) should not be encrypted / password protected as our mail filtering system will be unable to check the content and the email will therefore be blocked. If a user has a requirement for sensitivity reasons to send or receive encrypted e-mail they will need to inform the IT helpdesk who can review and release the email.
7. As the E-mail system is provided for business use and under specific circumstances there may be a requirement for a Head of Department to request access to an individual's e-mail account for the purposes of conducting the lawful business of the College. In such instances the HOD will request access in writing to the IT Support Manager / IT Manager and such access will be granted under this policy.

Internet Usage

1. First and foremost, the Internet for this College is a business and curriculum tool, provided to you at significant cost. That means we expect you to use your Internet access primarily for business-related or curriculum related purposes, i.e., to communicate with tutors / students, to research relevant topics and obtain useful information (except as outlined below). We insist that you conduct yourself honestly and appropriately on the Internet, and respect the copyrights, software licensing rules, property rights, privacy and prerogatives of others, just as you would in any other organisation dealings. To be absolutely clear on this point, all existing College policies apply to your conduct on the Internet, especially (but not exclusively) those that deal with intellectual property protection, privacy, misuse of company resources, harassment on any equality ground (e.g. sexual, racial, sectarian etc), information and data security, and confidentiality.
2. Unnecessary or unauthorised Internet usage causes network and server congestion. It slows other users, takes away from work time, consumes supplies, and ties up printers and other shared resources. Unlawful Internet usage may also garner negative publicity for the College and expose the organisation to significant liabilities. A user who either acts unlawfully whilst using a College Internet connection or allows others to do so under their Account will be held responsible for such action. The sanctions for unlawful activity on the Internet can include a prison sentence.
3. While our direct connection to the Internet offers a cornucopia of potential benefits, it can also open the door to some significant risks to our data and systems if we do not follow appropriate security discipline. As presented in greater detail below, that may mean preventing machines with sensitive data or applications from connecting to the Internet entirely, or it may mean that certain users must be prevented from using certain Internet features like file transfers. The overriding principle is that security is to be everyone's first concern. College users can be held accountable for any breaches of security or confidentiality.
4. The College uses independently supplied software and data to identify inappropriate and/or sexually explicit Internet sites. We may block access from within our networks to all such sites that we know of. If you find yourself connected incidentally to a site that contains sexually explicit or offensive material, you must disconnect from that site immediately, regardless of whether that site had been previously deemed acceptable by any screening or rating program. If a user feels that a blocked site should be available they may in the first instance approach the IT Support helpdesk. At this time an assessment will be made by the College’s security officer and the site may be unblocked. Final say in this process is with the Head Of Department of Learning and Teaching Resources to whom representations may be made if the user is still unsatisfied.
5. This College's Internet facilities and computing resources must not be used to violate the laws and regulations of the UK or any other nation. Use of any College resources for illegal activity is grounds for immediate disciplinary action, and we will co-operate with any legitimate law enforcement activity.
6. Any software or files downloaded via the Internet into the College network become the property of the College. Any such files or software may be used only in ways that are consistent with their licenses or copyrights and in accordance with College policy.
7. No user may use College facilities to download, install or distribute pirated software or data.
8. No user may use the College's Internet facilities to propagate any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or trap-door program code.
9. No user may use the College's Internet facilities to disable or overload any computer system or network, or to circumvent any system intended to protect the privacy or security of another user.
10. Users with Internet access may download only software with direct curriculum use, and must arrange to have such software properly licensed and registered. Downloaded software must be used only under the terms of its license and in previous agreement with the College's IT Systems Manager and/or Software Licensing Officer.
11. Users may not use College Internet facilities to download entertainment software or games or to play games against opponents over the Internet. An exception may be made for those curriculum areas where game development and studies are a prerequisite.
12. Users may not use College Internet facilities to download images or videos unless there is an express curriculum related use for the materials.
13. Users with Internet access may not upload any software licensed to the College or data owned or licensed by the College without the express authorisation of the College's IT Systems Manager and/or Software Licensing Officer.
14. Users should be aware that computer screensavers are often copyrighted software and should not be downloaded.

Copyright

1. Users should be aware that much of the material used in the College is copyright. Copyright material may not be used within the College except in accordance with the published copyright. No assumption of fair use should be made.
2. Copyright material provided to staff or students may not be used outside the college except where explicitly stated in the copyright notice or by arrangement with the copyright holder.
3. Copyright material provided to staff or students may not be used in external facing web sites or copied to PDAs or other portable devices unless expressly permitted in the copyright notice or by agreement with the copyright holder.