(Updated April 19, 2005; this version approved by College Senate Sept. 12, 2005)

I. Introduction

Access to modern information technology is essential to the State University of New York mission of providing the students, faculty and staff with educational services of the highest quality. The pursuit and achievement of the SUNY mission of education, research, and public service require that the privilege of the use of computing systems and software, internal and external data networks, telephone systems and access to the World Wide Web, be made available to all members of the SUNY community. The preservation of that privilege for the full community requires that each faculty member, staff member, student, and other authorized user comply with institutional and external standards for appropriate use.

II. General Principles

To assist and ensure such compliance, SUNY Delhi establishes the following policy, which supplements all applicable SUNY policies, including sexual, religious, racial and gender harassment, patent and copyright, and student and employee disciplinary policies, as well as applicable federal and state laws.

1. Authorized use of computing, network and telecommunications resources owned or operated by SUNY Delhi shall be consistent with the education, research and public service mission of the State University of New York, and consistent with this policy.
2. Authorized users of SUNY Delhi computing, telecommunications and network resources include faculty, staff, students, and other affiliated individuals or organizations authorized by the Provost or his designee. Use by non-affiliated institutions and organizations shall be in accordance with SUNY Administrative Procedures Manual Policy 007.1: Use of Computer Equipment or Services by Non-affiliated Institutions and Organizations.
3. This policy applies to all SUNY Delhi computing, telecommunications and network resources, including host computer systems, SUNY Delhi-sponsored computers and workstations, software, data sets, telephones and communications networks controlled, administered, or accessed directly or indirectly by SUNY Delhi computer resources or services, employees, or students.
4. SUNY Delhi reserves the right to limit access to its networks and telephone systems when applicable campus or university policies or codes, contractual obligations, or state or federal laws are violated, but does not monitor or generally restrict the content of material transported across those networks.
5. SUNY Delhi reserves the right to remove or limit access to material posted on university-owned computers when applicable campus or university policies or codes, contractual obligations, or state or federal laws are violated, but does not monitor the content of material posted on university-owned computers.
6. SUNY Delhi reserves the right, to access all aspects of its computing systems, networks and telecommunications systems, including individual login sessions to determine if a user is violating this policy or state or federal laws.
7. SUNY Delhi DOES restrict the way in which privately owned computers can connect to its network.  No privately owned computer is to be connected to the campus network without prior authorization from CIS.  All computers connected to the campus network must be properly setup by CIS Staff.  For security reasons, individuals desiring to load their own Operating Systems on campus computers must contact CIS in advance.

III. User Responsibilities

Privacy: No user should view, copy, alter or destroy another's personal electronic files without permission (unless authorized or required to do so by law or regulation).

Copyright: Written permission from the copyright holder is required to duplicate any copyrighted material. This includes duplication of audio tapes, videotapes, photographs, illustrations, computer software, and all other information for educational use or any other purpose. Most software that resides on SUNY Delhi computing network(s) is owned by the University, SUNY Delhi, or third parties, and is protected by copyright and other laws, together with licenses and other contractual agreements. Users are required to respect and abide by the terms and conditions of software use and redistribution licenses. Such restrictions may include prohibitions against copying programs or data for use on SUNY Delhi computing network(s) or for distribution outside the University; against the resale of data or programs, or the use of them for non-educational purposes or for financial gain; and against public disclosure of information about programs (e.g., source code) without the owner's authorization.

The College expects that since employees accessing the Internet, telephones  e-mail are representing the College, communications should be primarily work-related.  Employees are responsible for ensuring that these tools are used in an effective, ethical and lawful manner and in support of the College mission.

Unacceptable Use

Neither the Internet nor campus telephones should be used for personal gain, personal business or profit-making activities or advancement of individual views.  Use of the Internet must not disrupt College operations, the College network or the network of other users.  It must not interfere with employees' productivity.

Employees must be aware that some Internet information will not be of educational value and may even be defamatory, inaccurate, obscene, pornographic, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive or illegal. 

The College does not condone the use of such materials in its work and educational settings.  The risk from employees inappropriately accessing these materials, however, is outweighed by other types of positive information and learning opportunities and, therefore, the College expects users of its systems to focus on the appropriate use of the systems.

Communications

Employees are responsible for the content of all text, audio, images and other information that they place on or send over the Internet.  Fraudulent, harassing or obscene messages are prohibited. All messages communicated on the Internet should have the appropriate employee's name or signature attached. No messages may be transmitted under an assumed name. Users may not attempt to obscure the origin of any message. Information published on the Internet should not violate or infringe upon the rights of others. No abusive, profane or offensive language should be transmitted through the system.

Security

All messages created, sent or retrieved over the Internet or via the telephone system by employees are not confidential or private and are the property of the College.  Internet sites accessed by employees are not private.  The College reserves the right to access and monitor all messages and files on the computer system and PCs as deemed necessary and appropriate.  Employees need to be aware that there may be circumstances under which the College may disclose and/or may be required to disclose all communications including text and images, to law enforcement or other third parties without prior consent of the employee, sender or receiver.

Harassment, Libel and Slander: Under no circumstances, may any user use University at Delhi computers, telecommunications systems or networks to libel, slander, or harass any other person.

Access to Computing Resources:

• Accounts: Accounts created by a system administrator for an individual are for the personal use of that individual only.
• Sharing of access: Computer accounts, passwords, telephone PIN codes and other types of authorization are assigned to individual users and should not be shared with others. You are responsible for any use of your account. If an account is shared or the password or PIN is divulged, the holder of the account will lose all account privileges and be held personally responsible for any actions that arise from the misuse of the account.
• Permitting unauthorized access: You may not run or otherwise configure software or hardware to intentionally allow access by unauthorized users.
• Termination of access: When you cease being a member of the campus community (e.g., withdraw, graduate, or terminate employment, or otherwise leave the university), or if you are assigned a new position and/or responsibilities within the State University system, your access authorization must be reviewed. You must not use facilities, accounts, access codes, privileges or information for which you are not authorized in your new circumstances.   You are responsible for any outstanding balances from personal telephone calls and the cost of any unreturned equipment.

Circumventing Security: Users are prohibited from attempting to circumvent or subvert any system's security measures. Users are prohibited from using any computer program or device to intercept or decode passwords or similar access control information.

Breaching Security: Deliberate attempts to degrade the performance of a computer system or network or to deprive authorized personnel of resources or access to any SUNY Delhi computer or network is prohibited. Breach of security includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Creating or propagating viruses
• Hacking
• Password grabbing
• Disk scavenging
• Packet sniffing

Abuse of Computer Resources: Abuse of SUNY Delhi r resources is prohibited. This abuse includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Game Playing: Limited recreational game playing, which is not part of authorized and assigned research or instructional activity, is acceptable, but computing and network services are not to be used for extensive or competitive recreational game playing. Recreational game players occupying a seat in a public computing facility must give up the use of the terminal when others who need to use the facility for academic or research purposes are waiting.
• Chain Letters: The propagation of chain letters is considered an unacceptable practice by SUNY and is prohibited.
• Unauthorized Servers: The establishment of a background process that services incoming requests without prior consent from Campus Information Systems is prohibited.  Any use of a server on the campus network must be pre-approved by CIS.
• Unauthorized Monitoring: A user may not use computing resources for unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications.
• Flooding: Posting a message to multiple list servers or news groups with the intention of reaching as many users as possible is prohibited.
• Private Commercial Purposes: The computing and telecommunications resources of SUNY Delhi shall not be used for personal or private commercial purposes or for financial gain.
• Political Advertising or Campaigning: The use of SUNY Delhi computers, telecommunications systems and networks shall be in accordance with University policy on use of University facilities for political purposes (SUNY Administrative Procedures Manual Policy 008, Attach. A).

IV. Limitations on Users' Rights

1. The issuance of a password, PIN code or other means of access is to assure appropriate confidentiality of SUNY Delhi files and information and does not guarantee privacy for personal or improper use of university equipment or facilities.
2. SUNY Delhi provides reasonable security against intrusion and damage to files stored on the central facilities. SUNY Delhi also provides some facilities for archiving and retrieving files specified by users, and for recovering files after accidental loss of data. However, the SUNY Delhi is not responsible for unauthorized access by other users or for loss due to power failure, fire, floods, unintentional damage, etc. SUNY Delhi makes no warranties with respect to Internet services, and it specifically assumes no responsibilities for the content of any advice or information received by a user through the use of SUNY Delhi's computer network.
3. Users should be aware that SUNY Delhi computer systems and networks may be subject to unauthorized access or tampering. In addition, computer records, including e-mail, are considered "records" which may be accessible to the public under the provisions of the New York State Freedom of Information Law.

V. Web Policy

The SUNY Delhi World Wide Web Home Page (http://www.delhi.edu) is an official publication of the SUNY Delhi. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials, appearing on the Home Page or subsequent official home pages of specific departments, including text and photographs, are copyrighted and should not be reproduced without written permission from the Chief Information Officer. Home pages linked to SUNY Delhi Home Page may be created by academic departments, programs, centers or institutes, administrative departments, or recognized student groups. Individual members of the faculty and staff may create their own, but must link them through their department's home page.

SUNY Delhi does not host students’ pages other than those approved by student organizations. 

VI. Sanctions

Violators of this policy will be subject to the existing student or employee disciplinary procedures of SUNY Delhi. Sanctions may include the loss of computing privileges. Illegal acts involving University at Delhi computing, telecommunications and network resources will be reported to the appropriate authority and may subject users to prosecution by College, State and Federal authorities.

To report violations or request further information, please contact the Dean of Information Systems.