Thousands of students, faculty and staff share computing resources at Ball State University. Most of them use computers responsibly, but a few who misuse the facilities have the opportunity and potential to seriously disrupt the work of others within the community. Legitimate use of computing resources does not extend to whatever one is capable of doing with them. Although some rules are included within a computer operating/security system, these restrictions cannot limit completely what one can do and see. We are all responsible, however, for our actions whether or not the rules are built into the system, and whether or not one can circumvent these rules.

Access to computing resources is a privilege made available to all University faculty, staff, and students, not a right, much like the privilege of using the BSU libraries. Certain responsibilities accompany that privilege, and understanding them is important for all computer users. Recognition of our responsibilities as stewards of public resources (funds) and that these resources are made available to accomplish the mission of the University provides guidance in formulating these policies.

Institutional Purposes  

Use of BSU computing-related resources is for purposes related to the University's mission of education, research, and public service. Computing facilities and resources are provided in large part by funding from taxpayers of Indiana for the academic use of our students, faculty and staff. We all must be responsible stewards of these resources. All classes of computer service user (faculty, staff, and students) may use computing resources only for purposes related to their studies, their instruction, the discharge of their duties as employees, their official business with the University, and their other University-sanctioned activities. The use of BSU computing resources for academically related but commercial purposes is permitted only with approval of the appropriate computer systems administrator.

Security  

The user is responsible for correct and sufficient use of the tools each computer system provides for maintaining the security and confidentiality of stored information. For example:

• Computer accounts, passwords, and other types of authorization are assigned to individual users and must not be shared with others. Each user is responsible for making authorized use of resources only for intended purposes, and is responsible for all transactions made under the assigned account number.

• The user must select an obscure account password and change it frequently.

• The user must understand the level of protection each computer system automatically applies to files and supplement it, if necessary, for sensitive information.

• The microcomputer user must be aware of computer viruses and other destructive computer programs and take steps to avoid being their victim.

Restrictions on Usage

Computing resources may be used to further the mission of the University in any way associated with teaching, learning, research, administrative or public services. Users must comply with all federal, Indiana, and other applicable laws; all generally applicable University rules and policies; and all applicable contracts and licenses.  Such laws, rules, policies, and licenses include, for example, the laws of libel, privacy, copyright, trademark, obscenity, and child pornography; the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which prohibit "hacking," "cracking," and similar activities; the University's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities; the University's Anti-Harrassment and Sexual Harrassment Policies; and all applicable software licenses.  Users who engage in electronic communications with persons in other states or countries or on other systems or networks should be aware that they may also be subject to the laws of those other states and countries and the rules and policies of those other systems and networks.  Users are responsible for ascertaining, understanding, and complying with the laws, rules, policies, contracts, and licenses applicable to their particular uses.  Examples of usage which would violate these restrictions include:

Obtaining unauthorized access to computers or network resources, or using improperly obtained computer accounts, access codes, or network identification numbers;

Intentionally destroying or damaging facilities, equipment, software, or data belonging to the University or other users;

Intentionally disrupting or unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications;

Committing fraud or engaging in forgery; or

Unauthorized copying of copyrighted material. Computer software protected by copyright is not to be copied from, into, or by using campus computing facilities except as permitted by law or by the copyright contract. This means that such computer software may be copied only in order to make backup copies if permitted by the copyright owner. The number of copies and distribution of copies may not be done in such a way that the number of simultaneous users in a department, college or the University exceeds the number of original copies purchased by the department, college, or University.

Computing resources should be used in accordance with the high ethical standards of the University community.  Examples of unethical use follow, some of which would also violate the restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph:

Violations of computer system security.  This includes all software, files, passwords and accounts.

Intentional use of computer networking facilities in ways that necessarily impede the computing activities of others (randomly initiating interactive electronic communications or E-mail exchanges, overuse of interactive network utilities, initiating or perpetuating chain letters, and so forth).

Use of computing facilities for commercial or personal advertisements, solicitations, promotions, political material or other purposes unrelated to the mission of the University or University life.

Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating).

Disruptive conduct within lab facilities.

Violation of campus or Internet network or host usage policies and regulations.

Violation of another user's privacy.  A user must obtain written permission from the owner of a file to alter or copy a file.  The ability to read, alter or copy a file does not imply permission to read, alter or copy that file.

Waste of computing facilities and resources.

Failing to honor departmental or unit laboratory and system procedures, policies, and/or protocol.

Allowing access to computing resources by unauthorized users.

Student and employee Internet pages are the responsibility of the individual maintaining them.  The individual, not the University, is liable for all claims or actions resulting from a violation of any of the above Restrictions on Usage.

Facilitative Usage  

Computing resource users can facilitate computing in the BSU environment in many ways. Collegiality demands the practice of facilitative computing. It includes:

• Regular deletion of unneeded files from one's accounts on central machines.

• Refraining from overuse of connect time, log in sessions, information storage space, CPU cycles, software licenses or printing facilities.

• Refraining from overuse of interactive network utilities (such as high bandwidth audio or video applications).

Reporting Violations  

Violations of this policy should be reported immediately to the systems administrator or department chair of a departmental system, or the office of the Director of University Computing Services for a central or shared computer resource. The University will make every effort to maintain confidentiality to the extent consistent with legal, ethical and other policy obligations. It must be remembered that in the event that the University has reason to believe that the user is using University resources in an illegal or unethical manner, or in some way inconsistent with the institution's purposes or mission, the user has no right to confidentiality and such information may be subject to sanctions as described in the next paragraph.