Acceptable Computing Use Policy

"Respecting and learning from each other's distinctive experiences and traditions, students, faculty, and staff form a community dedicated to free inquiry and the unfettered exchange of ideas and criticism, as well as to practical accomplishment." --University Mission Statement

California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) is a public institution fully committed to the ideals of academic freedom, freedom of expression and multicultural diversity. To promote and protect these ideals, this policy is intended to define acceptable and unacceptable computing uses and practices on the university campuses and among members of the university community. It covers all computing environments including microcomputers, networks, mainframes, and the Internet, and all users including, but not limited to, students, faculty and staff.

I. Purpose of Access:

CSUEB provides access to computer hardware, software, electronic information systems and networks, including the Internet and World Wide Web, for purposes related to it missions and to the responsibilities and necessary activities of its faculty, students and staff subject to the following principles and responsibilities.

II. Requirement for Good Judgment and Reasonable Care:

Users are expected to use good judgment and reasonable care in order to protect and preserve the integrity of the equipment, its data and software, and its access. For example:

1) Precautions against contaminants. Users must take precautions to avoid introducing computer contaminants, such as viruses and "Trojan horse" macros, into university computer hardware and software or data storage media. Such precautions include, but are not limited to, using only authorized copies of software, installing updates or patches that correct identified security flaws, installing virus protection software on hard disks and using virus scanning and repair programs as needed.

2) Protection from theft or damage. Users must protect the equipment and systems from damage or loss due to theft, mischievous or malicious alterations to, or removal of, installed software or machine configurations and/or mischievous or malicious additions of software, hardware, macros, or files that interfere with productivity or computer operations.

3) Protection from data loss. Individuals with responsibility for University data and mission-critical operations must ensure that appropriate backups of software and data are maintained. Departmental supervisors are responsible for assuring that staff members are trained in the established back up procedures. Individuals who fail to follow the established procedures in order to back up university operational data may be subject to disciplinary action.

4) Protection against degradation of operation. Users should avoid unnecessary printing, storage of unnecessary files, or execution of programs that degrade system performance during periods of heavy use.

III. Requirement for Compliance with Laws and Policies:

User are expected to comply with applicable laws and university policies concerning usage of university property, licensing, and copyright or intellectual property rights, and policies and laws covering individual privacy and confidentiality or harassment.

1) Responsibility of Account Owners. The owner of an account on multi-user systems, or an ID on a network, is responsible for all activity performed under the account or ID. With rare and authorized exceptions, each person must use his/her own account (user ID) and not use, or alter an entry so as to appear to use, any other account (user ID). The password to an account must be kept confidential, must not be released to any other party or included in any documentation and must not be included in any unprotected communication software automatic login script. In the rare instances where special circumstances or system requirements mandate that multiple users access the same account, extreme care must be used to protect the security of the account and its access password.

2) Intellectual Property and Copyright Protection. Users who publish information maintained on university computers for the use or retrieval of others, whether on bulletin boards, intranets, or the World Wide Web, are responsible for the content of the pages they publish and are required to comply with all CSUEB policies and procedures as well as state and federal laws concerning appropriate use of computers, copyrighted material, and fair use of intellectual property.

3) Licensed Software. Software must be used in a way that is consistent with copyright laws. No more than the authorized number of copies of a software product may be made. If a temporary evaluation license is granted, the time limits of the software use must be observed. Violation of copyright laws may be grounds for disciplinary action.

4) Personal Financial Gain. The use of university owned computer systems for private financial gain is prohibited. Use of university owned computer systems for professional development activities such as research or publication is permitted within the limits of system capacities. The use of university computer systems by students for personal activity not related to financial gain may be allowed, provided the use does not interfere with others' use of the machines, or with the efficiency of any affected systems or operations, or with the performance of the assigned duties of a university employee, and provided that consumable university supplies are not used.

5) Harassment or Deliberate Interference with Productivity. Mischievous or malicious abuse of electronic mail and electronic campus information services and/or mischievous or malicious alterations to or removal of installed software or machine configurations and/or mischievous or malicious additions of software, hardware, macros, or files that interfere with productivity or computer operations or harass others may result in suspension of computing privileges and/or in appropriate disciplinary or criminal action.

IV. Prohibition Against Unauthorized Browsing or Unauthorized Use or Release of Private Information:

The University supports and protects the concepts of privacy and protects the confidentiality of personal information maintained in educational or employment records.

1) Unauthorized Browsing. Because confidential, critical, or important University data or information, intellectual property, or faculty research information may be located in a user's account or on a personal computer (workstation), unauthorized browsing, alteration or access of email messages or stored files in an employee's account or on an employee's workstation or disks is prohibited, even when such files are not password protected. This prohibition does not affect authorized access by a network administrator, computer support technician, or departmental manager where such access is within the scope of that individual's job duties.

2) Protected Private Information. University employees who are granted access to personal information protected by privacy laws such as the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) must be trained in, and are required to adhere to, the applicable policies and laws regarding the access or release of private information.

V. University Responsibility for Information and Illegal Use:

CSUEB provides access to computing resources with the following notification:

1) Information on the Network. The availability of networked information via CSUEB's information services does not constitute endorsement of the content of that information by CSUEB.

2) Illegal Use. The University does not encourage or condone unethical or illegal use of computing resources. Violation of applicable laws or university policy may result in suspension of computing privileges and/or in appropriate disciplinary or criminal action. The University will not provide legal defense for illegal use of its computers or software.

Further information regarding computer use and Information Security may be found in the University Information Security Manual located on the World Wide Web at http://www.aba.csuhayward.edu/ira/Security/SECTC.htm and in the University World Wide Web Policy located at http://www.csuhayward.edu/csuhdocs/webpolicy.html.

APPROVED by University Information Technology Committee August 6, 1998.