Computer Use and File Sharing

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 requires colleges and universities to take steps to control unauthorized file sharing and copyright infringement. Students should read and be familiar with the following:

Copyright Infringement - Policies and Sanctions

Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects an owner’s right to control the reproduction, distribution, performance, display and transmission of original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Activity that violates these protections, including downloading and/or sharing copyrighted works without the owners' permission is a violation of copyright law and also of the College’s Copyright Policy.

Computer Use and File Sharing

  1. Make minor modifications or add minor software (e.g., plug-ins, “wallpaper”) to computers, except as may be specifically prohibited below. Such modifications or additions must not interfere with the integrity or functionality of the hardware or software configurations set by the college. Modifications or additions are made at the sole risk of the user; should it become necessary or advisable for the college to remove, delete or alter such modifications or additions, the college may do so without advance notice and without any compensation to the user. Users who wish to add more substantial software or who are uncertain whether software is “minor,” should consult the Software Purchasing Specialist.
  2. Connect their own personal digital assistants to their assigned college computer. Connection of a personal digital assistant to a college computer is at the sole risk of the user; the college is not responsible for damage to the personal digital assistant or for the corruption or loss of data stored on or through the personal digital assistant. The college may remove the personal digital assistant from the computer without advance notice and without compensation to the user. Users who wish to add other personal hardware or other peripheral devices to the college’s computers must receive advance approval from the College Technology Council.

Users of the college’s technology res

  1. Comply with all federal, state and local laws, all applicable contracts and licenses and all generally applicable college policies. These laws, rules, policies, contracts and licenses include those related to discrimination, harassment and retaliation, copyright, trademark, obscenity, child pornography, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (which prohibits “hacking,” “cracking” and similar actions) and software licenses.
  2. Use only those technology resources that they are authorized to use and use them only in the manner and to the extent authorized. The ability to access technology resources does not, by itself, imply authorization to do so.
  3. Respect the privacy of other users and their accounts, regardless of whether those accounts are securely protected.
  4. Respect the finite capacity of the college’s technology resources and limit use so as not to consume an unreasonable amount of those resources or to interfere unreasonably with the activity of other users. The reasonableness of any particular use will be evaluated in the context of the relevant circumstances.

  1. “Broadcast” email messages to the entire college email community. Requests for broadcast email should be sent to Mail, Distribution and Fulfillment.
  2. Use the college’s technology resources to intentionally or knowingly create or disseminate denial of service attacks, viruses, worms, Trojan horses or any computer code that will self-replicate, damage, hinder or alter the performance of any technology device or network activity.
  3. Use the college’s technology resources to defeat, interfere with or circumvent any security measures, controls, accounts, record keeping systems or other “standard technical measures” used by copyright holders to identify and protect their rights.
  4. Download, upload, install or use any peer to peer file sharing programs (examples include, but are not limited to, Kazaa and Napster).
  5. Use any computer connected to any of the college’s networks as a server, hub, router or other network sharing device without the written permission of the Director of the Technology Services Department.
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