Computer Users’ Privileges and Responsibilities Policy for the Chemistry Department
Introduction
This document describes the policy for use of the computer facilities maintained by the Chemistry Department which are supervised by the Information Technology Group (ITG). This policy is derived from and is consistent with the IUB University Computing Services “Computer Users Privileges and Responsibilities” policy statement, but includes additional restrictions on appropriate usage determined by the Chemistry Department.
Terminology
A number of terms used below have specific meanings which are defined in this section. They are:
Departmental computer – a computer administered by the ITG
Departmental shared resource – a networked computer, fileserver, or printer that can be used by more than one person administered by the ITG
Classroom display computer – a computer used to drive a classroom display which may or may not be networked and which is administered by the ITG
System manager – the ITG staff member with administration responsibilities for a particular departmental system or service.
General Policies
The Chemistry Department computers, shared resources, and classroom display computers are provided by the department specifically for department faculty, staff, and students for uses appropriate to the missions of the Department, and are to be used only by department faculty, staff, and students. If resources permit the department may allow faculty, staff, and students to use department facilities in other ways that are academically appropriate.
The use of Chemistry Department computers, shared resources, or classroom display computers in ways that violate the policies of University Information Technology Services (UITS) is specifically prohibited. This applies in particular to using the IUB campus network for illegal, unethical, or academically inappropriate uses as defined by UITS policy.
The file systems of departmental computers may be made available for the temporary storage of working files by authorized users. These files may be deleted without warning unless prior arrangements have been made with the ITG. The ITG does not automatically back up any of these file systems and does not guarantee the restoration of these files if deleted.
Security
The file systems of departmental computers may be made available the the ITG for the temporary storage of working files by faculty, staff, and students, these file systems are not considered secure. Information stored on a departmental fileserver will be maintained according to standards set by the ITG. In particular the ITG requires that a user of departmental services provided by the ITG must have a UITS login.
User Responsibilities
Use of ITG facilities is limited to departmental faculty, staff, and students; other users may be added at the direction of the Chemistry Department Network Committee. All users may use ITG 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 departmentally sanctioned activities.
Users assigned individual accounts or with access to class accounts should not share those account names and passwords with others. Users should be aware that in general the files stored on ITG computers are not considered confidential.
ITG computing facilities may not be used for illegal, unethical, or academically inappropriate uses.
Illegal uses include intentional harassment of other users; destruction or damage to equipment, software, or data; disruption or unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications; or unauthorized copying of copyrighted material.
Unethical (and possibly illegal uses) include violating computer system security; unauthorized use of computer accounts, access codes, or network identification numbers; intentional use of computer telecommunications to unnecessarily impede the computing activities of others; use of computing facilities for private business unrelated to the university mission or university life; academic dishonesty; violation of software agreements; violation of network usage policies and regulations; and violations of another user’s privacy.
Sanctions
Violation of the policies described above will be dealt with seriously. Violators will be subject to the normal disciplinary procedures of the university and, in addition, the loss of computing privileges may result. Illegal acts involving IU computing resources may also be subject to prosecution by State and Federal authorities.
