Ulster County Community College Technology Policy
(16) Users shall not place confidential information in computers without protecting it appropriately. The College cannot guarantee the privacy of computer files, electronic mail, or other information stored or transmitted by computer unless special arrangements are made. Ordinary electronic mail is not private. Do not use it to transmit computer passwords, credit card numbers, or information that would be damaging if made public. Bear in mind that students' educational records are required by law, and by Ulster policy, to be kept confidential. It is also necessary to protect confidential information about employees, such as performance evaluations. This applies not only to networked computers, but also to computers, tapes, or disks that could be stolen.
The College will normally respect your privacy but cannot guarantee it absolutely. There are many ways a normally private file can end up being read by others. If a disk is damaged, OIT staff may have to read all the damaged files and try to reconstruct them. If email is mis-addressed, it may go to one or more "postmasters" who will read it and try to correct the address. For your own protection, OIT staff may have to look at unusual activity to insure the integrity of the system.
(17) Users shall take full responsibility for messages that they transmit through the College's computers and network facilities. No one shall use the College's computers to transmit fraudulent, defamatory, harassing, obscene, or threatening messages or any communications prohibited by law. Users have exactly the same responsibilities on the computer network as when using other forms of communication. Users must obey laws against fraud, defamation, harassment, obscenity, solicitation of illegal acts, threatening or inciting violence, etc.. Bear in mind that uninvited amorous or sexual messages are likely to be construed as harassment. If you are bothered by uninvited email, ask the sender to stop, and then, if necessary, contact the OIT technical director. Use of the computers to circulate chain letters and pyramid schemes is not permitted. If someone says, "Forward a copy of this to everyone you know on the Internet," don't. Such messages often contain misunderstood or outdated information, or even outright hoaxes. Even when the information is legitimate, chain forwarding is a needlessly expensive way to distribute it. It is considered good practice to use your real name, rather than a nickname or pseudonym, in the headers of all outgoing communications. Users should be aware that there is fake electronic mail. There is no guarantee that electronic mail actually came from the person or site indicated. If in doubt, please contact OIT. Use prudent caution when sending out any message that appears to be on the College's letterhead or an official communication from the College. If the header identifies your message as coming from an administrative office or from the office of someone other than yourself such as a dean's office, recipients will presume that you are speaking for that office or person.
(4)
