Policy ID:
Date Instituted: December 1, 1994
Last Revised: June 1, 2001

Policy Description

I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Access to computer systems and networks owned or operated by Seton Hall University is granted to Seton Hall students, faculty, staff, and alumni to promote legitimate educational, research and administrative efforts in keeping with the role of Seton Hall University as an educational institution. This access imposes certain responsibilities and obligations and is granted subject to University policies and local, state, and federal laws.
Appropriate use is always ethical, reflects academic honesty, and shows constraint in the consumption of shared resources. Users are expected to demonstrate respect for: intellectual property; ownership of data; system security mechanisms; and individuals' rights to privacy and freedom from intimidation, harassment and unwarranted annoyance.
Seton Hall University fully supports "The EDUCOM Code for the protection of software and Intellectual Rights"
 
"Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers of all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution.
Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community."

Specifically, these Seton Hall University Guidelines for appropriate Use of Computers are based on the following principles: 

1. Seton Hall University as owner or operator of University computer systems has specific proprietary rights of: access; regulation of use; and resource allocation and management.
2. Authorized users for legitimate purposes have reasonable expectations of access; ownership of intellectual property including data and ideas; privacy from unauthorized monitoring of electronic files and intrusion; freedom from intimidation harassment and unwarranted annoyance; and due process.
3. Authorized users have the responsibility to properly utilize Seton Hall University computer facilities for legitimate University-related purposes and to respect the rights of others to privacy, protection of their intellectual property including data, ideas, and copyrighted material, and freedom from intimidation, harassment and unwarranted annoyance. As an institution of higher education, Seton Hall University is committed to providing students and faculty with the opportunity to explore the full potential of electronic communication and data gathering to the extent that this use does not infringe on others' rights of access to limited resources or privacy. Appropriate use of computer facilities for an educational institution extends beyond specific University-related business but can be restricted by the University to protect the rights of other users.
4. Authorized users agree to abide by the Guidelines for appropriate Use of University Computer Facilities as set forth in this document or published elsewhere and to abide by University judicial and other enforcement procedures.
5. The University will make reasonable efforts to ensure that privacy and security of individual users is protected, but cannot guarantee that its computer systems and networks are completely secure. By using University computer systems and networks, each user assumes the risks of invasion of privacy and misappropriation of confidential information or material protected by intellectual privacy.
   

II.UNIVERSITY RIGHTS OF ACCESS
As owner or operator of University electronic communications systems, Seton Hall University has the following specific proprietary rights of access, regulation of use and resource allocation and management normally administered through the Computing Services Division. 

1. To make and retain copies of e-mail and any other files deemed appropriate for a time period determined by the University.
2. To access all files maintained on University equipment, including e-mail, for specific purposes only. These include:
3. • Review of file content for resource management normally after notification of file holder. This review shall be by file characteristics only, such as organization date, frequency of use, or some other resource management criterion, NOT file subject matter.
   • Normally, the University will review file content only when a formal charge of violation of law or University regulations has been made and only after notice to the file holder. In extraordinary cases, including but not limited to, subpoenas from properly constituted authorities or reasonable suspicion of threat to life or property, the University may review individual files without such notice. In any case, the University retains the right to copy files for possible use in judicial or other proceedings.
3. To remove files from University systems for the following reasons:
4. • To conserve limited resources in accordance with established procedures. These procedures may vary for different University Facilities, such as LANS all users should be notified by these resource maintenance procedures. Appropriate resource managers are not required to notify file holders of this resource management as long as they are done within established and published procedures. These local procedures include origination date, frequency of use, file size or other resource management procedures include the nature of file content.
   • To purge from University systems illegal files or files which infringe on the rights of other users by inequitably dominating limited resources, abrogating creative property rights or invading privacy, including harassment, intimidation or unwarranted annoyance, only after notification of the file holder.
   • To perform other necessary resource management, normally after notification of the file holder.
4. To limit or otherwise restrict creation or file size of bulletin boards or other resource allocation to Seton Hall University faculty, students, staff and alumni, or other specifically-authorized users of University facilities, for legitimate University educational, research or communication purposes as system capacity permits. This limitation shall be not to restrict expression of diverse opinions or viewpoints but for organization of information.
5. The University is not liable for loss of data because of emergencies or for the unauthorized access, use or corruption of data by any individuals, including University employees.

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III. USER EXPECTATIONS
 
Authorized users of Seton Hall University computer facilities for legitimate purposes have specific reasonable expectations, including:

1. Access to files properly stored under their access privileges and all files and facilities relevant to their legitimate and appropriate use of Seton Hall University computer Facilities. Denial of access privileges to University computer files and facilities shall be made ONLY in accordance with this and other published documents and with respect for the user's due process rights under University procedures.
2. Such expectations are however subject to the availability of such files, and the University does not warrant or insure that files will be preserved and uncorrupted due to human error, equipment failure, or the need to purge files for resource allocation purposes. All users are responsible for frequently backing up all data on their own personal storage media to guard against such possibilities.
3. Ownership of intellectual and creative property including data and ideas in accordance with the United States Copyright Act of 1976 and relevant state and federal laws.
4. The University will attempt to strike a balance between the individual user's interest in limiting receipt of certain kinds of communications and the interests of other users in reaching an appropriate audience. This will be achieved by a combination of internal e-mail, internal electronic bulletin boards, and access to the Internet. However, the University has no control over messages originating from beyond the University community, and can exercise only limited control over communications from members of the University community if it is to respect the interests of its members in communicating with each other. To this end the University will encourage the use of bulletin boards for general purpose communications and approve broadcast communications when they are of potential interest to large numbers of community members. Individual users are expected not to send information except to recipients they reasonably expect to welcome such communications, and are expected to honor requests from recipients not to receive further communications.
   

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IV. USER RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Authorized users have the responsibility to utilize Seton Hall University computer facilities ethically, with respect for other users and the limited resources made available for them by the University. These include:
 

1. Responsibility for all activities under their password.
2. Courteous and considerate use of all Seton Hall University computer facilities.
3. Respect for the rights of others to privacy, including the freedom from intimidation, harassment and unwarranted annoyance. Users must abide by University guidelines for the distribution of e-mail. Users may not persist in corresponding with others if they have been notified to cease.
4. Respect for the intellectual and creative property of others, including data, ideas and copyrighted material. Use of other person's creative property without proper attribution may be considered plagiarism under University policy.
5. Use of Seton Hall University computer facilities for legitimate and appropriate purposes only. These include: research; course-related activities; University job-related activities; and other uses appropriate for an educational institution. Use of Seton Hall University for personal correspondence is allowed except where it conflicts with employment responsibilities or the use of University facilities by others for University-related work.
6. Inappropriate uses of Seton Hall University computer facilities include, but are not limited to:
   

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V. ENFORCEMENT
 
Any violator of these or other published Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Seton Hall University Computer Facilities will be considered in violation of Seton Hall University's policies and responsible to established University procedures. For employees, this may be considered a violation of terms of employment. For students and other members of the University community, this may include action under the University judicial processes. Computer access may be limited or terminated pending determination of these charges.

Related Documents:

Draft: Information Technology Appropriate Use Policy
The March 2009 draft revision of the Information Technology Appropriate Use Policy.

Related Policies:

Draft Information Technology Security Policy
This document outlines the overall Seton Hall University Policy to protect critical information and data, and to comply with Federal Law. To this end, the University Information Technology Services (UITS) proposes certain practices in the University information technology environment and institutional information security procedures.

Related Services:

Blackboard
Blackboard is the current on-line courseware system used at Seton Hall University.

E-mail Accounts
All Seton Hall University employees and students are issued a university e-mail account.

Network Accounts
All University students and employees automatically receive network accounts.