Network Use Policy for eCornell Students


	NETWORK USE POLICY FOR eCORNELL STUDENTS RESPONSIBLE NETWORK AND COMPUTER USE eCornell's computing and communication facilities are created for educational and administrative purposes. We are committed to ensuring a working and learning environment in which all persons treat each other with respect. With this goal in mind, we have prepared the following policies. Students who register for an eCornell course or program will be asked to acknowledge at the time of course registration that they have read, understand, and accept the policies. Students must abide by established policies and assume full, legal, and moral responsibility for the appropriate use of eCornell's computing facilities. Violation of these policies will lead to the suspension of computing privileges and possibly other penalties. Intellectual Rights: Ethical and Legal Issues Respect for the intellectual work and property of others has traditionally been essential to the mission of academic communities. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in all media, and encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgement, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution. Unauthorized use of software, including programs, applications, databases and code is unacceptable and may be a violation of state and federal law. Access to eCornell Network and Computer Facilities Students must respect the rights of other computer users. eCornell computing systems have mechanisms to protect private information from examination by others. Attempts to circumvent these mechanisms in order to gain unauthorized access to the systems or to another person's information are a violation of eCornell policy and may violate applicable law. eCornell system administrators may access computer users' files at any time for maintenance purposes and will report suspected unlawful or improper activities to the proper authorities. Users are encouraged to report suspected abuse by contacting the Help Desk, helpdesk@ecornell.com. Confidentiality of Login ID: The eCornell Login ID is a unique identifier which gives students access to information and courses. Please note the following policies with respect to Login IDs: Users must keep their Login ID confidential and must not knowingly or negligently make it available for use by an unauthorized person. Use only the Login ID account and communication facilities, which you are duly authorized to use, and use them for purposes for which they were intended. If you suspect that your Login ID information has been compromised, contact the eCornell Help Desk at helpdesk@ecornell.com. Users should change their password regularly to avoid possible abuse by others. Choose a password that's difficult to guess (i.e., not your name or birth date). Network Policies: In most of eCornell's courses students will make extensive use of e-mail and conferencing tools to communicate with their instructor and fellow students. It is important, therefore, that students use electronic communication in a responsible manner. Do not forge messages by hiding your identity or impersonating another individual. Do not impede, interfere with, impair, or otherwise cause harm to others (by forwarding chain mail, for example). Do not send unwanted or unsolicited mail. This may be regarded as harassment, threatening, and abusive. Do not download or post material that is illegal, proprietary, or damaging to eCornell (for example, launching a computer virus or distributing child pornography via the web). See section on "Intellectual Rights: Ethical and Legal Issues" above. Do not harass or threaten other eCornell students. Serious or repeated violations of our policies will result in suspension of computing privileges and possibly other penalties. Using Software: A Guide to the Ethical and Legal Use of Software for Members of the Academic Community Source:Using Software: A Guide to the Ethical and Legal Use of Software for Members of the Academic Community issued by EDUCOM and ADAPSO Software enables us to accomplish many different tasks with computers. Unfortunately, in order to get their work done quickly and conveniently, some people justify making and using unauthorized copies of software. They may not understand the implications of their actions or the restrictions of the U.S. copyright law. Here are some relevant facts: Unauthorized copying of software is illegal. Copyright law protects software authors and publishers, just as patent law protects inventors. Unauthorized copying of software by individuals can harm the entire academic community. If unauthorized copying proliferates on a campus, the institution may incur a legal liability. Also, the institution may find it more difficult to negotiate agreements that would make software more widely and less expensively available to members of the academic community. Unauthorized copying of software can deprive developers of a fair return for their work, increase prices, reduce the level of future support and enhancement, and inhibit the development of new software products. Respect for the intellectual work and property of others has traditionally been essential to the mission of colleges and universities. As members of the academic community, we value the free exchange of ideas. Just as we do not tolerate plagiarism, we do not condone the unauthorized copying of software, including programs, applications, data bases and code. Therefore, we offer the following statement of principle about intellectual property and the legal and ethical use of software. This "code"--intended for adaptation and use by individual colleges and universities--was developed by the EDUCOM Software Initiative. 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 in 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. Questions You May Have About Using Software *What do I need to know about software and the U.S. Copyright Act?* Unless it has been placed in the public domain, software is protected by copyright law. The owner of a copyright holds exclusive right to the reproduction and distribution of his or her work. Therefore, it is illegal to duplicate or distribute software or its documentation without the permission of the copyright owner. If you have purchased your copy, however, you may make a back-up for your own use in case the original is destroyed or fails to work. *Can I loan software I have purchased myself?* If your software came with a clearly visible license agreement, or if you signed a registration card, read the licence carefully before you use the software. Some licenses may restrict use to a specific computer. Copyright law does not permit you to run your software on two or more computers simultaneously unless the license agreement specifically allows it. It may, however, be legal to loan your software to a friend temporarily as long as you do not keep a copy. *If software is not copy-protected, do I have the right to copy it?* Lack of copy-protection does not constitute permission to copy software in order to share or sell it. "Non-copy-protected" software enables you to protect your investment by making a back-up copy. In offering non-copy-protected software to you, the developer or publisher has demonstrated significant trust in your integrity. *May I copy software that is available through facilities on my campus, so that I can use it more conveniently in my own room?* Software acquired by colleges and universities is usually licensed. The licenses restrict how and where the software may be legally used by members of the community. This applies to software installed on hard disks in microcomputer clusters, software distributed on disks by a campus lending library, and software available on a campus mainframe or network. Some institutional licenses permit copying for certain purposes. Consult your campus authorities if you are unsure about the use of a particular software product. *Isn't it legally "fair use" to copy software if the purpose in sharing it is purely educational?* No. It is illegal for a faculty member or student to copy software for distribution among the members of a class, without permission of the author or publisher. Alternatives to Explore Software can be expensive. You may think that you cannot afford to purchase certain programs that you need. But there are legal alternatives to unauthorized copying. Site Licensed and Bulk-Purchased Software Your institution may have negotiated agreements that make software available either to use or to purchase at special prices. Consult your campus computing office for information. Software available through institutional site licenses or bulk purchases is subject to copyright and license restrictions, and you may not make or distribute copies without authorization. Shareware Shareware, or "user-supported" software, is copyrighted software that the developer encourages you to copy and distribute to others. This permission is explicitly stated in the documentation or displayed on the computer screen. The developer of shareware generally asks for a small donation or registration fee if you like the software and plan to use it. By registering, you may receive further documentation, updates and enhancements. You are also supporting future software development. Public Domain Software Sometimes authors dedicate their software to the public domain, which means that the software is not subject to any copyright restrictions. It can be copied and shared freely. Software without copyright notice is often, but not necessarily, in the public domain. Before you copy or distribute software that is not explicitly in the public domain, check with your campus computing office. A Final Note Restrictions on the use of software are far from uniform. You should check carefully each piece of software and the accompanying documentation yourself. In general, you do not have the right to: Receive and use unauthorized copies of software, or Make unauthorized copies of software for others. If you have questions not answered by this brochure about the proper use and distribution of a software product, seek help form your computing office, from the software developer, or publisher. Note: Copyright 1987 EDUCOM AND ADAPSO, with permission in brochure to use in whole or in part, providing the source is acknowledged.

	Privacy Policy \| © eCornell/TILS, 2006