Computer and Network Use Policy

Summary

The Information Technology Group (IT Group) has developed the Computer and Network Use Policy (CNUP). This policy is designed to guide individuals in the acceptable use of computers, information systems, and networks owned by Keene State College. More importantly, it is meant as an application of best practices to ensure availability, integrity, reliability, privacy, and confidentially of college owned computers, information systems, and networks. Keene State College makes computing and network resources available to faculty, staff, students, and the general public to support the educational, scholarship, research, and service mission of the college.

Scope

This policy applies to all users of any KSC Information Technology resource. Authorized users include, but are not limited to, faculty, students, staff, contract employees, vendors, and properly identified guests. IT resources include, but are not limited to, college owned or leased computing devices, printers, network infrastructure, network access jacks, wireless access points, information served by college owned computers, and applications developed, owned or licensed by KSC.

User Responsibilities

The computing and network resources and services owned by Keene State College are limited and should be used wisely and carefully with consideration for the needs of others. By using computers, information systems, and networks owned by Keene State College, you assume personal responsibility for acceptable use and agree to comply with this policy, other applicable KSC and USNH policies, as well as applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Failure to uphold CNUP acceptable uses constitutes a violation of this policy and may be subject to disciplinary procedures applicable to students, staff, and faculty.

Acceptable Uses

All users may...

• Use computing or network resources to support the educational, scholarship, research, and service mission of the college.
• Use computing or network resources for personal computing in compliance with this policy.
• Use only approved computing devices when connecting to the KSC network.

• Use IT resources without proper authorization
• Attempt to monitor, intercept, analyze or modify network traffic or transactions not specifically addressed to your computer
• Harass, defame, intimidate or threaten anyone through the use of computing or network resources For sexual harassment issues, see KSC Sexual Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures.
• Use computing or network resources for profit, commercial or political use
• Attempt to alter or reconfigure any KSC IT resources, e.g. network infrastructure, servers
• Attempt to obtain privileges for which you are not authorized
• Attempt to access, modify and/or delete another user's files, configuration or software without the expressed agreement of the owner
• Attempt to learn another user's password(s) or personal information
• Attempt to alter or obscure your identity or your computer's identity, including but not limited to IP Address and email address, while communicating on any network
• Interfere with or disrupt computer or network accounts, services or equipment of others including but not limited to consumption of excessive IT resources, (e.g. local area network or Internet bandwidth) through the propagation of worms or viruses or the inappropriate sending of broadcast messages to large number of hosts
• Interfere with or circumvent the IT Group's responsibilities and procedures
• Consume excessive IT resources, e.g. Local Area Network or Internet Bandwidth
• Abuse email privileges - see email policy
• Download and/or share copyrighted material for which you do not have the proper authorization
• Use unauthorized computing devices when connecting to the KSC network

Federal, State and Local Laws

All computer and network users are bound by federal, state, and local laws relating to harassment, copyright, security, and privacy relating to digital media. The IT Group will cooperate fully, upon the advice of college legal counsel, with any local, state or federal officials investigating an alleged crime committed by an individual using Keene State College information technology resources. (more.....)

Policy Enforcement

IT Group system administrators or network administrators may be required to investigate violations of this policy in order to ensure compliance. The IT Group may restrict the use of computers and networks when faced with evidence of violation of this policy or federal, state, or local laws. The IT Group is sensitive to these issues and will remain professional and conscientious while evaluating potential violations. When violations do occur, the IT Group follows the CNUP violation process. (more...)

IT Group Responsibilities

Beyond controlling access and protecting against unauthorized access and computer or network threats, the IT Group plays a proactive role in implementing and enforcing security or network procedures by following higher education best practices. Using hardware infrastructure and software tools, utilities and applications, the IT Group will maintain a network and computing environment enabling authorized campus users secure, reliable access to internal and external networking resources and applications.

Shared and limited technology resources often require prioritization, the IT Group will assign these priorities while managing the network:

Highest: Applications and services directly associated with the college mission. Applications and services supporting the college's business functions.

Medium: Non-academic residential personal computing.

Lowest: Personal activity, not related to college business, academic and research functions.

The IT Group will respect and strive to ensure users' privacy and intellectual property while managing the computing and network infrastructure and information application transactions and data. The IT Group does not actively monitor network traffic or view content. However, while researching computing and/or network issues, system administrators or network administrators may need to use tools or utilities that expose content or users' internet habits. Under these circumstances, the IT Group will hold this information and knowledge in strictest confidence.

The IT Group will not intentionally release or expose a user's personal information, e.g. name, SSN, Date of birth, etc. to anyone external to KSC or to unauthorized KSC employees. There are many laws and regulations concerning this issue. (more.....)

At times the IT Group may need to reconfigure network and/or computing resources to mitigate situations that negatively impact access to IT resources. These actions include, but are not limited to, temporarily disabling access to an individual system, temporarily disabling access to/from a specific segment of the LAN or modifying priorities. Though rare and short in duration, these steps are necessary to isolate problems and enable a quick resolution.

The IT Group develops policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines by following higher education best practices. These help the IT Group guarantee a secure, productive, non-threatening, rewarding and effective experience for authorized users of IT resources.

Policies articulate a particular course of action that a computer or network user must agree to follow in order to be provided with computing and network access.
       Respect privacy and security of users, system and data
       Domain Password Policy
       Email Policy

Guidelines are general directions we plan to follow and are designed to help KSC students, faculty, and staff members judge the appropriateness of computing or network behaviors.
       Email Guidelines, Broadcast, faculty & staff
       Email Guidelines, Broadcast, students
       Public Folder Guidelines
       Network File Storage Guidelines

Standards are specific choices that the IT Group has made for hardware, software, network architecture, and/or technology services.
       Manage, maintain and ensure integrity of keene.edu namespace
       Manage individual accounts and computers
       Connect only approved computing devices
       Workstation Hardware and Software Standards for Faculty and Staff

Procedures outline structured processes the IT Group follows to provide reliable information technology services and support.
       Faculty and Staff Desktop Management
       Campus Workstation Upgrades
       Campus Printer Upgrades
       Faculty/Staff Email Account Request
       Server Maintenance Schedules

Find out what else IT offers you