Acceptable Use Policies

Comply with Intended Use of the System

The Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems at OCC’s Computer Studies Department have been acquired as tools for use in the academic mission of OCC. They are electronic and may seem ethereal, but when you use them you should consider yourself as being in a classroom, or elsewhere on campus, and your actions should be guided by the OCC Computer Studies Department code, just as if you were interacting with others face-to-face, always adhering to OCC’s Computer Studies Department standards of honesty and personal conduct.

Your actions via your Login ID are your responsibility; you should act ethically and should not share your Login ID with anyone or try to use someone else’s Login ID.

Those who cannot accept these standards of behavior will be denied access to the relevant Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems. Violators also may be subject to penalties under regulations of Ocean County College and under laws of the State of New Jersey or the United States of America to the extent applicable.

If you have questions about these policies or if you observe a transgression of these rules, notify your instructor, lab technician or the department coordinator.

1. Don’t violate the intended use of the systems and network at the Computer Studies Department. The purpose of these facilities is to support education, and the Computer Studies Department’s administrative activities, by providing access to computing resources and the opportunity for individual or collaborative work. All use of the Computer Studies Department’s Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems must be consistent with this purpose. For example:
   • Don’t try to interfere with or alter the integrity of the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems at large, by doing any of the following:
     • permitting another individual to use your account.
     • impersonating other individuals in communication (particularly on our Alpha Server, etc.).
     • attempting to capture or crack passwords or encrypted information.
     • destroying or altering data or programs belonging to other users.
   • Don’t try to restrict or deny access to the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems by legitimate users. e.g.
     • don’t try to crash the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems at the Computer Studies Department.
     • don’t attempt to make a computer impersonate other systems.
     • Don’t consume unneeded resources to include network bandwidth, computer time, disk, or processes. The web has traffic limitations; a site without an academic mission should not consume extensive resources.
   • Don’t use the facilities for private financial gain.
   • Don’t transmit threatening or harassing materials through our Alpha Server mail or Internet.

Assure Ethical Use of the System

Along with the many opportunities that the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems provide for students of the Computer Studies Department to share information comes the responsibility to use the system in accordance with the Computer Studies Department’s standards of honesty and personal conduct. Those standards call for all students to act in a responsible, professional way.

Appropriate use of the resources includes maintaining the security of the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems, protecting privacy, and conforming to applicable laws, particularly copyright and harassment laws.

1. Don’t let anyone know your password(s).While you should feel free to let others know your Login ID, you should never ever let anyone know your account password(s). This includes even trusted friends. You will note that you specify a password and your Login ID is supplied to you to gain UNIX system access. When you first Login you must specify a personal password. This assures you that you are not sharing knowledge of your password with other students. We have taken this step so that your password is private to you; please maintain that secrecy.Giving someone else your password is like giving them a signed blank check, or your charge card. You should never do this, even to “lend” your account to them temporarily. Anyone who has your password can use your account, and whatever he or she does that affects the system will be traced back to your Login ID. If your Login ID or account is used in an abusive or otherwise inappropriate manner, you can be held responsible. Much of the software on the Computer Studies Department’s Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems are licensed only for current students, staff, and faculty. Use of the computers by others violates that contract.In fact, there is never any reason to tell anyone your password: every Computer Studies Department student, faculty member, staff person who qualifies for one has one. If your goal is permitting other users to read or write some of your files, there are always ways of doing this without giving away your password.For information about how to manage the security of your account, including advice on how to choose a good password, how to change passwords, and how to share information without giving away your password, see your Instructor, Lab Technician or the Department Coordinator.
2. Don’t violate the privacy of other users.The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 USC 2510 et seq., as amended) and other federal laws protect the privacy of users of wire and electronic communications.The computer and network facilities of Computer Studies Department facilitate information sharing. Security mechanisms for protecting information from unintended access, from within the system or from the outside, are minimal. These mechanisms, by themselves, are not sufficient for a large community in which protection of individual privacy is as important as sharing. Therefore, you must supplement the system’s security mechanisms by using the system in a manner that preserves the privacy of themselves and others.All users should make sure that their actions don’t violate the privacy of other users, if even unintentionally.Some specific areas to watch for include the following:
   • Don’t try to access the files or directories of another user without clear authorization from that user. Typically, this authorization is signaled by the other user’s setting file access permissions to allow public or group reading of the files. If you are in doubt, ask your Instructor, Lab Technician or the Department Coordinator.
   • Don’t try to intercept or otherwise monitor any network communications not explicitly intended for you. These include Logins, mail, and any other Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems traffic not explicitly intended for you.
   • Don’t create any shared programs that secretly collect information about their users. Software on the Computer Studies Department’s Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems is subject to the same guidelines for protecting privacy as any other information-gathering project at the Computer Studies Department
   • Don’t remotely log into (or otherwise use) any workstation or computer not designated explicitly for student Logins over the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems — even if the configuration of the computer permits remote access.
3. Don’t copy or misuse copyrighted software or related material.Many programs, and related materials such as documentation, are owned by individual users or third parties, and are protected by copyright and other laws, together with licenses and other contractual agreements.Such restrictions may include (but are not necessarily limited to) prohibitions against:
   • copying programs or data
   • reselling programs or data
   • using programs or data for non-educational purposes
   • using programs or data for financial gain
   • using programs or data without being among the individuals or groups licensed to do so
   • publicly disclosing information about programs (e.g., source code) without the owner’s authorization
   • Placing any materials owned by others, i.e. copyrighted works, on your Web page, or for other display, without the expressed permission of the copyright owner. (Examples: cartoons, articles, photographs, songs, sound bites, software, graphics scanned in from published works or other web pages.
   • Placing copyright attribution on the displayed material is not sufficient to enable its display; you must contact that copyright owner to be assured that the display is acceptable. Do this before the display is attempted.
   • You should assume materials you find on the Web are copyrighted unless a disclaimer or waiver is expressly stated. You may include quotation of a few words provided you identify the author and the work from which the quotation is taken. You must abide by these legal and contractual restrictions, because to do otherwise may subject you to civil or criminal prosecution.
4. Don’t use the Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems to harass anyone in any way.Harassment is defined as any conduct, verbal or physical, on or off campus, which has the intent or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s or group’s educational or work performance at the Computer Studies Department or which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational, work or living environment. Harassment on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or age includes harassment of an individual in terms of a stereotyped group characteristic, or because of that person’s identification with a particular group.The Computer Studies Department’s harassment policy extends to the networked world. For example, sending email or other electronic messages, which unreasonably interfere with anyone’s education or work at the Computer Studies Department or any other institution, using the Computer Studies Department as a base, may constitute harassment and is in violation of the intended use of the system. Do not print or display material that may be considered offensive unless you have and academic reason. This includes pornography, both pictures and written material.Any student or member of the Computer Studies Department who feels harassed is encouraged to seek assistance and resolution of the complaint.

Assure Proper Use of System Resources

The Computer Studies Department’s Alpha Server, computer networks and PC systems resources are powerful tools that can be easily misused. Your use of the system should be consistent with the intended uses of these resources.

1. Don’t perform commercial activities on the Computer Studies Department’s facilities.
   • Commercial activity on the Computer Studies Department’s computers is only permitted for business done on behalf of Computer Studies Department, not for the benefit of private individuals or other organizations.
   • The Institute’s name must not be used in ways that suggest or imply the endorsement of other organizations, their products, or services.