Acceptable Use Policy

Use of Gratz College's Technology

SECTION 1.

Faculty, Staff and students are provided access to public computer workstations with internet access. Electronic Mail is provided for faculty and staff. Copy, fax and postage machines are provided for use of Gratz College employees and, in certain instances, students. The technologies are provided to support teaching, research, study and electronic communication and are the sole property of Gratz College (Leased equipment is not considered Gratz property, but must be maintained and managed under the same guidelines). Official Gratz College business may be conducted via the technologies as well as the facilitation of the flow of information between and among members of the institutional community and their colleagues.

SECTION 2.

The entire Gratz College community may utilize the public computers, internet access, public printers and research oriented software titles. Gratz College staff and faculty may utilize Gratz College email address services and internal data management resources. Gratz College staff and faculty must utilize Gratz College email addresses when corresponding with students, donors, and other constituencies in a professional capacity. Gratz College’s computers, telephones (including voice mail), electronic mail (email) and related systems and equipment, as well as information, messages and documents created, stored and/or transmitted are and remain the sole property of Gratz College.

SECTION 3.

Gratz College has legal ownership of all information technology systems, services and resources it provides, including telecommunications equipment, and computer and network systems hardware, software, and supporting infrastructure. Accordingly, Gratz College reserves the right to manage all systems and services, including accessing records, messages, and other files stored on, transmitted via or resulting from the use of these resources. Users should have no expectation of privacy associated with the information they store in, send or receive through the Gratz College systems. Gratz College reserves the right to access and monitor this information without prior notice. No employee should have any expectation of privacy as to his or her Internet usage and all users consent to the monitoring of same. All computer equipment and its contents are the property of Gratz College and subject to review anytime at its discretion.

SECTION 4.

To prevent computer viruses from being transmitted through the system there will be no unauthorized downloading of any software. All software downloads need to be administered through the IT department.

SECTION 5.

Personal phone calls should be limited to those considered absolutely essential. Gratz College reserves the right to bill employees for their personal toll calls.

Internet and Electronic Mail Policy

SECTION 1.

The Internet is a powerful communication tool and a valuable source of information for business use. In order to make the Internet a safe, secure, and productive business tool, Gratz College has developed this Internet Policy for all persons using its facilities or computer equipment.

Gratz College has no control over the information on the Internet and cannot be held responsible for its content. Further, Gratz College is not responsible for any exposure to inappropriate information to persons using its computers or communication equipment to access the Internet prior to, during, or after normal business hours. In addition, Gratz College is not responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from communication with the Internet. Employees will be held responsible for any of these types of charges and possibly subject to discipline.

The entire Gratz College community may utilize the public computers, internet access, public printers and research oriented software titles. Gratz College staff and faculty may utilize Gratz College email address services and internal data management resources. Gratz College’s computers, telephones (including voice mail), electronic mail (email) and related systems and equipment, as well as information, messages and documents created, stored and/or transmitted are and remain the sole property of Gratz College.

SECTION 2.

Gratz College has legal ownership of all files stored on its computer and network systems as well as all messages transmitted via these systems. No employee should have any expectation of privacy as to his or her Internet usage and all users consent to the monitoring of same. All computer equipment and its contents are the property of Gratz College and subject to review anytime at its discretion. Although Gratz College does not intend to routinely monitor employees’ Internet usage, Gratz has the software and systems in place that can monitor and record all Internet usage for every World Wide Web site visit, chat room, news group or E-Mail message, and file transfer in and out of our internal networks, and Gratz College reserves the right to do so at any time.

SECTION 3.

Internet Policy (World Wide Web & Email) All users must be vigilant when downloading any software, images or video files directly from the internet. All software downloads must be pre-approved by the Office of Information technology and must be completed in a safe, secure and legal manner. Gratz College prohibits downloading of illegally acquired music, video and software programs.

Prohibited Internet Activities (World Wide Web)

• Engaging in illegal, fraudulent, libelous or malicious conduct

• Annoying, harassing, or disrupting others

• Visiting websites that contain threatening content

• Visiting websites that contain racially or sexually harassing messages or content (except for the purposes of research and/or information)

• Visiting websites that contain expressions of bigotry or anti-Semitism (except for the purposes of research and/or information)

• Visiting websites that contain pornographic content.

All Gratz College personnel and independent contractor personnel doing any work for Gratz College are strictly prohibited from using Gratz College's provided Internet services, including sending E-Mail in connection with the following activities:

• Engaging in illegal, fraudulent, libelous or malicious conduct;

• Annoying, harassing, or disrupting others;

• Transmitting personal data or unauthorized data across the Internet;

• Using the Internet for private or personal use;

• Accessing or downloading to any computer from the Internet any obscene material or pornography;

• Attempting to break into or gain unauthorized access into any computer regardless of whether public or private;

• Downloading text, images or videos unless there is an explicit business use for the material, in accordance with procedures defined by IT;

• Downloading games, or playing games whether alone or against opponents over the Internet;

• Introducing computer programs with any potential impact on the system, (examples include but are not limited to: viruses, worms, Trojan horses etc)

• Creating or transmitting material that will libel, slander, harass, or cause needless anxiety to another person.

• Sending or forwarding Spam e-mail, including but not limited to, chain mail, commercial solicitations, advertisements and/or sales offerings.

• Compiling a list of e-mail addresses for personal, non-College approved use by any means from information sources maintained by the college.

• Sending any mass e-mail to large segments of the college (e.g., all students, all faculty, etc.) without appropriate college authorization.

• Transmitting protected health information by e-mail.

• Creating or transmitting messages with Sexually Explicit and/or Sexually Suggestive content.

• Sending pornographic, threatening, racially or sexually harassing messages or any expression of bigotry or hate.

Acceptable Uses of E-mail

Employees using E-mail should do so for Gratz College business, and are strongly discouraged to use it for personal matters. They are representing Gratz College when using E-mail. Everyone is responsible for seeing that the E-mail is used in an effective, ethical, and lawful manner. As stated in the security section below, any E-mails generated or received are the property of Gratz College. E-mail may be used for business and donor contacts.

As E-mails may contain privileged information, they or the information they contain, may only be shared with individuals for whom the information was intended.

When sending a mass E-mail to recipients who may include volunteers, donors, board and committee members, or any other individuals who are not part of the Gratz staff, Employees must first send the Email to him or herself using the TO: field and then add these other individuals to the BCC: field so that their names will not appear to the other recipients of the E-mail. This will allow Gratz to protect the confidentiality of Gratz College constituents, which Gratz is committed to provide.

Communications: Each employee is responsible for the content of all text, audio or images that they place or send through E-mail. Fraudulent, harassing or obscene messages are prohibited. All messages communicated on E-mail should have the employee's name attached. No messages will be transmitted under an assumed name. Users may not attempt to obscure the origin of any message. No abusive, profane or offensive language may be transmitted through the system.

SECTION 4

All Gratz College and non-Gratz College computers connected to or using the college 09/01/07 63 Network must have an active anti-virus program installed. That program must be maintained with current virus definition files and must be configured to scan all files, in real time, as they are read by the computer. Full system scans should be performed at least weekly. Computers not conforming to this policy will be disconnected from the College network until it can be demonstrated that they conform to this policy. To prevent viruses from being transmitted through the system there will be no unauthorized downloading of any software.

SECTION 5. Non-Compliance

All staff must comply with all Gratz College policies and procedures. All users of data and systems are responsible for complying with this Internet Policy, as well as all procedures and practices developed in support of this policy. This policy is intended to supplement, not supersede, any other existing Gratz College policies. Gratz College will cooperate with law enforcement agencies and officials to the fullest extent.

Violation of standards, procedures or practices in support of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Anyone using the Internet services for defamatory, illegal or fraudulent purposes may also be subject to civil liability and criminal prosecution, as well.

Anyone suspecting misuse or attempted misuse of departmental information systems resources is responsible for reporting such activity to his or her supervisor or to the IT Director.

Section 6. Restrictions on Use of Electronic Devices

Employees may possess electronic devices including, but not limited to, cellular telephones, cameras and personal digital assistants with video/camera capabilities within all of the buildings owned by Gratz College, on Gratz College grounds, in Gratz College vehicles and/or while participating in or supervising Gratz College -sponsored activities on or off school premises. The administration shall have the right to regulate the use of all electronic devices in addition to the following restrictions:

1. When appropriate, electronic devices must be turned off or set in silent mode.

2. Electronic devices must not be used to conduct any activities which violate state and/or federal law, Board policy or Gratz College rules.

3. Electronic devices must not be used in any manner which interferes with, or is disruptive to, educational or extracurricular activities or events.

4. Except when and where specifically authorized by their supervisor, use of electronic devices with video/camera capabilities is strictly prohibited from restrooms, locker rooms and in other areas where individuals would have a similar expectation of privacy.

5. Except when and where specifically authorized by their supervisor, employees are prohibited from both holding and using a cell phone or similar electronic device while driving a vehicle on Gratz business or using power machinery.

Notwithstanding the rules set forth above, electronic devices may be used at any time to respond to or report an emergency situation.

Employees found in violation of this policy may be asked to relinquish their electronic devices. Employees are also subject to discipline in accordance with this PPC.