What is SMUMN's Appropriate Use of Technology Policy?

Appropriate Use of Technology Policy

Policy Owner Assistant Vice President of Information Technology Policy Approver(s) Data Governance and Technology Planning Committee Related Policies Remote Access and Personal Device Policy; Password Policy   Related Procedures System Configuration Process  Effective Date March 31, 2022  Next Review Date 7/1/2025 

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define standards, procedures and restrictions for the appropriate use of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s (SMUMN) technology resources.   

Scope

This policy applies to all SMUMN employees, students, temporary workers, consultants and contractors, hereafter referred to as “users”. All students and employees are expected to know and understand this policy as it relates to their role at the university.  

General Information

The university maintains technology resources for the purposes of conducting and fostering the instructional, educational and research activities of the university, as well as furthering the business interests of the university.  

The university recognizes that technology is a means for intellectual, social, and cultural growth, but said resources can also be a means for harassment and destructiveness. As a Lasallian Catholic institution, the university has an obligation to encourage civility and respect in the use of technology resources. Consequently, members of the university community are expected to exercise responsibility, operate technology resources ethically, respect the rights and privacy of others, and operate within the bounds of the law and of university policy and standards when using university technology resources.

The use of university technology is a privilege. The university reserves the right to monitor the use of all the technology resources it provides, that are used within its jurisdiction, or in its name and, if necessary, restrict access. The university respects the privacy of users; however, users are advised that in the university setting, no absolute guarantee of privacy exists.  

User Responsibilities and Policy Statements

1.     Users are responsible for maintaining a secure system environment. Users must:

     §  Never deliberately disrupt the performance of technology systems

     §  Never attempt to circumvent system security, which includes attempts to circumvent restrictions on the use of university listservs

     §  Never attempt to access any unauthorized accounts, internally or externally, which include university listservs

     §  Immediately report security concerns to the IT HelpDesk  

2.     Users must ensure the physical security of technology resources. Users must not modify, move, or otherwise tamper with university owned hardware or software unless explicitly authorized to do so. Removal of technology equipment, paper, or documentation without authorization, constitutes theft.  

3.     Users of the university’s technology resources are responsible for any activity that takes place through their account. Accordingly, each user must follow the University Password Policy.  

     a.   Passwords must be 15 characters in length.  Special characters, numbers and upper/lower case characters are not required.

     b.   Passwords will expire every 365 days.

     c.   When changing a password, the user must not change it to the most recent password.

     d.   Passwords are to be used and stored in a secure manner. Passwords are not to be written down or stored electronically. Passwords are to be obscured during entry into information system login screens and are to be transmitted in an encrypted format.

     e.   Passwords are to be individually owned and kept confidential, and are not to be shared under any circumstances.  

4.     Users must use technology consistent with local, state, and federal laws. Users must comply with federal copyright law. See the University Catalog for information about copyright law. Users will only use computer software in accordance with license agreements, whether the software is licensed to the university or to them. The university will cooperate with local, state, and federal authorities investigating violations of local, state, or federal law involving technology.  

5.    File sharing is allowed via our approved methods including, but not limited to, Google Drive, Gmail, and SFTP.  The use of torrenting software is not allowed on our network and users must follow the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the No Electronic Theft Act (NET ACT).

6. The university maintains technology resources for the purposes of conducting and fostering the instructional, educational and research activities of the university, as well as furthering the business interests of the university. Users will not use technology resources for commercial purposes or unauthorized financial gain. Users will not use technology resources for political purposes.  

7.     The university requires that users of technology resources demonstrate respect for others, respect for the university, and respect for the values of a Catholic Lasallian university when using technology resources. Users must use appropriate language when utilizing technology. Users will not send harassing, intimidating, or threatening messages through electronic mail, voicemail or other means.  

8.     Users assume full responsibility for their experiences while utilizing university technology resources. The university cannot and will not protect users against the existence or receipt of material that may be offensive to them, except in cases of violation of the law or of university policy or standards, and then only when technically feasible. Individuals using technology resources are warned that they may willingly or unwillingly receive or discover material that they find offensive.  

Investigations and Consequences

1.     Alleged violations of this policy by students of the College will be investigated by the vice president for student affairs or their designee. The assistant vice president for IT or their designee will assist in investigations, as appropriate. The use of technology may be suspended during an investigation if staff believe that inappropriate use has occurred. Inappropriate use will be handled using the disciplinary judicial process outlined in the College Student Handbook.  

If a student violates this policy, they may face sanctions up to and including dismissal from the university. A student may lose computing privileges as a sanction for violation of this policy. The use of technology resources to commit an act of academic dishonesty may subject a student to separate sanctions for academic dishonesty and for violation of this policy.  

2.     Alleged violations of this policy by students attending in the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs will be investigated by the dean of the academic area/school in which the student is studying. The assistant vice president for IT or their designee will assist in investigations, as appropriate. The use of technology may be suspended during an investigation if staff believe that inappropriate use has occurred. Inappropriate use will be handled using the Grievance Procedure in the most recent Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Catalog and Student Handbook.  

If a student violates this policy, they may face sanctions up to and including dismissal from the university. A student may lose computing privileges as a sanction for violation of this policy. The use of technology resources to commit an act of academic dishonesty may subject a student to separate sanctions for academic dishonesty and for violation of this policy.  

3.     Alleged violations of this policy by employees will be investigated by the employee’s supervisor in coordination with the assistant vice president for human resources or their designee. The assistant vice president for IT or their designee will assist in investigations, as appropriate. The use of technology may be suspended during an investigation if staff believe that the inappropriate use has occurred. Violation of this policy by employees will be handled according to established procedures in the Saint Mary’s Employee Handbook, under the Work Rules and Conduct Standards and the Corrective Action sections. The university supports the theory of corrective action and retains discretion to take action that is appropriate to the particular circumstances. Violations of rules or policies may result in corrective measures that, depending upon the circumstances and at the discretion of the university, may include verbal or written warnings, suspension (with or without pay), or immediate discharge. These corrective measures do not constitute an exclusive list of possible action and may be repeated, skipped or taken out of order.    

Students and employees may face civil and criminal consequences, independent of action by the university, if their inappropriate use of technology violates local, state, or federal law.            

Revision History Date Who Changes 08/05/2016 VP for Financial Affairs; Director of IT; General Counsel Policy revision 5/23/2022 AVP of IT Updated to reflect changes in terminology and standardizations

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