Nyack College provides faculty, staff and students with access to network and computing resources as an integral part of the education environment.  Users should do so responsibly and consistently with the Nyack mission and objectives.  Nyack reserves the right to define and to enforce appropriate regulations to ensure that the use of these resources is consistent with Nyack’s mission.  Use of these resources is a privilege, not a right.
 

As a community that yields to the leadership of Jesus Christ, Nyack expects responsible use of technology by both students and employees.  The following policies help define what is meant by responsible use of computer-related technology and complement the values of Nyack.  Users of Nyack’s accounts are acting as representatives of Nyack and, as such, should act accordingly to uphold Nyack’s character and reputation.

Permitted and Appropriate Use

Access to computing facilities is a privilege granted solely to faculty, staff, and registered students.  Users must act responsibly and maintain the integrity of these resources.  The regulations and guidelines stated here refer to all access and usage of Nyack College’s computers, internet, network and e-mail.  Usage must comply with federal, state and local telecommunications and networking laws and regulations.  Usage must be ethical, reflect academic honesty, reflect community standards, respect the rights of other users, respect all pertinent license and contractual agreements, and show restraint in the consumption of shared resources. 

Occasional and reasonable personal use is permitted, provided that it does not interfere with the performance of work duties and responsibilities.  Nyack’s internet services may be used for personal improvement, outside of scheduled work hours, provided that such use is consistent with this policy.

• An account owner may not lend his/her account(s) to another user.  All accounts are required to be protected from unauthorized access by the use of a password.
• Each user is responsible and liable for all computing activities involving their account.
• Usage of computer resources is a privilege and not transferable or extendible by members of the college community to people or groups outside the college without the written approval of the Information Technologies Department.
• An employee is sometimes given access to confidential or privileged information relating to the institution, students, or other employees.  Employees must respect the confidentiality of all information.  They must neither divulge confidential information without appropriate consent nor seek to obtain access to information to which they are not entitled.

Prohibited Use

Examples of misuse include, but are not limited to:

• Unauthorized use of a computer or network.
• Obtaining a password for a computer account without the consent of the account owner.
• Attempting or accessing any account or data not personally owned, regardless of intent and whether or not the material is protected. The only exceptions are for access specifically authorized or assigned by the owner.
• Attempting to monitor or tamper with another user’s electronic communications, or reading, copying, changing, or deleting another user’s files or software without the explicit agreement of the owner.
• Any use of the institution’s computers, internet, or network to gain improper access to or make improper use of computer systems elsewhere.
• Sharing information or providing other means of access, encouraging or even enabling use of the institution's computers by anyone not a current faculty member, staff member, or student of the institution.
• Performing an act, that interferes with the normal operation of computers, terminals, peripherals, or networks.
• Copying, moving, removing or altering hardware, networks and software owned or under license by the institution except by staff of Information Services.
• Running or installing on any computer system or network, or giving to another user, a program intended to damage or to place excessive load on a computer system or network.  This includes but is not limited to programs known as computer viruses, Trojan horses, and worms.
• Forwarding e-mail chain letters or spamming e-mail accounts from Nyack College’s e-mail services or institution machines.
• Attempting to circumvent data protection or uncover security loopholes.
• Violating terms of applicable software licensing agreements or copyright laws.
• Deliberately wasting computer resources and consumables.
• Masking the identity of an account or machine.
• Posting materials on electronic bulletin boards that violate existing laws or the institution’s standard of conduct.
• Using the institution’s computers, internet, or network for unlawful activities, commercial purposes not under the auspices of the institution, personal financial gain, gambling, political solicitation or personal use inconsistent with this policy.
• Using the computers, internet, or network to plagiarize or cheat on an exam, paper or other assignment.

Activities are not considered misuse when authorized by appropriate institution officials for security, performance testing or to promote the general welfare of the college community.

Respect for Community

Users are required to behave in their use of the technology in a manner consistent with mature Christian behavior and the institution’s Standards for Community Life as well as federal and state law. 

• The creation and sending of e-mail or other messages that harass, slur, embarrass, demean or is otherwise harmful is unacceptable.
• Standards embraced by this Christian community are well known.  Usage of the institution’s computers, internet, or network for viewing, accessing, downloading, saving, receiving, or transmitting racist, pornographic, harassing, threatening, violent, or otherwise offensive material is unacceptable.  This applies to any screen display, printing, or the transmission of images, sounds or messages.  Any user, student or employee, caught accessing such material will be appropriately disciplined.
• Promoting discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, religion or disability is unacceptable.

Confidentiality and Privacy

The institution gives best effort to keep its systems and data secure. Users should have no expectation of privacy while using institution-owned or institution-leased equipment.  Information passing through or stored on institution equipment can and will be monitored.  Other than GroupWise Messenger, no instant messaging programs provide any security.  Therefore, GroupWise instant messaging for business purposes should be used.  Sending sensitive information by email over the internet is illegal.  Nyack College maintains the right to monitor and review internet use and e-mail communications sent or received by users as necessary (i.e., for troubleshooting, retrieving business-related information, legal requests, etc.).

Confidential information relative to personnel matters, internal investigations and litigation should not be transmitted.  Extra copies of all data are kept in the routine process of backup. Deletion of on-line files by a user does not mean that no other copy remains.

Respect for Ownership and Copyright

All hardware purchased by the institution remains its property. The material contained in those systems is also the property of the institution with the exception of software, which remains the property of third parties while used by the institution under the provisions of licenses and copyrights. 
Keeping, using, copying, sharing or distributing software, images or other tangible or intellectual property which one neither owns nor has a valid license is in violation of copyright and is unacceptable.  No improperly gained material is to reside on institution computers; if discovered it will be removed.  The institution’s policies on plagiarism apply to uses of the computers and network in course assignments.

Respect for Resources

Users must be reasonable with regards to impact on all other users.  If conflicts of resources arise, priority is given to academic and administrative work.

• Users must show regard for the resource by routinely removing duplicate or unnecessary files, or seeking off-line means of storage.
• Generating chain letters or sending broadcast messages beyond the institution’s distribution lists is unacceptable.
• In public areas such as labs, installing software not owned by the institution and leaving personal files on internal disks are unacceptable. Staff removes all such materials from public machines without notice.
• Users are expected to save paper. Users provide their own paper for personal printouts, and the institution reserves the right to charge direct fees for paper use in public labs.
• Users may send and receive e-mail attachments that do not exceed 20 MB in size, provided that all attachments are scanned before they are opened by Nyack College’s chosen antivirus software.  Staff e-mail boxes are limited to 200 meg.  Student e-mail boxes are limited to 20 meg with attachments limited to 2 meg.  E-mail messages should be regularly archived by the user.
• The administrators of the institution’s e-mail facility may, within certain limits, block incoming e-mail including unsolicited bulk e-mail or “spam.”

Web Blocking

The institution blocks access to web sites categorized as blatant pornography and hatred.  The assignment or release of web sites from various categories is within the control of the institution.  There is a lack of any technical means to guarantee the total absence of objectionable material from the campus network.  Therefore, all members of the community are encouraged to diligently avoid pornographic material and hate sites.  

Policy Violations and Sanctions

Computer usage is not an individual right but rather a privilege and users must conform to the guidelines and standards in this policy.  Users must cooperate with Information Services in its operation as well as in the investigation of misuse or abuse. 

• Persons who feel they are the target of violations are encouraged to bring their concern to the Information Technologies Department.
• Persons who discover an unauthorized use of their account should immediately report it to the Information Technologies Department.
• Persons who observe any loopholes in the security of the systems should report it to the Information Technologies Department.

Use of computer systems is monitored and recorded by authorized staff members to safeguard security and smooth operation.  The institution may respond to violations of this policy as it deems appropriate. Responses include:  investigation and confrontation of violators, suspension of privileges, referral to the judicial process, termination of employment (staff) or expulsion (students), prosecution, and/or civil action.  The institution is not responsible for defending users against litigation arising from conduct or content that violates policy.

Violations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  Then, Information Technologies may as deemed necessary (and with appropriate approval) disable the account and turn all pertinent information over to the individual’s immediate supervisor (faculty/staff) or Vice President for Student Development (students).  The Vice President for Student Development determines disciplinary actions in matters involving students.  Disciplinary actions involving staff members are governed by the procedures set out in the institution’s personnel policies.  The Vice President for Academic Affairs determines appropriate actions taken in situations involving faculty members.  Individuals who disagree with an administrative decision may submit an appeal to the appropriate office as outlined in the appropriate handbook. 

This policy may be updated and modified from time to time.  The latest approved version of this policy will be posted on the Nyack website at www.nyackcollege.edu/it/.

 

Please read carefully the pages that are presented. Following the instructions carefully should provide all the guidance you need to configure your email quarantine.  For online documentation, go to:

http://www.barracudanetworks.com/ns/downloads/barracuda_usersguide.pdf

The entire Nyack College network, including the wireless network is monitored by a unit, referred to as a reverse firewall, which will scan the network for computers generating troublesome network traffic. Systems creating  traffic that interferes with the natural flow of communications will be denied access to the network.  This behavior can result from viruses, worms and other malicious code infecting unpatched operating systems.

The reverse firewall can make it appear the wireless network is down to an infected user.  Students are advised to check there systems for infections before assuming the entire network is down.   The wireless system monitors itself and reports all failures to our console. We will be instantly aware of any wireless infrastructure failures and address them as time permits.

To ensure you receive uninterrupted access, you must apply operating system and anti-virus updates applied.  A personal firewall is also highly recommended.   Patches can be downloaded from Microsoft's update site:

(http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com).

Ignoring these precautions is likely to interrupt your internet connectivity. In plain terms, students (and support parents) will be required to take an active role in keeping their personal systems patched and virus free. Unfortunately, these responsibilities can no longer be borne by professional computer people alone,  it has to be everyone's responsibility.

Due to the number and complexity of configurations of personally owned computer systems, the Nyack College Information Technologies Department is not staffed to deal with personally owned computers. There is however a tremendous amount of help available online dealing with common computer problems, accessable throught the computer labs systems as well as library stations.  Students can also purchase third party online help utilizing Geek Squad (http://www.geeksquad.com).  Locally there is a Geeksquad counter in Best Buy at the Palisades Shopping center, minutes from the college.

Students residing in the above-mentioned dorms still wishing to purchase cable access or DSL connectivity (Why bother? Nyack's wireless is free) will need to use a wired connection only.  Conflicting wireless devices will interfere with uniform coverage for other residents.  The college provided system will shut down conflicting wireless gear in order to provide uniform service.  The college reserves the right to remove conflicting equipment without notice. 

Currently the wireless system is an open system, making connecting to it simple.  By using the wireless network, users agree to take responsibility for issues that might arise from their transmissions being monitored by others.

Due to the number and complexity of configurations of personally owned computer systems, the Nyack College Information Technologies Department is not staffed to deal with student owned computer problems. There is a tremendous amount of help available online from  both your wireless device manuacturer and computer retailer at their respective web sites.  The email stations in Boon and Christie lounges as well as labs and the Library provide access to that online information.   Those students requiring further help can purchase online help 24 hours a day from geeksbyminute.com (http://www.geeksbyminute.com/).  There is also a  "Geeksquad" service counter in Best Buy, located   at the Palisades Shopping center, minutes from the college.