VI.B. Computer Resources, Acceptable Use of 


ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY TYPE: STUDENTS

POLICY TITLE: Computing Resources, Acceptable Use of
• Prohibited Conduct
• Sharing of Accounts
• Commercial Use is Prohibited
• Violations of Electronic Privacy
• Interference with Computer Use or Operations
• Recognition of Copyrights
• Personal Responsibility for Online Statements
• Disciplinary Action


The use of computers is a privilege provided by FVTC to students to support the education and research consistent with FVTC educational objectives. When you are provided access to College computing resources your use may be explicitly or implicitly limited.

Prohibited Conduct
The college’s Student Conduct Code also applies to electronic forms. The code prohibits, among other things, lewd or indecent conduct, threat of physical harm, sexual or other harassment, stalking, forgery, intentional disruption of college services, and damaging or destroying college property. Similarly, the code’s prohibition against illegal discrimination, including discriminatory harassment and sexual harassment, also apply to electronic forms. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Sending and receiving offensive, off-color, and lewd comments or jokes via e-mail.
  • Sending and receiving comments about body parts or sex life of individuals via e-mail.
  • Viewing pornographic, sexually suggestive, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate web sites or images.
  • Leaving pornographic, sexually suggestive, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate web sites or images on the computer for the next user.
  • Accessing, transmitting, or otherwise making use of “hate group” or other materials that may cause discomfort to any person, especially to a member of any racial or ethnic group.
Sharing of Accounts
As a result of enrolling at FVTC, certain computing resources may be made available for your use. The college manages access to its limited computing resources by requiring that users identify their accounts with a unique personal user name and a secret password.

Sharing an account with others is prohibited; i.e., authorization to use college computing resources is not shareable or transferable.

College computing staff members are pleased to assist you in getting properly authorized to access the resources you need.

Unauthorized use or misuse of college computing resources may constitute theft of services, and may be criminally punishable. Violators may also be civilly liable for the value of the stolen resources.

Commercial Use is Prohibited
It is not permissible to use college computers for commerce, advisement, lobbying, or profit.

Violations of Electronic Privacy
Access to electronic files, network communications, and related data is protected by various Federal statutes, including the Electronic Communication Privacy Act. Like an unauthorized telephone wiretap, unauthorized access to a person’s electronic data is prohibited and may subject the perpetrator to serious penalties. Examples of specifically prohibited behaviors include:
  • Unauthorized interception or diversion of network transmissions.
  • Accessing clearly confidential files that may be inadvertently publicly readable.
  • Accessing confidential information about a person (such as their educational records) without their consent or other authorization.
Keep in mind that shared systems are inherently insecure. Authorized computing center or computer lab staff may access accounts and transmissions for troubleshooting and maintenance—and, if there is reasonable suspicion of misuse, they may access them for investigative purposes. You should also be aware that security systems whose purpose is to identify unauthorized users of a system may also monitor authorized users.

In general, material that must be guaranteed for privacy should not be stored on shared computers. Good quality encryption tools are now widely available and should be used whenever you work with sensitive information.

Interference with Computer Use or Operations
Efforts to interfere with the use or operation of computing or networking resources are prohibited. These include:
  • Unauthorized use of these resources.
  • Distribution of computer viruses, worms, Trojan Horse programs, e-mail “bombs,” chain letters, etc.
  • Actions that result in the denial of service to other users by triggering system security features, or intentionally misconfiguring equipment to render it unusable.
  • Forged or counterfeited e-mail messages.
  • Posting USENET News articles to appropriate newsgroups, posting to moderated newsgroups without the approval of the moderator, or cross-posting articles to many newsgroups simultaneously (“spamming”).
  • Interference with the use of microcomputers, X terminals, or other workstations by the unauthorized display of output on such devices without the consent of the individual currently using the device.
We ask that you cooperate with system administrators if you are advised of potential security problems associated with your account or system.

Recognition of Copyrights
Fox Valley Technical College respects copyright laws (Administrative Policy V.K, Copyright Compliance Instructional Materials) and insists that its faculty, students, and staff do likewise. Copying proprietary software is theft and will not be tolerated on campus. Illegally copied software subjects the college to risk of litigation and denies software authors the compensation they deserve.

Similarly, if you make materials available for others to retrieve or use (via a World Wide Web server, postings to a USENET newsgroup, etc.), be sure to respect their copyrights. In general, every document, image, or sound is copyrighted upon creation and may only be used or redistributed with the permission of the copyright holder.

Personal Responsibility for Online Statements
We all enjoy our constitutionally protected right to free speech and the tradition of academic freedom here at FVTC. However, with these freedoms comes responsibility for what you say and write. If you defame someone online or invade his or her privacy, you may be sued. Exercise your freedom of speech, but do so responsibly and in a way that reflects the credibility of the college.

Disciplinary Action
Violations of policies that constitute a breach of the Student Conduct Code will be referred to the registrar. Disciplinary action up to and including suspension from FVTC and either criminal and/or a civil suit could be taken against individuals who violate the above stated policies.

Related Policy:
Administrative Policy V.K


Adopted: 03/01/00
Reorganized: n/a
Reviewed: 06/21/06
Revised: 06/21/06
Appleton Campus photo

   Maintained by:

   Sarah Bingham

   Last Modified:
   2/1/2012 9:59:47 AM