Acceptable use of computers
The use of computers in the learning network and at John Wheatley College is regulated by a policy as all users has to adhere to.
John Wheatley
College Board of Management
Acceptable ICT Use Policy
1 Policy Statement This is the approved Policy of the Board
of Management of John Wheatley College. The College is
committed to developing an environment for its students
and staff in which they are enabled to fully contribute
to the services of the College while feeling valued and
respected. The College recognises that employees have
the right to privacy and allow staff and students to reasonably
access private email and internet accounts. The College
do not as a matter of routine monitor email or internet
use however where material is suspected to breach the
College’s acceptable use policy, contain illegal
material or be in support of an illegal act the College
will take appropriate action.
The Associate Principal (ICT) will act on behalf of the
College in relation to the implementation and operation
of this policy. A copy of this Policy shall be issued
to all new employees on commencing employment and students
at enrolment.
2. General Principles
Access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resources located within the College, operated by the College or at any outreach centre connected to the College network is granted subject to the guidelines set out in this Policy and to JANET (Joint Academic Network) regulations, where appropriate. These may be consulted at: http://www.ja.net/documents/use.html Where College resources are used to access computer networks, systems or data owned by another organisation, users are also subject to the acceptable use policies of the organisation concerned.
College ICT resources are provided for use by staff of John Wheatley College, learners enrolled with John Wheatley College and those employed by or working in partnership with John Wheatley College supporting enrolled learners in outreach centres.
All such users are required to work within and comply with the terms of this policy. Failure to comply with this policy may result in action within relevant disciplinary procedures.
Where there is doubt over the acceptability of a proposed use of ICT resources, the decision of the College, based upon this acceptable use policy, shall be final.
The College reserves the right to deny access for any individual or organisation to ICT resources and to cancel user access privileges to ICT resources at any time.
3. Regulations
All users of College ICT resources must agree to be bound by the following regulations.
Users must be considerate of others and must not monopolise systems.
College ICT systems must not be used for:
- the creation, transmission or storage of any offensive, racist, obscene or indecent images, data or other material, or any data capable of being resolved into obscene or indecent images or material;
- the creation or transmission of material which is intentionally designed or likely to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety;
- the creation or transmission of defamatory material;
- the transmission of material such that this infringes the copyright of another person;
- the transmission of unsolicited commercial or advertising material either to other users, user organisations, or to organisations connected to other networks;
- attempting to log on to any computer system using the user account of another person;
- making unauthorised access to other facilities or services via the College’s network;
- attempting to load unauthorised software programs including server software, applications and games onto College computer systems;
- damaging or degrading the College’s ICT resources;
- degrading or in a manner that is likely to degrade system performance, such as manipulation of excessively large files or creation of programs (such as viruses) which replicate themselves, cause damage or corruption of data or which run in an infinite loop; and
- deliberate activities with any of the following characteristics:
- wasting staff time or networked resources, including end systems accessible via the College’s Networks, the Greater Easterhouse Learning Network, the East End Learning Network or JANET;
- wasting staff effort involved in the support of network systems.
- corrupting or destroying other users’ data;
- violating the privacy of other users;
- disrupting the work of other users;
- using the College’s networks in a way that denies service to other users (for example, deliberate or reckless overloading of access links or of switching equipment);
- continuing to use an item of networking software or hardware after John Wheatley College has requested that use cease because it is causing disruption of the network; and
- other misuse of the College networked resources, such as the introduction or propagation of viruses
Where ICT systems are being used to access another network, any abuse of the acceptable use policy of that network will be regarded as unacceptable use of the College network.
4. Compliance
Users are responsible for ensuring that they act in accordance with this policy and other policies and legislation applicable to John Wheatley College network services. This includes maintaining up to date awareness of any such policies.
In particular users must not:
- attempt to ascertain the username, password or personal details of any other person;
- divulge their username or password to any other person. Individuals are responsible for activity under their username;
- attempt to gain access to any College’s ICT resource or area of a computer system which they are not authorised to use; and
- attempt to circumvent system security on any computer system whether owned by the College or others connected to the network.
Any breach of security must be reported immediately to the Associate Principal (ICT) at John Wheatley College.
5. Commercial Activities
The network resources must not be used for commercial purposes unless as part of bona fide learning activities related to the development of enterprise skills. This activity must have the express permission of the College. Applications for permission should be submitted to the College’s Associate Principal (ICT).
6. Copyright, Intellectual Property and Theft
The College acknowledges the rights of copyright and intellectual property holders and seeks to protect these rights.
All users are responsible for their personal actions in relation to these rights and must not:
- install software without the explicit authorisation of the College;
- use College ICT resources in any manner which may result in a breach of the:
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988;
- Data Protection Act 1998;
- Obscene Publications Act 1959;
- Computer Misuse Act 1990;
- Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
- Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) (Interceptions of Communications) Regulations 2000;
- Human Rights Act 1998; and
- other laws.
- distribute, publish or transmit electronically any material created by another person or organisation without appropriate permission;
- copy, or remove software from computer systems owned by the College or accessed through College ICT resources; and
- attempt to remove any ICT resources which are the property of the College.
7. Enforcement
The College will investigate each and every security breach. Enforcement action will be initiated by the College where required.
Security software has been installed to block attempts to access sites known to contain offensive material. This software will produce a report related to all sites being accessed.
The College may examine the files, applications and email of any user at any time to investigate a suspected breach of this acceptable use policy or to carry out essential maintenance therefore information held on College ICT resources can not be guaranteed to be private. Where material is suspected to breach the acceptable use policy, contain illegal material or be in support of an illegal act the College will take appropriate action.
Breach of this acceptable use policy may result in the withdrawal of access to College ICT and network resources. This will apply to:
- members of College staff;
- individual users or learners;
- facilitators in partner centres; and
- partner organisations.
Withdrawal of access privileges will be at the sole discretion of the College.
Breaches of the College’s Acceptable ICT Use Policy will be managed within the College’s Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure, the Student Code of Discipline and partner organisation’s policies and procedures.
Appeals by partner organisations against College sanction will be heard by a panel composed of three SIP Board members.
8. Supporting Policies
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Code of Discipline, Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure
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Code of Student Discipline
-
Grievance Procedure
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Dignity at Work Policy and Procedure
-
Equal Opportunities Policy
-
Communication Strategy
-
ICT Security Policy
AK/DMS/CG/RB
John Wheatley College
23 May 2002 top
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