Information Technology

Cedar Crest College Computer Use Policy

• Use only a computer ID assigned to you by Cedar Crest College. Never reveal your password to anyone; doing so is a violation of Pennsylvania State Law.1
• Avoid any action that would seriously impact computing, network operation, or access, including
  • Damaging or modifying hardware or software 2
  • Sending email chain letters or mass mailings
  • Creating unnecessary multiple jobs, processes, or network traffic (for example, prolonged use of Internet chat or unnecessary use of the "All" email groups)
  • Printing multiple copies of documents or extremely long documents
• Always check with the Office of Information Technology before attempting to install or make copies of software. Otherwise you may seriously violate licensing agreements and copyright law.
  
• It is illegal to download copyrighted materials (including MP3 and other music and video files) from the Internet without permission of the person owning the copyright. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) instituted in 1998, the copyright owner may bring an action in court that may result in civil liability or even criminal prosecution.
  
• Computer and network resources are for academic, administrative, public service, and academically related personal communication purposes. Your use must not infringe upon the rights of others. Unacceptable use includes:
  
  • Harassment through annoying, threatening, libelous, or offensive messages
    
  • Advertisement for commercial purposes
    
  • Accessing information or using software that is abusive, profane, or offensive to the average person
• Obtain permission from another user before reading, copying, changing, or deleting his/her files, software, or communications.
  
• Abide by all use policies when connecting to external network services (for example, America Online and Yahoo!)
• Access to the College's computer resources is a privilege guided by the Honor Philosophy--that you accept responsibility for your actions and how your actions affect others in the community. Violators of the Computer Use Policy will be referred to the Director of Information Technology and the Department of Campus Safety and Security, for further review with the appropriate Dean or Vice President, with possible suspension of computing privileges and other sanctions. Offenders will also be subject to criminal prosecution under applicable federal and/or state law.

1 Disclosing a password to a computer system, network, and so on, knowingly and without authorization, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to five years, as is intentional and unauthorized access to a computer, interference with the operation of a computer network, or alteration of computer software [18 Pa. C.S. 3933 (a) (2) and (3)].
2 Under Pennsylvania law, it is a felony punishable by a fine up to $15,000 and imprisonment up to seven years for any persons to access, alter, or damage any computer system, network, software, or database, or any part thereof, with the intent to interrupt the normal functioning of an organization [18 Pa. C.S. 3933 (a) (1)].

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