2024-2025 Student Handbook

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Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for Technology Resources

Purpose

Technology resources (including, but not limited to the data/voice/video networks, software systems, all college-owned computers, tablets, telephones, printers, photocopiers, servers, network devices and telecommunication devices) are provided to Carroll College students, faculty, and staff to further the educational goals of the college, increase productivity, and ensure better communication regarding college matters. This policy governs the acceptable use of all Carroll College technology.

Scope

This policy will apply to all users of Carroll College technology, including students, faculty, staff and guests.  Some parts of this policy may be specific to certain constituencies.

General Policy

In using Technology Resources, members of the Carroll College community must: 

  • Comply with federal, state and other applicable law, college rules and policies and contracts and licenses.

  • Respect and value the right of data security and privacy for all.

  • Recognize and respect the diversity of the population and opinions in the community.

  • Behave ethically.

  • Respect that technology resources are shared and finite.

How each individual uses resources may impact the work of other members of the community and beyond, as our campus network is connected to other networks worldwide. It is important that all users be aware of their individual obligations and of what constitutes proper use and behavior. The following information outlines the use, guidelines, prohibitions, and violation policy of Carroll's Acceptable Use Policy. All questions and concerns should be sent to the Director of Technology via the Help Desk @ (406)447-4357 or to helpdesk@carroll.edu.

Use of Technology Resources

Carroll Students, Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Guests

Carroll's Technology resources are provided for legitimate and substantial educational and business purposes. Carroll College technology resources are available to registered students, faculty, and staff in support of the regular curricular and administrative functions of the college. Carroll College registered students, faculty or staff may access Carroll's network infrastructure and assigned systems for academic and administrative purposes. Users are expected to use this privilege in a manner consistent with existing college policies and as specifically addressed in this Acceptable Use Policy.

  • Account authentication information including usernames, passwords or pins must not be used by anyone other than the account holder. Users should never share their authentication information with another person and should take measures to keep this information secure. USERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MATERIAL AND CHARGES ORIGINATING FROM THEIR ACCOUNT AND PIN NUMBERS.

  • The use of the computer equipment, authentication information or software of another member of the community without their express permission and other violations of authorial integrity (including plagiarism), invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and software copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community (see policy violation section.)

Carroll College Employees

Employees working with data that is Restricted or Highly Sensitive hold a special responsibility to protect the privacy and security of the students, employees or college friends to whom the data pertains. The handling of certain data may also be governed by regulations such as FERPA, HIPAA or the Carroll College Statement of Confidentially. Employees will handle data appropriately according to its data classification. Employees must follow reasonable procedures to limit access to any data that qualifies as Restricted or Highly Confidential Data. This includes either locking or logging off computer systems when away from the desk, limiting access to printed materials on the desk and shredding printed documents when no longer needed.

  • Employees will change passwords to Carroll computer accounts according to the Password Policy.

  • Student workers will use an assigned network account, separate from their student user account for use as a Carroll employee and must follow all policies that govern any Carroll College employee.

Guests

Limited guest access to technology resources is available to visitors with a direct relationship with the college including visiting scholars and athletes, vendors, conference attendees and media outlets. Guest account information is obtained through CCIT or through departments authorized by CCIT to provide passes for college guests.

Personal Use

The college recognizes that students, who live on campus, will also use network resources and other technology resources for personal use as well as for academic pursuits.  Personal use by students is allowed as long as use falls within this acceptable use policy.  Limited personal use is also permitted for employees unless specifically prohibited in this document but the use cannot interfere with the performance of their job duties. College business and academic use will take priority over personal use.

  • Users are responsible for charges that may be incurred while using Carroll’s computer and telecommunication systems for personal use.

  • No employee or student may use Carroll College technology resources for profit-making ventures or on behalf or external organizations or persons unless such use is directly related to Carroll College coursework or to faculty/staff research or professional development.

  • No data kept by the college for business purposes can be used for any personal use. 

  • Data and information accessed from, and stored on organization systems and equipment belongs to the college. Personal data stored on the college network is not guaranteed to be accessible to the user upon termination from college. Upon an employee’s separation from the college, all the files and the information on college-provided systems and devices remain college property.

Prohibitions

Specific prohibitions of Carroll College technology resources include, but are not limited to the following:

  1. Deliberate disruption of the performance of a computer system or a network, or attempt to "break" system security. This includes reconfiguring a system to make it unusable for others, or attempting to destroy or alter data or programs.Creation or modification of code that could potentially cause harm to network users, including known virus or malware programs or code. This includes obtaining and/or storing of malicious or potentially malicious code.

  2. Unauthorized monitoring or scanning of the network.

  3. An unauthorized attempt to access protected information in any college system.

  4. Forgery of electronic messages or content.

  5. Any attempt to impersonate another authorized user of a Carroll College system.

  6. Reading, deleting, copying, or modifying college-owned electronic files or files belonging to someone other than yourself without the permission of the owner and without a legitimate business reason to do so.

  7. Sending harassing, obscene, offensive and/or other threatening messages or postings.

  8. Activities that are intended to be insulting or offensive to others or that reasonably could have been foreseen to have the effect of harassing or offending. Examples of forbidden transmissions include sexually-explicit messages, cartoons, or jokes; unwelcome propositions or love letters; ethnic or racial slurs; or any other message that can be construed to be harassment or disparagement of others based on their sex, race, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religious beliefs, disability, marital status or other personal characteristics protected by law.

  9. Pornography

  10. Use of Carroll College technology that may violate another person’s security or privacy.

  11. Sending any type of chain letter or an unsolicited message intended for profit making purposes.

  12. Sending inappropriate or unnecessary email on a wide-scale basis. This includes all campus email distribution to large email groups such as the All Employees and All Students routing lists for non-business or non-academic purposes.

  13. Propagation of computer viruses, worms or malware.

  14. Activity that is in violation of local, state or federal laws or that violates any other specific Carroll College policy.

  15. Activity for commercial purposes without prior approval is prohibited. Request for approval should be directed to the Director of Technology by contacting the Help Desk @ (406)-447-4357 or helpdesk@carroll.edu(link sends e-mail).

  16. Installation of software not approved or authorized by CCIT on college-owned computer systems, whether or not the software is free.

  17. Unauthorized copying, distributing, altering or translating of copyrighted materials, software, music or other media without the express permission of the copyright holder. Information on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act can be found at: http://copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf(link is external) and the Copyright Act at: http://www.copyright .gov/title17(link is external).

Monitoring

To protect and maintain the interests and security of students, employees and the College, as well to investigate reasonable suspicion of policy violations , Carroll College reserves the right to monitor, retrieve, and/or store material that resides in the computer and networked resource systems of the College. Employees and students should assume that the content of messages, data files, or other matter sent through any Carroll College system may be seen by Carroll College administration and others with a legitimate need to know. Carroll College reserves the right to access and disclose, for legitimate business, educational and/or legal reasons, any message, data file, or other matter sent through the Carroll system. Carroll College reserves the right to delete any file found that is recognized as harmful or potentially harmful to the systems or security of users of the systems, including virus or malware code.

Policy Violations

  • Violation of the acceptable use policy may result in disciplinary action, including the immediate suspension of system use privileges, with referral to appropriate college or criminal authorities for consideration of other penalties.

  •  Alleged violations involving students will be documented in an incident report and forwarded to the Student Life Office and handled as part of the student discipline process. Depending upon the severity of the violation, the Director of CCIT may revoke computer services. This decision may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Life.

  • Alleged violations by college employees will be forwarded to the appropriate administrator for investigation and, if determined necessary, disciplinary action.

These policies are intended to work in conjunction with existing policies within the Carroll College Student Guide, the Student Handbook (including the Carroll Code of Student Conduct), the Carroll College Catalog, the Staff Handbook, and the Faculty Handbook.

Revision Date: 7/29/2015 Author: Loretta Andrews, Director of Technology Revision: 2.1.1