information
code of conduct for the use of computer resources in dublin city university
The University provides computing resources for student and staff use to support the normal activities of the University, in particular for educational, research and administrative purposes.
The purpose of this document is to make users aware of what the University deems to be acceptable and unacceptable usage of the facilities and to provide guidelines for good practice.
Computing resources must not be used for any illegal or unethical purposes and should not generally be used for recreational or personal use.
Those acting in contravention of this Code of Conduct may be subject to the University's disciplinary procedures and/or criminal proceedings.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND REGULATIONS:
- The University provides computing resources to students and staff to facilitate the normal activities of the University, in particular for educational, research and administrative purposes.
- Computing resources must not be used for any illegal or unethical purposes and should not generally be used for recreational or personal use.
- The use of computing resources is subject to the regulations and guidelines outlined in this document.
- It is the responsibility of the individual to be aware of the regulations and guidelines. Ignorance of the regulations and guidelines is not acceptable as an excuse or defence.
- Students and staff are authorised individually to use the University's computing resources. Accounts are created for staff and students on systems and networks as appropriate. Each user is responsible for the content and use of their own account. Users are responsible for all activities carried out under their account. Passwords assigned to accounts must not be divulged to others.
- Users must not jeopardise, in any way, the integrity, performance or reliability of the University's computing resources. No attempts must be made to circumvent data protection schemes, to uncover security loopholes, to "hack" into systems or to interfere with the intended operation of the computer resources.
- Users must take adequate precautions to protect the computing resources of the University from malicious software(e.g. computer virus programs).
- Users must not interfere or attempt to interfere in any way with data belonging to another user. No user should access or make unauthorised copies of data belonging to another user.
- Users must not impersonate or send email messages whose header fields have in any way been altered or where the message appears to originate from someone or somewhere else.
- Users must not use the computing resources to store, create, display or transmit(other than for properly supervised and lawful research purposes) any offensive, obscene or indecent images, data or other material, or any data capable of being distorted into obscene or indecent images or material.
- Users must not deliberately perform acts which are wasteful of computing resources or which unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of others.
- The University may make regulations from time to time to govern access to computing resources with a view to ensuring that all users have a fair share of resources.
- When users are using approved links to external computing facilities, they must abide by the rules and code of conduct of the host organisation.
- Users must not undertake any actions that would bring the University into disrepute.
- Users may not connect equipment to the University Network, except in areas designated for such purposes.
- Use of Internet facilities is also subject to the HEAnet Acceptable Usage Policy. Where a school or unit maintains its own website, the head of the school or unit is responsible for the content and activities relating to that system.
- All users are bound by law to observe inforce legislation such as the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA28Y2000.html) and the Criminal Damages Act 1991 (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA31Y1991.html).
- It is not acceptable to engage in any activity which:
- Disrupts the intended use of the resources.
- Wastes resources(people, capacity, computer, network, data etc.).
- Compromises the legal rights of others.
- Modifies, damages or destroys computing resources or the data on them.
- Disciplinary action and/or criminal proceedings may result from any breach of this Code of Conduct.
- The University reserves the right to amend or update the regulations from time to time as it sees fit.
- Responsibility for interpreting the regulations lies with the Secretary of the University.
LICENSING/COPYRIGHT/LEGAL.
- The University recognises that the purpose of copyright is to protect the rights of the owners of intellectual property.
- Users of the University's computing facilities should be aware that copyright law applies to materials accessed or published on the Internet. Material on the Internet should be considered to be copyrighted work unless it is specified not to be so.
- Users of the Internet facilities must be careful to ensure that any Internet activities engaged in are not in breach of any copyright or other intellectual property rights.
- Users must not put any copyrighted material(e.g. images, video, music, software etc) on web pages without prior permission from the appropriate authority.
- Users must abide by all the licensing agreements entered into on behalf of the University. Users must not infringe any copyright residing in software or documentation.
- Users have an obligation to make themselves aware of the licensing conditions attaching to software being used by them and to comply with those conditions. Users are reminded that software should not be illegally acquired, copied, used or distributed.
- Software, data or information which is developed or becomes available through the use of the University's computing resources cannot be copied or used without the permission of the University and of the owner.
- Users must comply with all laws relating to the use of computing resources, copyright privacy and the protection of data.
- Users are warned that breaches of copyright may result in legal proceedings and/or financial penalties and in some cases constitute criminal offences. The University disclaims all liability in such cases.
- Users are warned that gaining unauthorised access to data(including programs) and/or interfering with data belonging to others are criminal offences under the Criminal Damages Act 1991 and persons convicted under this Act may be subject to fines or terms of imprisonment and they, and their parents or guardians, may be required to pay compensation to those affected.
E-MAIL, ELECTRONIC MESSAGING AND INTERNET USAGE:
Refer to Sections 10 and 11 of this document for detail Regulations and Guidelines for the use of E-mail/Electronic Messaging and Internet Usage.
OTHER SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES:
Food, liquids and smoking are not allowed in the computer laboratories; those in breach of this regulation will be liable to a fine of €20.
OWNERSHIP:
All computing facilities provided by the University are the sole property of DCU. DCU encourages the use of these facilities and respects the privacy of users. The University reserves the right to monitor the use of the facilities and users should be aware that the University may, in certain situations, be compelled to access and to disclose information such as e-mail and message content and data relating to the use of Internet facilities.
The University may access an individual's records such as, but not limited to, e-mail, file and Internet records, without their consent, in the following circumstances:
- when required by and consistent with the law.
- when there is substantiated reason to believe that violations of law or of University policies have taken place. Substantiated evidence being reliable evidence or information that violation of law or of University policies probably has occurred, as distinct from rumour or other unreliable evidence.
- under time-dependent, critical operational circumstances. These would be circumstances where failure to act could seriously hamper the ability of the University to function. This could include, but would not be limited to, rogue or spam e-mails that were flooding the network.
Access under these conditions must be authorised by the President, in advance and in writing, or exceptionally by such other University officer as the President may nominate in his absence(with the President being formally notified in every instance).
The affected individual will be informed of the actions taken and the reasons for them. In certain emergency circumstances it may not be possible to get the President's authorisation in advance. In these circumstances appropriate action can be taken by a senior University officer to resolve the emergency and the authorisation must then be acquired as quickly as is possible, setting out the reasons in writing why the President's authorisation could not be obtained and why the delay would have been critical.
RETENTION:
Logs are kept of most activities, for example, for backup purposes, the e-mail system retains records of all e-mail messages sent and received through the University's e-mail accounts and all accesses to the Internet are automatically logged.
There are daily, weekly, monthly and annual cycles of backups.
It is important to note that deleting data does not necessarily remove it from the system. It may still be possible to retrieve such data and to have it reviewed.
CONTRAVENTION:
Those acting in contravention of these regulations may be subject to the University's disciplinary and/or criminal procedures. Any action taken by the University will be consistent with University disciplinary procedures. Disciplinary actions range from verbal warnings through to termination of employment depending on the severity of the contravention. When appropriate, access to computing facilities may be withdrawn.
Responsibility for interpreting the regulations lies with the Secretary of the University.
NOTIFICATION OF VIOLATIONS:
Students should report breaches of this Code of Conduct to one of the following: their lecturer, Head of School, Director of information systems & services or other senior person within the University.
Staff have an obligation to report breaches to one of the following: their Head of School/Unit, Director of Human Resources, Director of Information Systems & Services or to the University Secretary.
AMENDMENTS:
The University reserves the right to amend or update this document from time to time as it sees fit.
DETAIL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF E-MAIL AND MESSAGING FACILITIES IN DCU:
10.1 Background:
Good e-mail usage will ensure efficient communications, project a good image of the University and reduce the risk of legal issues.
Security of e-mail cannot be guaranteed. In many ways, e-mail can be regarded as the equivalent to a note or postcard going through the regular post. Care must be taken in composing messages as they could for example be the basis for a contract or they could be deemed to be defamatory.
It is important also to note that e-mail messages, like other documents, might be subject to disclosure under the Data Protection Act, the Freedom of Information legislation or in the event of legal proceedings.
10.2 General Principles for the use of E-Mail and Messaging Facilities:
- E-mail facilities are provided to Staff and Students to support the normal activities of the University, in particular for educational, research and administrative purposes.
- Incidental personal use is permissible provided it does not consume more than a trivial amount of resources, does not interfere with staff productivity, is not for private business activities and does not involve any illegal or unethical activities.
- E-mail "lists"(e.g. allstaff, dcustaff, classlists… etc - there are c. 200 such lists available) should be used for genuine University business only. They should be used sparingly and only when absolutely necessary - thus avoiding irritating people with unsolicited and unwanted e-mail and avoiding clogging up the network. They should not be used as a forum for political debate or for the promotion of ideological and/or religious beliefs.
- The e-mail facilities should not be used for "classified advertisements"(e.g. accommodation wanted, articles for sale etc). Other complementary services are available to accommodate these requirements including: Bulletin Boards, Special Topic E-mail Lists and News Groups(Further information on these facilities is available at http://www.dcu.ie/iss/staff.shtml and http://www.dcu.ie/iss/students.shtml ).
- The general use e-mail "lists"(e.g. allstaff, dcustaff, etc) should not be used as a forum for debating particular issues. Other complementary services are available to accommodate these requirements including: Bulletin Boards, Special Topic E-mail Lists and News Groups(Further information on these facilities is available at http://www.dcu.ie/iss/staff.shtml and http://www.dcu.ie/iss/students.shtml ).
- Confidential information should not be transmitted using e-mail. Whereas the University will do its utmost to ensure privacy, it is not possible to guarantee the confidentiality of e-mails. Users of the facilities should be aware of the possibilities that electronic communications might be intercepted, copied, forwarded, printed or stored by others.
- Each user is responsible for the content and use of their own account. Passwords should not be shared with others.
- E-mail facilities should not be used for any illegal or unethical purpose or for significant personal use.
- Use of Internet facilities should conform to policies and procedures relating to respect and dignity in the University.
- Use of e-mail is also subject to HEAnet Acceptable Usage Policy (See http://www.heanet.ie/about/aup ).
- Access to E-mail records might be requested under Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.
- Commitments entered into using e-mail may be contractually binding.
- Civil damages could be awarded against e-mail users or against DCU for improper use of e-mail.
- It is prohibited to send or forward e-mails containing offensive or disruptive content, which includes, but is not limited to, defamatory, harassing, offensive, racist, obscene or threatening remarks. If you receive an e-mail of this nature, you should inform one of the following as appropriate: your Head of School/Unit, your lecturer, Director of Information Systems & Services, Director of Human Resources or the University Secretary.
10.3 Recommended Good Practice for E-mail and Messaging:
- Be concise and to the point.
- Use a meaningful Subject.
- Use good structure and layout.
- Do not use e-mail to discuss confidential information.
- Avoid sending unnecessary attachments.
- Spell check all e-mails prior to transmission.
- Re-read the e-mail before you send it.
- Answer swiftly and only use "Reply All" when really necessary.
- Answer all questions and pre-empt further questions.
- Never reply to spam or junk e-mails nor click on hyperlinks embedded in them - you are merely confirming your existence to the spammers.
- Only request "delivery and read receipts" when certification is essential.
- When replying to mail received as a member of a mailing list, take care to note whether your reply is to the individual sending the message or to the whole list. A careless reply to the whole list when an individual response is intended, or more appropriate, can be very annoying and time wasting to other list members. A busy mailing list can generate huge amounts of data in a short space of time, and it is particularly important for users to unsubscribe from such lists whenever they are not in regular touch with networking facilities.
- Further information on e-mail usage is available at: http://www.dcu.ie/mail/index.html
10.4 It is Prohibited To:
- Send or forward e-mails containing offensive or disruptive content, which includes, but is not limited to, defamatory, harassing, offensive, racist, obscene or threatening remarks.
- Flood another system, network or user account with e-mail.
- Send e-mail to someone who has requested that you not do so.
- Send or forward chain letters, junk mail, spam and viruses.
- Forge or attempt to forge e-mail messages.
- Disguise or attempt to disguise identity when sending e-mail.
- Send e-mail messages using another person's e-mail account.
- Use e-mail to unlawfully solicit or exchange copies of copyrighted software.
10.5 Scope of Detail Guidelines and Regulations for Email and Messaging:
The scope of these guidelines and regulations includes but is not limited to:
- E-mails generated using any e-mail systems, e-mail client software and webmail connected to or via the DCU network(including the networks of linked colleges).
- E-mail generated with "from addresses" of dcu.ie, regardless of where they originated.
- Other messaging systems including but not limited to: news, chat, instant messaging, VLE message boards etc.
- Students and Staff of DCU and linked colleges using the above facilities.
REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF INTERNET FACILITIES IN DCU:
11.1 General Principles for The Use of Internet Facilities in DCU:
- Internet facilities are provided to Staff and Students to support the normal activities of the University, in particular for educational, research and administrative purposes.
- Incidental personal use is permissible provided it does not consume more than a trivial amount of resources, does not interfere with staff productivity, is not for private business activities, does not preclude others with genuine University-related needs from accessing the facilities and does not involve any illegal or unethical activities.
- Each user is responsible for the content and use of their own account. Passwords should not be shared with others.
- Use of Internet is also subject to HEAnet Acceptable Usage Policy (See http://www.heanet.ie/about/aup).
- Users of the facilities should exercise extreme caution when using Internet facilities to transmit confidential or sensitive information. Whereas the University will do its utmost to provide protection, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Users of the facilities should be aware of the possibilities that electronic communications might be intercepted, copied, forwarded, printed or stored by others. Particular care should be taken with the transmission of Credit Card details.
- Access to Internet records might be requested to satisfy legal requirements such as, but not limited to, Court Orders, Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.
- Access to the Internet is provided via a proxy server. Direct access to the Internet may be required in exceptional circumstances - in these situations, applications for direct access should be submitted to The Director of information systems & services for approval.
- Users of the facilities must exercise extreme caution to ensure that there is no breach of copyright or of other intellectual property rights.
- Use of Internet facilities should conform to policies and procedures relating to respect and dignity in the University.
- Where there is a genuine need to access web sites that would normally be considered to be inappropriate, for example for particular genuine research, teaching or learning activities, the authorisation of the Head of School/Unit is required and the Director of information systems & services is to be informed
- The University cannot guarantee users of the computing facilities that they will be protected from the receipt of material that may be offensive to them.
11.2 Recommended Good Practice for Internet Usage:
- Set your Homepage to an appropriate URL for fast access. Many people on campus use the DCU Website(www.dcu.ie) as their Homepage
- Use the Bookmarks facility to store the URLs for sites of special interest to you
- Only print web pages when really necessary
- Never reply to spam or junk e-mails nor click on hyperlinks embedded in them - you are merely confirming your existence to the spammers
- If you want to refer to, or include material from another web page in your own work - create a link pointing to the material rather than copying it
- Material downloaded from the Internet must be scanned with virus detection software before installation or execution
- When using information from an Internet site for important decision type purposes - verify the integrity of the data. The fact that the information is there does not mean that it is correct. Many sites do not get updated regularly
- Exercise caution if entering into on-line purchasing arrangements. Such transactions usually involve the use of credit cards or charge cards. Such transactions should only be entered into with reputable organisations that have appropriate security arrangements in place
11.3 It is Prohibited To:
- Access, create, copy or transfer web pages or other material accessible across the Internet that is illegal, offensive, harassing, defamatory, obscene, racist, sexist or threatening.
- Engage in activities that are in conflict with:
HEAnet Acceptable Usage Policy. - Engage in activities that are in conflict with regulations relating to Respect and Dignity within DCU.
- Exchange proprietary information, trade secrets or any other privileged, confidential or sensitive information
- Create, copy or transfer unauthorised advertisements, solicitations or viruses
- Access, create, copy, or transfer web pages or other material accessible across the Internet that is in breach of copyright or other intellectual property rights.
- Play games on computing facilities available for general access except where required formally as part of research work, course work, DCU sponsored events or other DCU approved activity
- Use the facilities for betting and gambling type purposes
- Display material, play music, run video material or activate other materials that interfere with or are offensive to others
- Copy a trademark or logo belonging to another party
- Place material on a web page without the permission of the copyright owner
- Publish material which is an incitement to commit crime or an instruction on how to carry out illegal activities
- Publish information or statements about other people which could harm their reputation
- Use the facilities to promote personal political, ideological and/or religious beliefs
- Use the University's name or logo to imply the endorsement by the University of other organisations' products or services without written permission from the President's Office.
11.4 Scope of Guidelines and Regulations for Internet Usage:
The scope of these guidelines and regulations includes but is not limited to:
- Use of Internet Facilities provided by DCU.
- Use of Internet Facilities while on the DCU campus - whether or not such facilities are provided by DCU.
- Students and Staff of DCU and linked colleges using the above facilities.
