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Acceptable Use Policy

Medaille College's Acceptable Use Policy ('AUP') sets forth the standards by which all students, faculty, staff and authorized guests (hereafter referred to collectively as "User(s)") may use their assigned computer accounts, email services and the shared Medaille College network. The use of Medaille's computer and network resources including all electronic communication systems and equipment (hereafter referred to collectively as the "Medaille Network") is a revocable privilege.

The Medaille network is provided to support Medaille College business and its mission of education, service and research. Any other uses, including uses that jeopardize the integrity of the Medaille Network, the privacy or safety of other Users, or that are otherwise illegal are prohibited.

By using or accessing the Medaille Network, Users agree to comply with the AUP and other applicable Medaille policies which may be implemented from time to time, as well as all Federal, state, local laws and regulations. Using and/or accessing the Medaille Network without proper authorization is strictly prohibited.

I. Principles

General guidelines for acceptable use of the Medaille Network are based on the following principles:

  1. Users are expected to behave responsibly with respect to the Medaille Network at all times.
  2. Users are expected to respect the integrity and the security of the Medaille Network.
  3. Users are expected to behave in a manner consistent with Medaille's mission and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and Medaille policies.
  4. Users are expected to be considerate of the needs of other Users by making every reasonable effort not to impede the ability of others to use the Medaille Network and show restraint in the consumption of shared resources.
  5. Users are expected to respect the rights and property of others, including privacy, confidentiality and intellectual property.

II. Access Requirements

The following statements govern access to the Medaille Network:

  1. All access is denied unless expressly granted. The Office of Information Technology ('IT') generally grants access in the form of computer and network accounts to registered students, faculty, staff, and others as appropriate for such purposes as research, education (including self study), or College administration. Passwords and/or personal identification numbers protect college accounts.
  2. Accounts are assigned to individuals and are not to be shared unless specifically authorized by IT. Each User is solely responsible for all functions performed from accounts assigned to them. It is a violation of the AUP for any User to allow others (including other Users within the Medaille Network) to use or have access to their account. It is a violation to use another User's account, with or without that person's permission. Intentionally or negligently revealing one's password is prohibited. It is a violation to attempt to learn the password to another User's account, whether the attempt is successful or not
  3. The password used with an account, is the equivalent of an electronic signature. The use of User ID and password authenticates an identity and gives on-line affirmations the force of a legal document.
  4. Users are responsible for ensuring that they also comply with all IT policies, including those related to keeping the Medaille Network secure which can be found at: http://www.medaille.edu/IT/policies/.

III. Prohibitions

The following activities are specifically prohibited:

  1. Users may not attempt to disguise their identity, the identity of their account or the machine that they are using. Users may not attempt to impersonate another person or organization. Users may not appropriate Medaille College's name, network names, network number spaces, or Medaille College logos, trademarks or servicemarks. Users may not use Medaille College's assigned Internet number space for their own domain without the prior express permission of IT.
  2. Users may not attempt to intercept, monitor, forge, alter or destroy other Users' communications. Users may not infringe upon the privacy of others' computer or data. Users may not read, copy, change, or delete another User's data or communications without the prior express permission of the owner.
  3. Users may not engage in actions that disrupt or interfere with the legitimate use by other Users of any computers and/or networks, including the Medaille Network, that interfere with the supervisory or accounting functions of the systems, or that are likely to have such effects. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to: placing of unlawful information on the system, transmitting data or programs likely to result in the loss of an individual's work or system downtime, sending "chain letters" or "broadcast" messages to lists or individuals, or any other use that causes congestion of any networks or interferes with the work of others, i.e. spam.
  4. Users may not distribute or send unlawful communications of any kind, including but not limited to threats of violence, obscenity, child pornography and/or harassing communications (as defined by law).
  5. Users may not attempt to bypass computer or network security mechanisms, including the Medaille Network, without the prior express permission of the owner of that computer or network system. Possession of tools that bypass security or probe security, or of files that may be used as input or output for such tools, shall be considered as the equivalent to such an attempt. The unauthorized scanning of the Medaille Network is also prohibited.
  6. Users must obey all established guidelines for any computers or networks used, both inside and outside Medaille College. For example, individuals using computing resources provided by IT, Medaille College Libraries or Departments must adhere to the policies established for use of those resources. Users accessing off-campus computers via external networks must abide by the policies established by the off-campus owners of those computers and networks as well.
  7. Users may not engage in the unauthorized copying, distributing, altering or translating of copyrighted materials, software, music or other media without the express permissions of the copyright holder. Information on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act can be found at: http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf and the Copyright Act at: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/
  8. Users may not use the Medaille Network for private business, commercial or political activities, fundraising, or advertising on behalf of non-Medaille organizations, unlawful activities or uses that violate other Medaille College policies. Users may not extend or share the Medaille Network.
  9. Users may not violate any laws or ordinances, including, but not limited to, copyright, discrimination, harassment, and/or export controls. Medaille College may contact local or federal law enforcement authorities to investigate any matter at its sole discretion

IV. Monitoring

In appropriate circumstances, Medaille College reserves the right to review and/or monitor any emails or transmissions sent or received through the Medaille Network, at its sole discretion.

Penalties for violating the AUP may include restricted access or loss of access to the Medaille Network, termination and/or expulsion from Medaille College and in some cases, civil and/or criminal liability.

Medaille College reserves the right to update or revise the AUP or implement additional policies in the future. Users are responsible for staying informed about Medaille College policies regarding the use of computer and network resources and complying with all applicable policies. The most current version of the IT AUP is at www.medaille.edu/college/it/aup.asp.

  • Email Policy
  • Official Email Address
  • Medaille Networks
  • Administrative Systems