Institutional Policies

Computing Privileges    

The use of computers and related technologies, including hardware, software, and courseware, is a privilege. The Director of Computing Services is authorized to extend the privilege of using appropriate computing and related hardware, software, and courseware to persons who are members of the faculty; members of the student body; members of the staff; participants in workshops, short courses and similar approved activities and projects; or members of an entity that has contracted for the use of computing resources:

1. All persons who wish to use a computing service provided through Dakota State University must agree to comply with the following rules:

1. Users will not use another’s user code or password.
   
2. Users will not access the files of any other user without the prior consent of the other user. Authority to access, create, modify, or delete information contained in another user's machine files must be granted explicitly. The capability to access does not imply the authority to access. Any willful unauthorized access of information is a violation of the ethical standards of Dakota State University and may also be a violation of certain state or federal statutes.
   
3. Users will comply with all provisions of software or coursework copyrights unless a specific waiver is authorized by the President of the institution.
   
4. Users will utilize computing resources only for authorized administrative,
   educational, research or other scholarly activities, or a project approved by
   the Director of Computing Services.
   
5. Users will establish server functions on their machines only when granted permission by the Director of Computing Services.
   
6. Users will abide by directives concerning the consumption of WAN bandwidth.
   
7. Users will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
   
8. Users will abide by the EDUCOM “Ethical Use of Computing Resources”
   statement which has been adopted by Dakota State University.
9. Users will abide by the acceptable use policy of any network accessed through the university’s computing and communications environment.
   
10. Users will exhibit appropriate behavior. Inappropriate behavior includes,
    but is not limited to:
    
    • excessive playing of computer games; game players who are heavily utilizing computing resources.
    • attempting to modify or remove computer equipment, software or
    • peripherals without proper authorization
    • accessing computers, computer software, computer data or information, or networks without proper authorization, regardless of whether the computer used for access or the computer accessed is owned by the university
    • circumventing or attempting to circumvent normal resource limits, login procedures, and security regulations. 
    • using computing facilities, computer accounts, or computer data for purposes other than those for which they were intended or authorized. 
    • sending fraudulent computer mail, breaking into another user's electronic mailbox, or reading another user's electronic mail without permission.
    • sending any fraudulent electronic transmission including but not limited to, fraudulent requests for confidential information, fraudulent submission of electronic purchase requisition or journal vouchers, and fraudulent electronic authorization of purchase requisition or journal vouchers.
    • violating any software license agreement or copyright, including copying or redistributing copyrighted computer software, data or reports without proper, recorded authorization.
    • using the university's computing resources to harass or threaten others.
    • taking advantage of another user's naivete or negligence to gain access to any computer account, data, software, or file.
    • physically interfering with another user's authorized access to the university's computing facilities.
    • encroaching on another user's ability to make authorized use of university computing resources including, but not limited to:
      - sending excessive messages, including electronic chain letters.
      - printing excessive copies of documents, files, data, or programs.
      - modifying system facilities, operating systems, disk sub-directories.
      - damaging or vandalizing university computing facilities, equipment, software or computer files.
    • disclosing or removing proprietary information, software, printed output or magnetic media without the explicit permission of the owner.
    • reading another user's data, information, files, or programs on a display screen, as printed output, or via electronic means, without the owner's explicit permission.

2. Charges for the use of computing services may be assessed by the Director of
   Computing Services with the approval of the President. Computing services to support student instruction, faculty development, and DSU administration
   will normally be provided without charge. However, charges may be assessed
   for computing services in support of sponsored research; non-academic,
   personal, or consulting projects; and off-campus projects. Charges may include the costs associated with issuing the user a university identification card. The President may waive any charge for a particular individual or group of users.
   
3. Software available at Dakota State University includes copyrighted programs developed by DSU staff and programs licensed from a variety of vendors. It is expected that all faculty, staff, students and campus guests will use any software — whether or not supplied by Dakota State University — only in accordance with license agreements and copyright provisions applicable to the specific software package.
   
4. DSU faculty, staff and students who knowingly violate any software license agreement or copyright provision will be disciplined as described in #5 below. Such discipline shall not exempt the individual from applicable civil or criminal remedies available through federal or state judicial proceedings.
   
5. DSU faculty, staff and students learning of any misuse of software or related documentation, unauthorized information access, or inappropriate behavior should immediately notify the Director of Computing Services, a college dean, or the Vice President of Student Affairs. Upon receiving a report of the misuse of the computing privilege, the notified member of the administration will:
   
   1. Take immediate steps to verify if there is misuse and ascertain the circumstances of the reported or observed incident.
      
      1. If the misuse or suspected misuse involves students, then the Director of Computing Services and the Vice President for Student Affairs should be notified immediately.
         
      2. If the misuse or suspected misuse involves faculty, staff, or off-campus personnel,    then the Director of Computing Services and the Vice President for Academic Affairs should be notified immediately.
         
   2. Assist the Director of Computing Services in preparing a report of the misuse or suspected misuse to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President within five working days.
      
   3. The Director of Computing Services may immediately suspend the
      computing privileges of any person who makes inappropriate use of the
      computing resources of Dakota State University. A report of all actions
      associated with the suspension of computing privileges will be provided to the Vice President for Student Affairs in the case of student violations and to the appropriate Executive Council member in the case of faculty or staff violations within two (2) working days of the suspension action. Within seven (7) working days, the Vice President for Student Affairs or the appropriate Executive Council member must either initiate formal disciplinary proceedings or reinstate the computing privileges. To appeal a decision, students should refer to DSU Policy 02-20-00 (Appealing Academic and Administrative Decisions) and faculty/staff should refer to the Board of Regents Policy 4:7 (faculty), 4:8 (exempt) or 4:9 (CSA).
      
6. While use of the facilities is not restricted solely to faculty, staff, and students, the priority of user access varies depending on class schedules, user status and other factors. The following sections define those priorities and factors.

Facility Status

DSU computing facilities are divided into two classes - general access-computing facilities and limited-access computing facilities. General-access computing facilities are available for use by all authorized users except when reserved for class usage. Limited-access facilities are available to a specific subset of authorized users. A list of general-access and limited-access facilities is available from Computing Services. This listing will be updated by Computing Services as changes occur.  

Scheduled Classes

Classes scheduled through the Enrollment Services take priority over all other usage of general-access computing facilities. Regular class schedules will be listed on the boards outside each computing lab at the beginning of each semester. It will be the user’s responsibility to check the scheduled class hours and vacate the lab prior to the time class is scheduled. One-time use and special classes are scheduled through the college offices. Whenever possible, such usage will be posted in advance. In all cases, non-participating users may be asked to vacate the lab when activities scheduled through Enrollment Services or the college office are in progress.  

General Access

Any general-access computing facility that is not scheduled for a class is available for use by faculty, staff and students during regular posted hours of operation. During periods of general access, the following rules and priorities apply:

1. Persons registered/enrolled in a class/workshop scheduled by the university have priority over other users. In the event that all computers are occupied, any user that cannot display a valid DSU identification may be asked to move or cease using the computing facilities at the request of a user with a valid student ID. Normally the group sponsoring the workshop is expected to schedule sufficient computing time to meet the needs of enrollees.
   
2. All users of the computing facilities must comply with all pertinent DSU policies, including the Computing Privileges Policy (#03-61-00) and the Use of University Facilities Policy (#01-75-00). Of particular importance are those policies concerning copyright and smoking. The use of DSU computing facilities by any individual whose sole purpose is to make a profit is prohibited, except for those exceptions outlined in the Use of University Facilities Policy (#01-75-00)