(Amended 4/07/2008)

Guidelines are provided to make all SULC technology users aware of the responsibilities that they accept when they use SULC technology resources. In general, what is required is efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of technology resources on the SULC campus – use that is respectful of the rights of all users in the SULC community. The Honor Code and general school rules for behavior apply. A signature on the User Agreement Form indicates that the signed party has read the terms and conditions of use, understands their significance, and agrees to abide by the terms.

Guildlines for Acceptable Use Of Technology

1. Appropriate Use of Technology Resources: SULC provides innovative technology resources, including the Internet, to support the pursuit of educational excellence by its students. Within the school environment, these resources are to be used to conduct research, support classroom activities, and to engage in self-discovery activities that are consistent with the educational goals and mission of the school.
   
   Uses that might be acceptable on a user's private, personal account on another system may not be acceptable on this system because of its limited educational purpose.

2. Use of Technology Resources – a Privilege, Not a Right: The use of technology resources at SULC is a privilege, not a right. Users who fail to adhere to the terms of the Acceptable Use Policy face cancellation of access privileges as well as disciplinary or legal action.

3. Unacceptable Uses: SULC seeks to protect the civil, personal, and property rights of those individuals using school technology resources and regards the following technology use as unacceptable:
   
   Accessing Information That Does Not Support Educational Purposes:
   
   
   
   • Sexually explicit adult sites, hate sites (sites that promote racism, sexism, or hatred based on religion, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation), sites that promote violence or illegal activities, sites that provide or sell term papers, book reports, or other types of school work
   
   
   • Chat rooms unless specific, written approval has been granted
   
   
   Sending, Forwarding, Posting, or Publishing:
   
   
   
   • Communications containing language that is obscene, profane, sexually explicit, lewd, vulgar, rude, disrespectful, threatening, or inflammatory
   
   
   • Communications containing harassment, personal attacks (including prejudicial or discriminatory), or spreading false or defamatory material about a person or organization
   
   
   • Sending hate mail or chain letters
   
   
   • Spamming – sending annoying or unnecessary messages to large numbers of people
   
   
   • Personal web pages that connect student/students to SULC
   
   
   • Using references to SULC on any unauthorized web pages
   
   Abusing Technology Resources:
   
   
   • Changing, rearranging, adding, or deleting desktop and software settings on resources used by multiple users
   
   
   • Downloading and storing executable or zip files without specific approval
   
   
   • Downloading files, video clips, graphics, mp3s, or programs to the hard drive of a network computer
   
   
   • Storing information, such as bookmarks or Word documents, in any places other than those specifically for student data
   
   
   • Downloading and/or storing information not pertinent to classroom activities on network resources
   
   
   • Wasting finite resources, i.e., print cartridges and paper by printing unnecessarily
   
   
   • Using school technology resources to conduct a business or for other unauthorized commercial gain
   
   
   • Using the network to engage in illegal activity
   
   
   • Using the network in ways that disrupts network use by others
   
   
   • Vandalizing, damaging, or disabling equipment, software or data
   
   
   • Playing video games (this includes all games, from online games to Free Cell)
   
   
   Safety and Security Issues:
   
   
   • Failing to keep personal passwords confidential
   
   
   • Failing to log off when finished using a workstation
   
   
   • Logging on using the password of another person
   
   
   • Disclosing photographs or personal information, such as names, addresses, or phone numbers, online for the school, for oneself or for others
   
   
   • Entering credit card numbers and purchasing materials or services online
   
   
   • Hacking/cracking or otherwise accessing accounts and files of others
   
   
   • Creating or propagating computer viruses or overloading the school network resources
   
   
   Copyright Issues:
   
   
   • Downloading or exchanging pirated or illegally obtained software
   
   
   • Violating software licensing agreements by loading software illegally
   
   
   • Copying, modifying, distributing, displaying, or transmitting the work of another without contacting the owner for permission [Material on Web sites is protected by copyright.
   
   
   Plagiarism:
   
   
   • Using the work of another person without permission or proper citation
   
   
   • Using technological resources to reformat and revise the work of another, then submitting that work as one's own
   
   

4. Consequences of Inappropriate Use: Access to technology is provided as an important component of the SULC educational environment. Users who fail to adhere to the terms of the Acceptable Use Policy face cancellation of access privileges as well as disciplinary or legal action. Consequences of Inappropriate Use: Access to technology is provided as an important component of the SULC educational environment. Users who fail to adhere to the terms of the Acceptable Use Policy face cancellation of access privileges as well as disciplinary or legal action.

5. Procedure for Reporting Inadvertent Inappropriate Use: If a user inadvertently uses a technology resource inappropriately, the user is responsible for immediately notifying a professor, librarian, or an administrator of the mistake. Failure to report unintentional misuse will result in consideration of the incident as an intentional violation.

6. Limited Expectation of Privacy: Users of SULC technology resources have the right to privacy in their e-mail correspondence and personal files; however, SULC administration reserves the right to gain access to these files to investigate unusual activity on the system or any user believed to be in violation of acceptable use guidelines.
   
   Although the Internet is a very worthwhile educational tool, it poses the risk of exposure to inappropriate materials. SULC focuses on students' learning to make appropriate choices based on school guidelines and personal values. Campus Internet use is monitored so that users making inappropriate choices can be redirected toward productive use in accordance with school guidelines.

7. Disclaimer: SULC makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the Internet access services it provides. SULC specifically denies any responsibility for the quality of information obtained through the Internet. SULC denies responsibility for loss of data resulting in delays, non-deliveries, miss-deliveries, or interruptions sustained by users as a result of system failure. SULC denies responsibility for financial obligations arising from unauthorized use of the system for the purchase of products or services. SULC accepts no responsibility for damages incurred by a user's inappropriate use of the system.

By Filling out and checking Accept on following form, you are electronically agreeing and submitting the Southern University Law Ceneter Acceptable Use Policy:

Last Name:

First Name:

Middle Initial:

Suffix:

I accept the terms and conditions of use, understand their significance, and agree to abide by the terms .

Last 4 digits of your Social Security Number:

Mother's Maiden Name: