Information Technology Services
Policies - Acceptable Use Policy
Introduction
General Information
Primary Users
Alumni Users
Acceptable Use
Uncceptable & Unauthorized Use
Request for Computer Data
Responsibilities of the User
Responsibilities of Information Technology Services Staff
Account Creation Procedures
Outside User Support (Courtsey Accounts)
Lab Rules
Residence Hall Connections (ResNet)
SUNYIT maintains several documents that directly address a constituent’s use of our computer services and the corresponding data network. Such documents include: “Acceptable Use Policy,” “Institutional Website Policy,” and “ResNet Policy," and “ePosting Policy." The current versions of the policies are posted on the Information Technology Services web page. Users should be aware that the policies outlined in the Student Handbook are additionally enforced. Students should pay particular attention to the “Code of Academic Conduct” and the “Student Code of Conduct” policies and procedures.
SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) maintains a comprehensive network of academic and administrative computing services. These services are broad in scope and complexity.
The Institution makes no implied or assumed guarantees regarding the availability of our outlined electronic services and reserves the right to restrict or deny any individual access to computer or network services as outlined within its institutional policy documents.
Policy documents are continually reviewed and updated in order to stay current with technological advancements and electronic service requirements. They are posted on the college web site under the Information Technology Services pages. Residence Hall students also receive the ResNet Policy booklet, which contains the resident hall connection portion of the policy.
It is the responsibility of each institutional constituent to be aware of all service documentation updates and to secure clarification of policy meaning prior to any activity that may be in question.
Computer and network resources are provided to members of the SUNY Institute of Technology community for use in their prescribed tasks, as well as, for professional development. Data network access is established and user accounts are provided on the academic and administrative computing systems as appropriate.
Use of these resources is a privilege, not a right, and access is granted with restrictions and responsibilities for their use. Misuse of SUNYIT computer or corresponding data network, can result in revocation of computing privileges, institutional disciplinary action, or criminal charges. Use of all college-owned equipment must be in a manner consistent with federal, state, and local law.
General-use computer laboratories are not regularly scheduled for classes and are be available to the Institution’s primary users on a predetermined scheduled basis. An active college computer account (SITNet ID) is required to log in to some of the labs.
“Primary Users” are defined as registered SUNYIT students, SUNYIT employees, and SUNYIT students engaged in work necessary to remove incomplete grades, until the date their incomplete grade change to an "F" grade.
Use of resources must be in conjunction with coursework or other legitimate non-commercial educational purposes. Lab patrons must be prepared to show valid and current identification, upon request, to appropriate individuals such as a University Police officer, or any other college designated management personnel.
SUNYIT Alumni who are dues-paying members of the Alumni Association are entitled to participate in the Computer Account Access program at a special rate. Alumni Association members who participate in this program receive:
- Computer account for Alumni email
- 100 MB home directory on the college server that is Internet accessible for file transfers and web pages
Direct questions about the Computer Account Access program to the Alumni & Parent Relations office by phone at (315) 792-7110 or by email to alumni@sunyit.edu.
Authorized use of SUNYIT computer and network resources is granted to eligible persons as defined in the two previous sections. Use of college-owned resources must be for prescribed tasks, scholarly research, coursework and professional development.
Activities in supervised facilities are subject to the directives given by the person in charge of that facility (faculty or staff member, or computer laboratory assistant), and by University Police personnel.
Computer account holders are responsible for all activity for which that account is used whether by the account holder or another person. Therefore, it is essential that the password on the account be kept confidential.
Persons using SUNYIT resources for purposes that are not permitted are subject to having all of their activities on such systems monitored and recorded by Information Technology Services staff. In the course of such monitoring, the activities of authorized users may inadvertently be monitored. Use of SUNYIT resources constitutes consent to such monitoring. Where such monitoring reveals possible evidence of unlawful activity, Information Technology Services will turn over the evidence to appropriate law enforcement officials.
Unacceptable & Unauthorized Use
Unacceptable and unauthorized activities can result in revocation of computing privileges, further disciplinary action, and filing of civil or criminal complaints. The Institute will cooperate with law enforcement authorities in investigations involving criminal activities for which college-owned equipment is employed.
The computing facilities of the Institute and its supporting data network may NOT be used to:
- to interfere with the privacy of others.
- for direct financial gain ( e.g., commercial consulting or manuscript preparation for hire).
- for the conduct of private business affairs.
- in conjunction with programs (such as copying the password file, password cracking programs or Satan) that are designed to prove, describe or to defeat computer security features of computer systems located at the Institute or elsewhere, or the repeated use of ordinary tools (e.g., ping or finger) in a manner that may probe or describe network topology or computer security features without the express written consent of the Director of Information Technology Services or designee.
- to effectuate, or attempt to effectuate, access to any system for which the person is not an authorized user.
- to decrypt, or attempt to decrypt, scrambled files (e.g., the password file) that are not owned by the user.
- to use “sniffing” or similar programs so as to gain access to communications or data to which the user is not a party.
- in a manner that degrades system or network performance (e.g., transmission of software containing a virus, cancelbot, trojan horse, worm or other harmful component or running a program that has no purpose).
- to alter system configuration files (e.g., autoexec.bat or config.sys).
- to remove college-owned software.
- to remove or alter files owned by another user.
- to upload, post, publish, transmit, or reproduce in any way, information, software or other material which is protected by copyright or other proprietary right, or derivative works with respect thereto, without obtaining the permission of the copyright owner or rightholder.
- to post or transmit any unlawful or unsolicited message that is threatening, abusive, libelous, obscene, or pornographic, whether in text, audio, or graphic, form, and regardless of whether or not the message was unsolicited.
- to send unsolicited messages (such as chain letter or electronic junk mail) that may be perceived as harassing, annoying, or obscene.
- to conduct business for political purposes.
- to interfere with or intercept the electronic communications of another user.
- to obscure or to attempt to obscure the identity and location of a remote connection
- to physically abuse or misuse Institute computing equipment.
- to engage in activities prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
Upon receiving a request to supply or provide access to user or institutional computer, SUNYIT, sometimes after review by Counsel, will consider releasing data and/or information to appropriate parties as necessary.
Computer account holders are responsible for all activity for which that account is used whether by the account holder or someone else. The password on the account should be known to the account holder only.
Unauthorized use of computing or network resources, or use of resources in excess of authorization, is a violation of the Penal Code of the State of New York.
Responsibilities of Information Technology Services Staff
- Information Technology Services (ITS) staff is responsible for the system, software and maintenance of the academic and administrative computing systems. (The Department of Computer Science is responsible for system, software and maintenance of DOGNet machines and the Advanced Environments Lab; the Department of Telecommunications, the Department of Electrical Engineering Technology and the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology are responsible for the software and maintenance of their respective specialized laboratories; and the Library is responsible for system, software and maintenance of the On-Line Public Access Catalog system).
Departments, academic or administrative, that choose to utilize other computing resources than those provided and supported by the ITS department are responsible for all costs associated with supporting those environments. - ITS staff is responsible for general management of system usage, resources, and users.
- ITS staff is responsible for user consulting on ITS managed academic and administrative systems.
- Consistent with college disciplinary procedures, ITS staff is responsible for taking action against abusers of computing resources. They may remove access to the abused resource, disable the account entirely, or take other appropriate remedies to insure a reliable operating environment.
- ITS staff will respect the privacy of user files. Users’ files may be read when necessary to resolve problems reported by the owner of the files, or in similar situations with the knowledge and consent of the owner.
Access to a user’s directory may be necessary to remove extraneous files such as core dumps and old community mail from the system. Access may also be required to verify proper system operation, to effectuate bug fixes, and in the course of misconduct investigations. When access is required without the knowledge and consent of the owner, the activity will be logged, along with the reasons for the access, for review by ITS management.
Computer Account Creation Procedures
SITNet IDs (SUNYIT computer accounts) are automatically created for current employees and registered students. Student IDs are created within an hour after the student is accepted at SUNYIT and employee IDs are created 24 hours after the employee data is entered into the Banner system.
Before the SITNet ID can be used, the account holder must accept the terms of usage, set up a security question/answer pair, and create a secure password for the account. This process is referred to as activating the account.
Activated student SITNet IDs will remain active and available until graduation provided the student maintains continuous registration, has paid his of her bills and abides by the computer usage policies.
Graduates who have paid the one-time, voluntary fee while enrolled at SUNYIT will have active accounts maintained for one year after graduation. Graduates who have not paid the one-time voluntary fee prior to graduation may obtain an account by joining the Alumni Association and paying a yearly Computer Use fee.
Outside User Support (Courtesy accounts)
Your computer account is provided at nominal cost or without cost as a courtesy to you. The Institute is not in a financial position to respond to numerous requests for support and training. Consequently, the responsibility of the Institute is limited to ensuring that your computer account is active and available.
In the computer labs on campus, support will be limited to general and basic computer assistance with lab equipment and software.
College regulations governing the behavior of those using computer labs are found in the Student Handbook and Acceptable Use Policy. The rules are intended to allow authorized lab patrons with equal access to computing resources and to prevent damage to the labs, equipment and personal property. The Academic Computing support staff and the Director of Information Technology Services are authorized to enforce computer lab rules and polices, and to determine whether the computing privileges or violators will be limited or revoked.
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The following are prohibited in the labs:
- Non-students under the age of 18, including children of students, faculty and staff
- Food (including candy and snacks), beverages, tobacco products, and containers of liquid or other potentially damaging materials
- Playing games during peak use times
- Using abusive language or engaging in activities or behavior that are disruptive to other lab users
- Changing lab equipment settings or configuration
- Leaving a computer in an application or login session unattended
- Using the college’s computing equipment or supporting data network for personal profit or commercial purpose
- Printing on media other than the college-provided paper. Printing on other media such as transparency film, labels, envelopes, colored, textured, glossy or coated paper is not permitted.
- Printing materials that are prohibited by federal, state or local law (e.g., printing in contravention of copyright law, or printing materials legally deemed to be obscene)
- Reconfiguring the printer settings
- Printing non-academic coursework related documents (e.g. club flyers and posters; commercial documents; or personal flyers, cards or posters). Club related materials may be printed at the Print Shop through the club advisor. Plan a couple of days turn around time for the print request to be serviced.
- Printing more than 5 copies (monochrome or color) of course materials and resumes. For higher quantities of course materials, send the print request to the Print Shop through the course professor. Plan a couple of days turn around time for the print request to be serviced.
The following activities are prohibited on network printers:
Residence Hall Connections (ResNet Policy)