Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy

General Policy

Surry Community College’s computer network and related resources are provided to faculty, staff, and students for purposes of college-related communications, business, and scholarly research. The network and computer resources are limited to those owned or leased by-or on loan to-the college at any of its campuses.

Access to the college’s computer network and computer resources is considered a privilege. Accordingly, in using these resources, faculty, staff, and students are expected to act responsibly and appropriately. They are expected to comply with the college’s standards of professional decorum and common civility. Users should always keep in mind that network communications are, by nature, public.

The college’s computer network storage is treated as public space. To maintain system integrity and to ensure responsible use, the college monitors access to that space and reserves the right to retrieve, without notice, any stored information and to use it as necessary. Such information-including e-mail-is the property of the college. By using the college’s computing resources, users imply their consent to such monitoring and proprietorship. Further, such information is not regarded as private and may be subject to inspection under the Public Records Law of the State of North Carolina.

All use of computing resources-including e-mail and the Internet-complies with local, state, and federal law, specifically the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Policy Provisions

Rules/Sanctions for Computer Use

The following are not permitted:

1. Sending or displaying obscene messages, websites, or images.
2. Accessing or distributing obscene, inappropriate, or illegal materials.
3. Using obscene language.
4. Harassing, attacking, or insulting others, or invading their privacy.
5. Sending or conveying any false statement concerning death, injury, illness, disfigurement, or indecent or criminal conduct.
6. Unauthorized distribution of college data and information including the unauthorized use of email auto-forwarding.
7. Violating any right protected by copyright, trade secret, patent, or other intellectual property laws. This sanction prohibits the installation or distribution of “Pirated” or other software products not appropriately licensed for use by the College.
8. Downloading or using software or any other materials that may constitute a copyright or licensing violation or implicate the College for licensing agreements.
9. Damaging computers, computer systems, laptops, tablets, smartphones, or computer networks.
10. Accessing, distributing or damaging removable electronic media and data stored on these devices.
11. Copying, altering, disabling, or deleting computer system programs or data without authorization.
12. Storing of personal music, pictures or other items on college owned devices.
13. Violating plagiarism laws.
14. Using the passwords or identities of others.
15. Associating a Surry Community College account-including e-mail-with a personal social media site or any website requiring a profile.
16. Trespassing in the folders, files, or work of others.
17. Sharing or storing files and data using cloud-based network storage (such as Dropbox, Google docs), external devices (such as USB drives), or any other portable, electronic means of data sharing without appropriate job-related need and authorization.
18. Opening files from people not known to the user or files that are spammed via email.
19. Using the college’s network for commercial purposes.
20. Connecting, without authorization, non-college-owned equipment to the campus network in any area other than public wireless access.
21. Student use of employee computers.

Acceptable Use

Those who use the College’s computer resources are expected to:

1. Comply with state and federal laws pertaining to copyright, privacy and confidentiality and the transmission of illegal, harassing, or obscene materials.
2. Restrict that use to educational, instructional, and administrative purposes.
3. Respect others’ needs for network access by not monopolizing or disrupting the network.
4. Demonstrate respect for other users-both inside and outside the College-by observing network etiquette.
5. Guard against waste and overload in the computer system and protect against threats such as viruses.
6. Safeguard the confidentiality of their personal password and internet access.
7. Use only software and hardware components owned and approved by the College.
8. Avoid displaying or transmitting language or material that is threatening, racist, sexist, offensive, obscene, or pornographic.
9. Avoid disseminating unsolicited messages or e-mail.
10. Ensure compliance with State and College acceptable use policies.

College employees who are authorized to work from home, must ensure that the College-defined standards for off-site work are strictly followed. Personnel shall take extra precautions to ensure that confidential information stored on personal computers or electronic devices is not divulged to unauthorized persons, including family members.

myKnightLife Portal

Surry Community College uses a web-based, single sign-on portal known as myKnightLife as an official means of workplace communication and interaction. This portal provides access to College applications, tools, forms, documents, and databases. To take full advantage of this resource, employees and students should stay abreast of myKnightLife notices and information.

E-Mail

Surry Community College uses e-mail as one of its official means of communication. The following policies pertain to the use of the college’s e-mail system:

1. The Division of Technology Services is responsible for creating student and employee e-mail addresses.
2. The College reserves the right to delete a student’s e-mail account if that student has not been enrolled for a year.
3. Employee e-mail accounts will be disabled on the last day of employment.
4. E-mail should not contain personally sensitive or confidential information.
5. Official correspondence from the college will be sent only to a student’s Surry Community College e-mail address.
6. Instructors and college officials may refuse to accept student e-mails sent from a non-college address.
7. The college is not responsible for component destruction, loss or corruption of data resulting from user error or e-mail viruses.

Only authorized individuals may view the e-mail of a student or employee suspected of a violation of any of the policies articulated in this document.

Websites

The only website that officially represents the college is www.surry.edu. As such, it must be administered by college officials and the college Web Specialist. The Web Specialist manages content and design on servers (internal or external) maintained or approved by Surry’s Technology Services division.

Social Networking/Supplemental Online Services

Use of such services must be established through the Marketing Department, which will submit to the Chief Information Officer a request for a related account. Such an account-i.e., for a service or site-must be maintained by a college employee.

• Students interested in setting up social media, networking sites, or other online services related to the college should contact their instructor for guidelines and expectations.

The Technology Services Division will maintain account records in case content warrants review or someone other than the original sponsor assumes responsibility for the service or site.

• Refer to the College’s Social Media Policy and Social Media Request Form for further details and requirements.

External Websites

In websites created outside the college’s servers (internal or external), students, faculty, and staff are not permitted to use the college’s name, official logos, graphics, or information, or to claim or imply any official association with the institution.

Enforcement

Any violation of the policies articulated in this document will be referred to appropriate college offices. Violations may result in a limiting or forfeiting of computer privileges and, as applicable, the involvement of law enforcement agencies and prosecution. Surry Community College is not liable for the actions of anyone connected to the Internet through its computing resources. All users assume full liability-legal, financial, or otherwise-for their actions.

The use of network and computer resources at Surry Community College is governed by the same policies and guidelines that govern all other communications, including:

• Copyright Infringement
• Discrimination
• Electronic Signature
• Harassment
• Intellectual Property
• Sexual Harassment
• Social Media
• Student Code of Conduct

Policies pertaining to distribution of published material, solicitation, commercial promotions and sales, and free speech and public assembly

Notification

Before initiating any activity that might raise a question about the acceptable use of the college’s computer network or resources, an individual should consult an instructor, advisor, local area supervisor, dean, or vice-president.

Anyone who learns of a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy should immediately notify the Chief Information Officer or any employee of Technology Services.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, April 13, 2015
Amended and Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 8, 2017
Amended by the Board of Trustees, November 13, 2023