COMPUTER AND NETWORK ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT

This Computer and Network Acceptable Use Agreement pertains to the use of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) information technology and telecommunications resources. The College provides these resources specifically to support its mission and its business processes.

The College network is herein referred to as GRCCnet and provides access for its students, employees, and clients (hereafter referred to as the user) to local, state, national and international information technology resources through connections with networks outside GRCC. In general, it is the responsibility of those external networks to enforce their own acceptable use agreements and policies. GRCC accepts no responsibility for network traffic that violates the acceptable use agreement of any directly or indirectly connected networks beyond informing the user that he/she may be in violation if the external network so informs GRCC.

Any attempt to violate this agreement could result in disciplinary action and revocation of the user’s accounts and/or legal action, regardless of the success or failure of the attempt. Permanent revocations may result from recommendations by the Learner Resources & Technology Solutions Division of GRCC or other authorities which may be called upon to investigate computer and/or network abuse. Disciplinary action, as documented in the GRCC Policy Manual and the GRCC Student Handbook, will be determined solely by GRCC according to the nature of the violation.

All users accessing GRCCnet as well as the Internet are responsible for adhering to local, state, federal and international laws. Any attempt to break those laws through the use of GRCCnet may result in criminal charges and/or litigation against the offender by the proper authorities. If such an event should occur, GRCC will comply fully with these authorities to provide any information necessary for the litigation process. Computer and network usage for users who are employees of GRCC is intended to facilitate the performance of their duties; it is not a personal or private computer, e-mail, or network system.

Campus computer systems and GRCCnet resources are the sole property of GRCC. All messages, documents, and other forms of information created, sent, or received by any user under this agreement using GRCC information technology resources may be accessed, reviewed, and disclosed by GRCC at any time without prior notice or consent from the user or the party from whom a transmission is received. Under no circumstances should a user expect or understand that any information, e-mail message, or any attachment thereto, sent by GRCC e-mail systems or Internet service or information accessed by GRCC systems is confidential. The user has no expectation of privacy under this agreement. Disclosure may include, but is not limited to, officials of law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and governments as well as members of the general public making requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Further, such messages, documents, and information may be subject to compulsory disclosure through the judicial process. Once computer accounts are closed, access to the accounts or the data contained within them may be granted to others to facilitate transfer of responsibility or the retrieval of data.

GRCC does not warrant the functionality or performance of the resources made available by the use of computer and network accounts to meet particular purposes or usages, and the user who holds such accounts bears the entire risk of loss or damages arising there from.

COMPUTER USAGE AGREEMENT

As an institution of higher learning, Grand Rapids Community College encourages, supports, and protects freedom of expression and an open environment to pursue scholarly inquiry and the sharing of information. Accordingly, unless being used for these purposes, the use of GRCCnet or computer systems at the College to access or disseminate information is a violation of this agreement.

From the time a user receives a network and/or computer systems userID code, he/she is solely responsible for all actions taken while using that userID. In particular, it is a violation of this agreement by:

• Applying for a userID under false pretense;
• Assuming another person’s identity without proper authorization;
• Communicating under the identity of any entity without proper authorization from that entity;
• Sharing the userID with any other person. If a userID is shared with another person, the account holder will be held responsible for the actions of the other person.
• Deleting, examining, copying, or modifying files and/or data belonging to other users or the College, without their prior written consent;
• Attempting to evade or change the resources allocated to a computer or network account;
• Continued impedance of other users through mass consumption of system resources after receipt of a request to cease such activity;
• Using computing and network facilities and/or services for commercial purposes;
• Engaging in an unauthorized, deliberate action which damages or disrupts a computing system, alters its normal performance, or causes it to malfunction.
• Intentionally accessing known pornographic or obscene information or to engage in usage of remote computer sites where gambling for money is practiced.
• Illegal sharing of copyrighted materials.

ELECTRONIC MAIL AGREEMENT

Whenever electronic mail is sent, the user’s name and userID code must be included in each mail message. Users are responsible for all electronic mail originating from their userIDs. In particular, it is a violation of this agreement by:

• Forging (or attempting to forge) electronic mail messages;
• Reading, deleting, copying, or modifying the electronic mail of another or the attempt to do so;
• Sending harassing, obscene, offensive, disruptive, and/or other threatening e-mail* to another person or the attempt to do so;
• Sending or forwarding unsolicited junk mail, a commercial or "for-profit" message, or a chain letter or the attempt to do so;
• The user must comply with all state and federal privacy laws and GRCC’s policies regarding privacy, confidentiality, and proprietary information.

* Such e-mail and/or associated attachments include but are not limited to those which are sexually suggestive, abusive, harassing, obscene, profane, or those which may be discriminatory in nature based upon race, color, religion, sexual orientation, political persuasion, gender, age, national origin, weight, height, marital status, disability, or status as a Vietnam Era veteran.

NETWORK SECURITY

Users of GRCCnet are permitted to access other networks and/or the computer systems attached to those networks. It is a violation of this agreement to:

• Use GRCCnet to gain unauthorized access to remote systems;
• Use GRCCnet to connect to other systems by or through the evasion of the physical limitations of the local or remote system;
• Decipher (i.e., decrypt) system or user passwords;
• Copy any system files;
• Disregard the adherence to all applicable copyright laws;
• Attempt to secure a higher level of access privilege on GRCCnet than was granted;
• Willfully introduce a computer "virus" or other type of “malware” program that may be disruptive or destructive into any GRCC computer system or network or into any external network.

ACCEPTANCE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I acknowledge and accept responsibility for use of all computer and network accounts granted to me on GRCCnet and GRCC computer systems. I accept any and all consequences that may arise as a result of my use or misuse of the network and computer systems. I understand that any violation of this agreement will result in disciplinary action which may include but is not limited to the following: written discipline, termination of use, termination of employment, suspension, or expulsion from GRCC and/or legal action taken by GRCC.