Minimum Access Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure all users are familiar with the acceptable minimum access to the Internet, E-mail, and Network and understand they must comply with this policy and the stated purposes.

Use of the Internet by Instructors, Faculty, Contract Instructors, Staff, Students, and other temporary workers at Q College is permitted and encouraged where such use supports the goals and objectives of course programs or modules and/or business related use.

All users of Q Colleges' Internet and Network must ensure that they:

• Respect the privacy of other users
   
• Respect the legal protection provided by copyright and license to programs and data
   
• Comply with current legislation
   
• Use the internet in an acceptable way
   
• Do not create unnecessary risk to the college by their misuse of the internet

Unacceptable behaviour

The following is deemed unacceptable use or behaviour and will not be tolerated:

• Use of any code or password issued to another student or instructor member in order to access, view, or retrieve information from any computer, network file server, network or system peripheral, email account, Internet site, computer or program file either inside or outside the college’s network system
   
• Illegal duplication of software and documentation
   
• Privately owned or non-standardized software may not be installed on any Q Colleges’ computer or network without the approval of the Instructor, Senior Education Administrator, or the President of Q College
   
• Intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or represent themselves as another user unless explicitly authorized to do so by that user
   
• Intentionally develop programs that harass other users; infiltrate a computer or computing system; send bogus aliases/messages via electronic mail, newsgroups, or any Internet service; and/or damage or alter the software components of a computer or computing system
   
• Visit or download from internet sites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic or otherwise illegal material
   
• Use of computers, email, Internet access, or any other electronic communication system in ways that are disruptive, offensive or harmful to others, i.e., sexually explicit messages, cartoon, and jokes. This misuse shall also include, but is not limited to, ethnic slurs, racial comments, off-color jokes or anything which may be construed as harassment, disrespect of others or may lead to the creation of a hostile educational environment
   
• Using the computer to perpetrate any form of fraud, or software, film or music piracy
   
• Downloading commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to third parties, unless this download is covered or permitted under a commercial agreement or other such licence
   
• Hacking into unauthorized areas
   
• Publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false material about Q College, Instructors, Faculty, Staff and/or Students on social networking sites, ‘blogs’ (online journals), ‘wikis’ and any online publishing format
   
• Undertaking deliberate activities that waste IT effort or networked resources
   
• Introducing any form of malicious software into the college network
   
• Using electronic communications system for commercial gain or profit or as an advertising medium for any non-Q College interest
   
• Prohibits the use of its electronic communications system for any illegal activity

Q College states:

• No guarantee or warrantee of any kind regarding system reliability
• No guarantee or warrantee of any kind that any information obtained from its electronic communications system is correct and free of errors
• Not responsible for any personal damage as a result of loss of data, inaccuracy of data, delays in processing of data or non-delivery of data over its electronic communications system

Disciplinary Actions

Where it is believed that any user of Q College’s Internet and/or Network has failed to comply with this policy, they will meet with the President. If the user is found to have breached the policy, they will face a disciplinary penalty ranging from a verbal warning to dismissal. The actual penalty applied will depend on the seriousness of the breach. A violation of this policy by a temporary worker, contractor or vendor may result in the termination of their contract or assignment with Q College.