Â鶹´«Ã½ Acceptable Network Use Agreement
Implemented: July 26, 2012
It is your responsibility to become familiar and comply with federal and state law as well as with Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s network use policy. Please take a moment to read and understand the following.
System Protection
All computers connected to Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s residential network are required to have (and continue to have) the latest applicable operating system, application updates and security patches available. Virus protection is also required. All anti-virus software must be maintained with regular, automatic updates of virus definition files. You may use your choice of virus protection. If you haven't already, please install an antivirus now. If you have questions regarding antivirus software, please contact the Help Desk. If you choose to use an alternate method of protection, and your computer causes disruption on the network as a result, you may be required to install an antivirus as per the previously mentioned recommendations. Network administration reserves the right to block network access to any device that is not properly protected, or is currently infected with a virus.
Security
- Do not leave computers unattended without logging out/off
- Do not log onto systems with anyone's account other than your own
- Keep passwords and accounts confidential
- Choose difficult to guess passwords
Accessing computers with weak or non-existent passwords commonly causes the spreading of viruses from computer to computer and opens the "door" to hackers. All accounts on your computer and on Â鶹´«Ã½ resources should have complex (difficult to guess) passwords. Passwords are required to be a minimum of 7 characters long. We recommend using a memorable passphrase for best security.
File Sharing
Some colleges and universities have banned the use of peer-to-peer file sharing (These programs are used to share MP3s, movies, etc...) We have not chosen to do that. However, there are two restrictions. If either of these are violated, your network connection will be subject to disconnect:
- Downloading and/or distribution (uploading) of copyrighted material, without permission from the copyright holder, is strictly prohibited. If abuses of computer software, images, music, movies, or other files occur, those responsible for such abuse may be held legally accountable.
- File sharing programs must be configured to download only. Your files must NOT be available for any Internet users to access from your computer. The reasons for this are copyright issues and bandwidth concerns. One computer sharing a popular file can consume significant bandwidth. Local (on the Â鶹´«Ã½ network), 2-way file sharing is permissible as long as copyrights are not being violated.
Primary vs. Secondary Use
Â鶹´«Ã½ encourages the use of network resources, primarily for academic purposes. Other activities are considered to be secondary. As such, they are not necessarily prohibited or even discouraged. However, should such secondary activities in any way interfere with primary activities, they may be terminated immediately, whether or not such activities are explicitly detailed in Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Acceptable Network Use Agreement.
Personal 802.11n Wireless Devices
Personal 802.11n wireless routers are not permitted in any of the dorms or Â鶹´«Ã½ owned apartments. We continue to spread our wireless reach across campus. If you wish to have wireless connectivity in your room, please email Computer Support or call (509) 527-2317.
Â鶹´«Ã½ Policies
Your continued use of the Â鶹´«Ã½ network is contingent on your adherence to all Â鶹´«Ã½ policy, as well as state and federal law, as it applies to your use of the network. Two important policy documents are Policies For Responsible Computing, and the Â鶹´«Ã½ Student Handbook. There may be other applicable policies as well...
Responsibility
It is your responsibility to understand all policies that apply to your use of the Â鶹´«Ã½ network. You are responsible for any problems your computer may cause, regardless of whether you generated the traffic, or whether it was generated on your computer without your knowledge. If you suspect a network problem related to your computer, it is important that you contact Computer Support as soon as possible.
Network Monitoring
The Â鶹´«Ã½ residential network is constantly monitored for vulnerable computers, infected computers and abuse. If connections to and from your computer look unusual, you may receive an email or a phone call from a network administrator about the activity. In some cases, you may be asked to modify the activity and/or your configuration.
Contact Us
For general network questions and troubleshooting please email Computer Support or call (509) 527-2317. If you have questions regarding Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s network use policy you can contact the Network Operations Center (NOC) at (509) 527-2700.