Georgia Perimeter College - OIT                 

Handbook for Standards and Guidelines for Internet Usage

 

ELECTRONIC MAIL:

Georgia Perimeter College provides electronic mail--clients, servers, a campus-wide network and access to the Internet--to its employees and students to use in the course of doing their jobs/studies. Use of electronic mail is becoming an essential communication tool for conducting the business of the College. Like other tools, it can be inadvertently or purposefully misused. These guidelines pertain specifically to the use of electronic mail at GPC.

Use of electronic mail for personal communication is expected to be incidental. That is, personal e-mail must not interfere with the work an employee is expected to do and it must not consume resources that are needed for College business. Employees must exercise care that no personal e-mail correspondence or messages and comments posted to newsgroups and list-serves appear to be an official communication of GPC or disclose the GPC proprietary information. 

Currently enrolled students may receive one or more e-mail addresses depending on the courses and programs they are in.   E-mail Ids and passwords may be retrieved at the following web address by students http://www.gpc.edu/studentid. This screen enables students to get their login and password for student computer account at Georgia Perimeter College. By submitting this form with required information, students agree to the computer usage policies published in the student handbook.

Current and retired GPC personnel may request e-mail Ids by completing an e-mail id request form and submit it to OIT for processing.

WORLD WIDE WEB:

Access to World Wide Web facilities is provided as a service to the students, faculty and staff of Georgia Perimeter College and to the Internet community worldwide. The purpose of the www.gpc.edu web server is to provide information about GPC and the activities of the GPC community.

Users who provide information for their web pages are expected to follow the college guidelines for appropriate behavior in electronic forums. For example, personal Web pages should not be used to advertise or conduct any type of profit making business or venture. Content of Web pages must also conform to college’s “Standards and Guidelines for Web Publishing at GPC”.

The staff does monitor resource utilization of the web servers. Users are expected to closely manage their use of disk space, removing extraneous files and contacting the webmaster before dramatically increasing disk usage. A dramatic increase is any increase of more than a few Megabytes. Users are also warned to avoid announcing their homepages or delivering services to the outside world. Some activities can easily overload the campus server. Any user homepage which receives an excessive number of accesses may be restricted to on-campus access.

Official Web Pages provide information relating to an office, department, center or other official services or functional unit of Georgia Perimeter College (known hereafter as GPC). The content of official web pages and pages that are linked to them should be consistent with the mission and goals of the GPC web pages and with the mission, goals, initiatives and image of GPC.

Faculty and staff web pages are not considered official GPC web pages but are extensions of the GPC web site. GPC supports academic freedom; however, authors must insure that their Web pages are consistent with GPC’s image and academic mission and comply with College policies and procedures, the Regents Guide to Understanding Copyright and Educational Fair Use, and applicable laws.

Personal web pages are developed by students, faculty, and staff to contain unofficial information not affiliated or endorsed by GPC. In keeping with the unofficial classification, no personal pages are to include any GPC graphics or official GPC information.

Please refer to “Standards and Guidelines for Web Publishing at GPC” to find out more about the WWW usage.

 

INTERNET TOOLS AND UTILITIES:

GPC adheres to the EDUCOM code as specified below.   Since all Internet tools and utilities are written in one software language or another, their use in all forms and intended purposes must also adhere to the “Standards and Guidelines for Computer Usage at GPC” and all Information and Instructional Technology Policies of GPC   (1101-1105).

Software enables us to accomplish many different tasks with computers. Unfortunately, in order to get our work done quickly and conveniently, some people make and use unauthorized software copies. The purpose of this document is to provide a brief outline of what you legally can and cannot do with software. Hopefully it will help you better understand the implications and restrictions of the U.S. Copyright Law.

Here are some relevant facts:

Unauthorized copying of software is illegal.
Copyright law protects software authors and publishers, just as patent law protects inventors.

Unauthorized copying of software by individuals can harm the entire academic community.
If unauthorized copying proliferates on a campus, the institution may incur legal liability. Also, the institution may find it more difficult to negotiate agreements that would make software more widely and less expensively available to members of the academic community.

Unauthorized copying and use of software deprives publishers and developers of a fair return.
It also increases prices, reduces the level of future support and enhancements, and can inhibit the development of new software products.

Respect for the intellectual work of others has traditionally been essential to the mission of colleges and universities. As members of the academic community, we value the free exchange of ideas. Just as we do not tolerate plagiarism, we do not condone the unauthorized copying of software, including programs, applications, databases and code.

Therefore, we offer the following statement of principle about intellectual property and the legal and ethical use of software.

 

THE EDUCOM CODE:


Software and Intellectual Rights

Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution.

Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community.

EDUCOM'S Educational Uses of Information Technology (EUIT) Program encourages the broadest possible adoption of this statement of principle. The EDUCOM Code is intended for adaptation and use by individuals, and educational institutions at all levels.

Classification Of Software:
In terms of copyright, there are four broad classifications of software:

·        Commercial

·        Shareware

·        Freeware

·        Public Domain

The restrictions and limitations regarding each classification are different.

Commercial

Commercial software represents the majority of software purchased from software publishers, commercial computer stores, etc. When you buy software, you are actually acquiring a license to use it, not own it. You acquire the license from the company that owns the copyright. The conditions and restrictions of the license agreement vary from program to program and should be read carefully. In general, commercial software licenses stipulate that

·         the software is covered by copyright,

·         although one archival copy of the software can be made, the backup copy cannot be used except when the original package fails or is destroyed,

·         modifications to the software are not allowed,

·         de-compiling (i.e. reverse engineering) of the program code is not allowed without the permission of the copyright holder.

Shareware

Shareware software is covered by copyright, as well. When you acquire software under a shareware arrangement, you are actually acquiring a license to use it, not own it. You acquire the license from the individual or company that owns the copyright. The conditions and restrictions of the license agreement vary from program to program and should be read carefully. The copyright holders for Shareware allow purchasers to make and distribute copies of the software, but demand that if, after testing the software, you adopt it for use, you must pay for it. In general, shareware software licenses stipulate that

·         the software is covered by copyright,

·         although one archival copy of the software can be made, the backup copy cannot be used except when the original package fails or is destroyed,

·         modifications to the software are not allowed,

·         de-compiling (i.e. reverse engineering) of the program code is not allowed without the permission of the copyright holder, and

·         development of new works built upon the package(derivative works) is not allowed without the permission of the copyright holder. Selling software as Shareware is a marketing decision, it does not change the legal requirements with respect to copyright. That means that you can make a single archival copy, but you are obliged to pay for all copies adopted for use.

Freeware

Freeware also is covered by copyright and subject to the conditions defined by the holder of the copyright. The conditions for Freeware are in direct opposition to normal copyright restrictions. In general, Freeware software licenses stipulate that

·         the software is covered by copyright,

·         copies of the software can be made for both archival and distribution purposes but that distribution cannot be for profit,

·         modifications to the software is allowed and encouraged,

·         de-compiling (i.e. reverse engineering) of the program code is allowed without the explicit permission of the copyright holder, and

·         development of new works built upon the package (derivative works) is allowed and encouraged with the condition that derivative works must also be designated as Freeware. That means that you cannot take Freeware, modify or extend it, and then sell it as Commercial or Shareware software.

Public Domain

Public Domain software comes into being when the original copyright holder explicitly relinquishes all rights to the software. Since under current copyright law, all intellectual works (including software) are protected as soon as they are committed to a medium, for something to be Public Domain it must be clearly marked as such. Before March 1, 1989, it was assumed that intellectual works were NOT covered by copyright unless the copyright symbol and declaration appeared on the work. With the U.S. adherence to the Berne Convention this presumption has been reversed. Now all works assume copyright protection unless the Public Domain notification is stated. This means that for Public Domain software

·         copyright rights have been relinquished,

·         software copies can be made for both archival and distribution purposes with no restrictions as to distribution,

·         modifications to the software are allowed,

·         de-compiling (i.e. reverse engineering) of the program code is allowed, and

·         development of new works built upon the package (derivative works) is allowed without on the distribution or use of the derivative work.

Questions You May Have About Using Software:

What do I need to know about software and the U.S. Copyright Act?

It's really very simple. The Copyright Law recognizes that all intellectual works (programs, data, pictures, articles, books, etc.) are automatically covered by copyright unless it is explicitly noted to the contrary. That means that the owner of a copyright holds the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute his or her work. For software this means it is illegal to copy or distribute software, or its documentation, without the permission of the copyright holder.

If you have a legal copy of software you are allowed to make a single archival copy of the software for backup purposes. However the copy can only be used if the original software is destroyed or fails to work. When the original is given away, the backup copy must also be given with the original or destroyed.

If software is not copy-protected, do I have the right to copy it?

Lack of copy-protection does NOT constitute permission to copy software without authorization of the software copyright owner. "Non-copy-protected" software enables you to make a backup copy. In offering non-copy-protected software to you, the developer or publisher has demonstrated significant trust in your integrity.

May I copy software that is available through facilities on my campus, so that I can use it more conveniently in my own office or room?

Software acquired by colleges and universities is usually covered by licenses. The licenses should clearly state how and where the software may be legally used by members of the relevant campus communities (faculty, staff, and students). Such licenses cover software whether installed on stand-alone or networked systems, whether in private offices and rooms, or in public clusters and laboratories. Some institutional licenses permit copying for certain purposes. The license may limit copying, as well. Consult your campus authorities to be sure if you are unsure about the permissible use of a particular software product.

May I loan software?

The 1990 modification to the copyright Law makes it illegal to "loan, lease or rent software" for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage without the specific permission of the copyright holder. Non profit educational institutions are exempted from the 1990 modification, so institutional software may be loaned.

Some licenses may even restrict the use of a copy to a specific machine, even if you own more than one system. In general, licenses usually do NOT allow the software to be installed or resident on more than a single machine, or to run the software simultaneously on two or more machines. Isn't it legally "fair use" to copy software if the purpose in sharing it is purely educational.

Historically, the Copyright Law was modified to permit certain educational uses of copyrighted materials without the usual copyright restrictions. However, "fair use" of computer software is still a cloudy issue. The "fair use" amendments to the copyright law are intended to allow educational use of legally protected products, but it is limited (for paper-based products) to small portions of full works. For most software it is clearly illegal to make and distribute unauthorized fully functional copies to class members for their individual use. Making copies of a small section of code from a program in order to illustrate a programming technique might not be a violation. The best alternative is to clear any such use with the copyright owner or consult the appropriate authorities at your institution.

Alternatives To Explore

Software can be expensive. You may think that you cannot afford to purchase certain programs that you need. Site-licensed and bulk-purchased software are legal alternatives that make multiple copies of software more affordable. Many educational institutions negotiate special prices for software used and purchased by faculty staff and students. Consult your campus computing office for information. As with other software, site-licensed or bulk-purchased software s still covered by copyright, although the price per copy may be significantly lower than the normal commercial price. A usual condition of site-licensing or bulk-purchasing is that copying and distribution of the software is limited to a central office which must maintain inventories of who received it. When you leave the academic community by graduation, retirement, or resignation you may no longer be covered by the institutional agreement and may be required to return or destroy your copies of the software licensed to the institution.

Many colleges sell software through a campus store at "educational discounts". If you purchase software for yourself through such an outlet, the software is yours and need not be destroyed or surrendered when you leave the institution. It is, however, still covered by normal copyright protection and covered by the specific conditions of the licensing agreement.

A Final Note

Restrictions on the use of software are far from uniform. You should check carefully each piece of software and the accompanying documentation yourself. In general, you do not have the right to:

If you have questions not answered by this document about the proper use and distribution of a software product, please contact OIT Helpdesk Services at 404-299-4231 or 404-244-2252.

This document has been produced as a service to the academic community by the Educational Uses Of Information Technology Program (EUIT) of EDUCOM and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA). EDUCOM is a non-profit consortium of colleges and universities committed to the use and management of information technology in higher education. ITAA is an industry association providing issues management and advocacy, public affairs, business-to-business networking, education and other member services to companies which create and market products and services associated with computers, communications and data.

Although this document is copyrighted, you are authorized and encouraged to make and distribute copies of it, in whole or in part, providing the source is acknowledged.