Kern Community College District Computing and Network Use Policy
The following are the district’s Computing and Network Use policy and procedure. The full set of technology-related policies are located in Board Policy.
3E1 Computing and Network Use
3E1A The Kern Community College District shall provide computing and network resources that benefit faculty, staff, and students and support the instructional and administrative activities of the Colleges and the District. The District is committed to policies which promote the mission of the Colleges and encourage respect for the rights of individuals. These policies shall apply to all individuals using College and District computing and network resources, regardless of access method.
3E1B Computing and network resources and all user accounts provided by the Kern Community College District are the property of the Kern Community College District. Access to College/District computing and network resources is a privilege that may be wholly or partially restricted by the Kern Community College District without prior notice and without the consent of the user if required by and consistent with policy or law, when there is substantiated reason to believe that violations of policy or law have taken place, or, in exceptional cases, when required to meet timedependent, critical operational needs.
3E1C Employees have no privacy whatsoever in their personal or work-related use of District computers, electronic devices, network and other electronic information resources or to any communications or other information in Kern Community College District computing and network systems or that may be transmitted through Kern Community College District computing and network systems.
3E1D Kern Community College District retains the right, with or without cause, and with or without notice to the employee, to remotely monitor, physically inspect or examine Kern Community College District computers, electronic devices, network or other computing and network resources and any communication or information stored or transmitted through Kern Community College District computing and network resources including but not limited to software, data, image files, Internet use, emails, text messages and voicemail. Kern Community College District shall exercise this right only when required by and consistent with policy or law, when there is substantiated reason to believe that violations of policy or law have taken place, or in exceptional cases, when required to meet time dependent, critical operational needs.
3E1E Use of computing and network resources must be for activities related to the mission of the Colleges and the District. Computing and network resources are to be used in an effective, efficient, ethical, and lawful manner.
3E1F Use of computing and network resources imposes responsibilities and obligations on the part of users. Users are expected to demonstrate respect for intellectual property, data ownership, system security, individuals’ rights to access information, and freedom from intimidation or - 31 - harassment. (See Procedure 3E1C(a) of this Manual for Computing and Network Use Prohibitions; Policy 3E4 of this Manual for Information Technology Security Policy; Policy 3E3 of this Manual for Email Policy; Procedure 3E1C(b) of this Manual for Computer Software Use Procedures; and Appendix 3E1C of this Manual for the Software Registration form.)
3E1G Computing and network use shall be consistent with the educational, academic, and administrative purposes of the Colleges/District and shall respect the rights of individuals.
3E1H The Colleges may develop and implement procedures related to college computing and network use. (See Procedure 3E1F of this Manual for College Computing and Network Use Procedures.)
3E1I Sanctions for violation of the District/College Computing and Network Use Policies or Procedures may be imposed. Sanctions may range from a warning, to restriction of use, to disciplinary action, and/or legal action.
3E1J Definition of Kern Community College District Computing and Network Resources includes, but is not limited to:
Any computer, including a laptop computer, that is:
Owned, leased, or rented by the Kern Community College District Purchased with funds from a grant awarded to the Kern Community College District
Borrowed by the Kern Community College District from another agency, company, or entity
Any electronic device other than a computer that is capable of transmitting, receiving, or storing digital media and is:
Owned, leased, or rented by the Kern Community College District
Purchased with funds from a grant awarded to the Kern Community College District
Borrowed by the Kern Community College District from another agency, company, or entity
Electronic devices include, but are not limited to:
- Telephones
- Cellular Telephones
- Push-to-Talk Radios
- Pagers
- Radios
- Digital Cameras
- Personal Digital Assistants such as Palm Pilots and Smart Phones
- Portable storage devices such as USB thumb drives
- Portable media devices such as iPods and MP3 players
- Printers and copiers
- Fax machines
Any component that is used to build or support the Kern Community College District network including, but not limited to:
- Routers
- Switches
- Servers
- Enterprise Storage Systems
- Microwave Components
- Firewalls
- Cabling Infrastructure
- Wireless Access Points and Controllers
- Telephone Switches
- Voicemail Systems
- Network Management and Monitoring Systems
Procedure 3E1C(a)
Computing and Network Use Prohibitions
Improper uses of Colleges/District computing and network resources are prohibited as follows:
- The use of computing and network resources for cheating, plagiarism, furnishing false information, other acts of academic dishonesty, or malicious behavior that interferes with meeting the College/District educational mission is prohibited.
- The use of computing and network resources shall not interfere with the work of employees or students nor disrupt the normal operation of the Colleges/District.
- Computing and network use that monopolizes resources; network use that creates unnecessary network traffic; broadcast of inappropriate electronic mail and messages; transmission of electronic chain letters or other requests for money; and distribution or circulation of media known or suspected to contain computer viruses are prohibited.
- Copying, distributing (either free or for monetary gain), or receiving copyrighted software or electronic information without paying the specified royalty (U.S. copyright laws) are prohibited.
- Unauthorized computing and network account sharing is prohibited.
- Attempts to gain unauthorized access to any computing or network resource are prohibited.
- Unauthorized commercial or business use of Colleges/District computing and network resources for individual or private gain is prohibited.
- Use of Colleges/District computing and network resources to intentionally transmit, receive, display or copy obscene, pornographic, discriminatory or harassing materials not related to coursework or research is prohibited.
- Use of Colleges/District computing and network resources to access or attempt to access student or employee information for any purpose not specifically job-related violates state and federal laws and District policy and is prohibited.
- The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (federal law) includes electronic mail and messages in the same category as U.S. mail and telephone calls, and defines unauthorized attempts to access another user’s information as unlawful behavior. Such behavior is prohibited.