Code of Ethics

Computer Network and Internet Access: Privileges & Responsibilities - East Tennessee State University (ETSU) operates a wide-area network that interconnects local area networks in academic and administrative offices, student computer labs, and in the future dormitory rooms.  The University maintains connections into the Tennessee Education Cooperative Network (TECnet), the Internet and the World Wide Web. Thus, the University's network is a part of the global network that provides access to information and information processing technologies.  By having access to the University's network and its resources, students, faculty, and staff can communicate and collaborate among themselves and their counterparts throughout the world.  This privilege carries with it responsibilities with which all users must comply.

 Everyone within the ETSU community who uses networked computing and communications facilities has the responsibility to use them in an ethical, professional and legal manner and to abide by TECnet policies.  Users should respect the privacy rights of others.  ETSU's facilities and network access capabilities should never be used for purposes intended to incite crime.  Communications which violate Tennessee, federal, or international law are not acceptable.  For example, the use of ETSU's computer and network resources to threaten or harass others or the misrepresentation of one's identity in electronic communications for the purpose of illegal or unauthorized actions or activities will not be tolerated.  These statements concerning responsibility are not meant to be exhaustive.  Any questionable use should be considered "not acceptable."  Serious or repeated instances of abuse will be referred to the proper authority for disciplinary or legal action.

Computer Resources -  All users of any institutionally maintained electronic data, data files, software, and networks are expected to handle the resource in a responsible and ethical manner.  A user's interest ceases when it invades the right of personal and/or institutional privacy; results in the destruction of personal and/or institutional property; demonstrates a potential for loss, embarrassment, litigation to the individual and/or institution; or causes a limited resource to be used in a wasteful or careless manner.

 All information processed through Information Technology is considered sensitive and/or confidential.  The responsibility for the release or discussion of data is assigned to the official custodian of the data file(s).  Access to information is based on a legitimate "need to know" and directly related to assigned duties.

 University electronically maintained data, data files, software, and networks will be used for authorized purposes only.  Users are responsible for the security of the resources.

 Any use of the resource deemed irresponsible or unethical (as defined in the Faculty Handbook section 1.10) will result in the immediate denial of use of the resource.  The violation will be referred to the proper authorities for disciplinary and/or legal action including, but not limited to, restitution, restrictions, reprimand, suspension, probation, expulsion, termination, and, if necessary, legal action.  Appeals will be handled through due process channels (APA) already established for students and/or staff.  Student violations will be referred to the Vice President for Student Affairs and/or Vice President for Health Affairs, faculty violations will be referred to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or the Vice President for Health Affairs, and staff violations will be referred to the Vice President for Administration and Development.

 The following examples attempt to convey the intent of irresponsible and/or unethical use:  violation of Federal/State copyright laws; violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974; use of the resource for obscene material; deliberate wasteful use of the resource; unauthorized altering of hardware, software, or data; piracy of data or software belonging to another person; or careless use of the resource which may result in the release of restricted information.

 **WARNING** Any person who knowingly brings on campus, has in their possession or distributes any virus without the authorization and written permission of the Office of Information Technology, will be considered to be in violation of the above and will be vigorously prosecuted.  **Campus** is defined to include any property owned, leased, maintained or controlled by ETSU and includes any site or area where any system owned, leased, operated and/or maintained by ETSU is housed.

NOTICE TO USERS:  It is the policy of East Tennessee State University to protect all institutional computing resources including, but not limited to, hardware and software, consisting of the actual equipment being supplied by the university as well as the programs and related materials used in conjunction therewith.  In accordance with local, state, and federal law, indiscriminate examination of individual user's files is not permitted, nonetheless as a means of maintaining the integrity and security of those aforementioned resources.

 East Tennessee State University retains the right to inspect individual accounts and files stored on any system owned, maintained and/or leased by said university.  While no prior authorization by individual users is required to inspect those files and accounts, you are, by virtue of accepting the account offered by ETSU and "logging" on to its computing equipment, granting to the university prior unrestricted permission, subject to university policy, to review, examine and/or otherwise view, by any method at the sole discretion of the university and without any additional advance notice to said user, any account and/or file stored on university computer resources.

 Should such a review take place, you will be given notice, as a courtesy only, of the results of said review within a reasonable time after the review is completed.  While use of university computing resources for personal use is strictly forbidden, should you have materials for which you have any reasonable expectation of privacy or which you consider to be confidential for any reason, you should retain those materials on a disk which can be secured as you would any other personal items or materials which you consider private in nature.

 For such a policy to work, it is essential that users observe responsible and ethical behavior in the use of the resources.  In an effort to assist the user community in effective use of the limited computer resources, it seems reasonable to highlight some specific responsibilities and types of behavior that represent abuse of a user's privilege.  The examples do not constitute a complete list but are intended to convey the intent of the code.

 Users should not damage or attempt to damage computer equipment or to modify or attempt to modify equipment so that it does not function as originally intended.  It is equally wrong to damage or modify or attempt to damage or modify the software components:  operating systems, compilers, utility routines, etc.

 Users should not use or attempt to use an account without authorization from the owner of that account.  Users have the responsibility of protecting their accounts through the proper use of passwords, but the fact that an account is unprotected does not imply permission for an unauthorized person to use it.  Further, accounts are to be used only for the purposes for which they have been established.  (Only the individual owner of an account is authorized to use that account.  Providing passwords or in any way permitting or making it possible for anyone other than the authorized owner of the account to use computer resources is not authorized and may be a violation of Tennessee Law.  Under this condition both the owner and the unauthorized user may be subject to legal action if determined to be appropriate by ETSU legal counsel.)  Additionally, it is wrong to use a university-sponsored account for funded research, personal business, or consulting activities.  There are special accounts for such purposes.

 Users should not use private files without authorization.  Owners of such files should take precautions and use the security mechanisms available.  However, the fact that a file is not protected does not make it right for anyone to access it, unless it is specifically designated as a public access file.  It is equally wrong for anyone to change or delete a file that belongs to anyone else without authorization.  Violation of property rights and copyrights covering data, computer programs, and documentation are also wrong.  In the event of accidental access or private files, confidentiality of those files must be maintained.

 Any deliberate wasteful use of resources is irresponsible; it encroaches on others' use of facilities and deprives them of resources.  Printing of large unnecessary listings and the playing of games solely for entertainment are examples of such abuse.  Users are expected to be aware of the resources they are using and to make reasonable efforts to use these resources efficiently.

 All state and federal copyright laws will be abided by at all times.  Users must not copy any part of a copyrighted program or its documentation which would be in violation of the law or the licensing agreement without written and specific permissions of the copyright holder.

 Serious or repeated instances of abuse of computer facilities and resources will be referred to the proper authorities for disciplinary or legal action including, but not limited to restitution, restrictions, reprimand, suspension, probation, expulsion, or termination.

If you have questions or problems implementing any of the above please contact the Office of Information Technology.