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Internet Use & Email Policy
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Anderson University provides access to various forms of electronic communications and information technology systems and equipment to its students and employees (defined as full or part-time faculty or staff, or student workers): computers, internet, voice mail, and email. Such access is available only to active and eligible students and employees and may be revoked at any time. In general, Anderson University’s communications, systems, and equipment are intended for the sole purpose of supporting the educational, managerial, and operational needs of the University.
All digital devices that connect to Anderson University networks give monitoring and access control rights to the University. Employees and students have no personal or privacy right in any matter created, received, or sent through the university’s information technology systems. Employees, faculty, and students should have no expectation of privacy regarding files and data residing on their assigned computer discs, computer system, email or other electronic communication systems or equipment.
The University reserves the right to monitor any communications, systems, and equipment including computer or email activity to assure that the systems are being used in accordance with its policies and for appropriate and legitimate purposes. Anderson University reserves the right to inspect computer files of any computer at any time, with or without notice, at its sole discretion. Only authorized software is permitted on the University’s computers. Individuals should be aware that passwords do not indicate any right of privacy. Anderson University is entitled to monitor or inspect computers, telephones, or other components of its electronic communication systems or equipment at any time, with or without notice.
This policy may be amended or revised periodically as the need arises.
INTERNET USE & EMAIL POLICY
Current Anderson University faculty, staff, and students are issued an account through the Office of Information Technology. The University reserves the right to limit or deny access to its computing resources at any time. Everyone granted an account will be help responsible for all usage of that account. Approvals may be canceled at any time.
When a student is no longer enrolled in the University their account will be disabled after 6 months. When an employee is no longer employed by the University, the Office of Information Technology will disable the account on the date of the end of their employment. Any personal pages hosted on the internet by the university, or any files or other content on computers or in software owned by the university or present on university-owned computers will be disabled.
The following steps are involved in obtaining a user account:
- Employees will receive their accounts as their employment is processed through HR.
- Accepted students will have an account automatically created for them. They will receive an introductory email with all appropriate access details.
There are numerous appropriate uses of the internet: email, social media, accessing information on the internet, etc. The University encourages the educational and appropriate use of these resources. All uses of digital resources should be consistent with the University’s stated mission, Christian values, and policies as put forth in University publications. All users of Anderson University computing resources are expected to abide by the following guidelines:
- Users are to refrain from disclosing their access codes/passwords to anyone and will be responsible for any usage of those accounts by others to whom access has been given. All users must change their passwords as directed and configure authentication process where available to prevent unauthorized use of their accounts.
- Users are to handle all university related business using their university email address.
- Users who are assigned a computer by the university must perform all university business-related work using that device.
- Users should be advised that undeliverable email will be delivered to the Postmaster at the Information Security Office and misdirected email can be read by unintended recipients.
- Please pay close attention to addressees to ensure that only appropriate recipients will receive emails. When replying to an email, only use the ‘Reply All’ feature when necessary.
- The visiting of pornographic sites or any sites of an immoral or obscene nature is prohibited. Also, the illegal downloading of music and/or literary material is prohibited.
- Please be cautious of visiting internet sites. Even “official” looking web sites can be fake. Fake web sites can cause virus and malware attacks on computers that are connected to the university network.
- Always verify that the email address of the sender is the actual email address of the sender (this is especially important if the email address does not display with the name). It is very easy to make an email look like it is coming from someone you might know.
Since Anderson University is defined as an educational rather than commercial site on the internet, the Office of Information Technology reserves the right to restrict accounts or individual web pages which are used for commercial purposes. Approval must be granted from the Office of Information Technology for commercial purposes. Approvals may be revoked at any time by the University.
Users are prohibited from any use of electronic communication and computing resources that violates Federal, South Carolina, or any other applicable law.
- Users at Anderson University are prohibited from displaying or distributing material (text, audio, or video) which is obscene, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, or deemed otherwise threatening or offensive, or which is in any way inconsistent with Anderson University’s stated mission and values. Displaying or distributing such information will be considered a violation of the University’s policies.
- Users are prohibited from sending information via email that is obscene or harassing as defined by Anderson University’s stated mission and values.
- Users are to refrain from making public any obscene materials, direct links to obscene materials on the internet, or any related systems.
- Users are to refrain from sending multi-recipient emails that are unnecessary. Email groups that contain many addresses may only be used by authorized personnel.
- Users are prohibited from sending campus-wide emails that express personal opinions or are of a political or otherwise inappropriate nature.
- The obscenity standards are as follows:
- Materials in which a reasonable person, applying contemporary Anderson University community standards, when considering the contents as a whole, would conclude that they appeal to prurient sexual/physical interests or violently subordinating behavior rather than an intellectual or communicative purpose; or
- Materials that, taking into regard their content and their particular usage or application, lack any redeeming religious, literary, scientific, political, artistic, or social value.
Anderson University strongly encourages the use of restraint and good judgment by it employees and students while participating in social media. If an employee or student does participate in this type of communication, the University encourages him/her to exercise good judgement in posting any information, as these sites can be viewed by anyone and may be used by viewers for unintended purposes.
Students and employees are reminded that potential employers are increasingly searching these sites in making hiring decisions. Students who post information and/or photographs on such sites that are inconsistent with the policies and Christian values of the University or damaging to the reputation of the University (including but not limited to obscene material, foul language, harassing statements, sexually suggestive language or photographs, or statements that defame the University) may be subject to discipline by the University, including but not limited to probation, monetary and service fines, loss of institutionally funded scholarships, suspension, or expulsion, or in the case of employment, termination. This holds true even if the student or employee did not use University computers or systems to create the posted information.
While Anderson University encourages civic engagement and appropriate involvement in the political processes of government; university computers, email and the University’s Web site may not be used for the promotion of political candidates or partisan causes. To do so may subject the employee to discipline by the University, including but not limited to warnings, directives to remove inappropriate content, demotion, or termination of employment.
Anderson University provides procedures for employees to address grievances and encourages employees to use these procedures if warranted. As a matter of professionalism, business-related use, and civility, the University’s electronic communication and computing systems including email, voicemail, and the Web site may not be used for the purpose of airing employer-employee disputes and/or grievances, intentionally injecting messages that disrupt the peaceful and harmonious community of the campus or the spreading of rumors or false and inaccurate information. To do so may subject the offendee to discipline by the University, including but not limited to warnings, directives to remove inappropriate content, demotion, or termination of employment.
Users are prohibited from performing any act that will impair the operation of any facet of the computing resources of the University or the resources of any recipient of the information. Such acts include knowingly injecting computer viruses and sending excessively large mailings, large print jobs, batch programs, ‘junk mail’ (including chain letters), etc. Those who use computing resources for recreational, entertainment, personal and extracurricular work are to yield to those who have academic related need for computing resources or facilities. Examples of non-course-related work are playing computer games, printing personal or extracurricular materials (invitations, announcements, resumes, etc.), and chatting to personal friends. In periods of high demand, these uses may be disallowed in public facilities.
The University reserves the right to suspend and/or delete content (personal Web pages, email, information placed on University Web sites or on computers of the university’s computing systems) that constitutes a violation of this policy, or is in conflict with the University’s stated mission and values or violates any provision or limitation of the Internet Use & Email Policy.
Individuals may report incidents of harassment or obscene material or direct links involving students’ internet use to the Office of the Vice President for Student Development, which will review any complaint per established University judicial procedures as outlines in the student handbook. Possible sanctions include but are not limited to: the deletion, from Anderson University servers, of materials or direct links (to other locations on the Internet) which are found to be in violation, loss of computer resource privileges, and other sanctions available within the judicial processes, up to and including expulsion.
Incidents of inappropriate use involving Anderson University employees may be addressed in conjunction with the employee’s supervisor or other appropriate administrative official of the University. Possible sanctions include the deletion of material or direct links to other locations on the internet that are found to be in violation, loss of computer resource privileges, and other sanctions available within the University employer-employee relationship, up to and including, immediate termination.
Electronic mail enables users to place information quickly and directly into another person’s computer where it can be retrieved, read, revised, stored indefinitely, downloaded, or responded to immediately. Email has made employment and academic activities of the University more efficient by enabling us to make better use of our time and by reducing paperwork. However, there is a deceptive aura of privacy that surrounds email that can mislead someone to believe that private, hostile, or unlawful statements can be confidentially communicated through email. In addition, proprietary or potentially embarrassing information can be accidentally or purposely sent within the University and to others outside the University.
To avoid these problems, remember the following:
- Anderson University’s email system exists for use by faculty, staff, and students in carrying out their employment and academic activities. It is not intended for personal use.
- Do not disclose your access codes/passwords to anyone.
- Send personal email only from your non-Anderson University email address.
- Prior to sending an email message, ask yourself whether you would feel comfortable if the text of the message were posted on a bulletin board on campus or printed in the newspaper. Would public disclosure cause unnecessary embarrassment or create legal liability for yourself or the University?
- There should be no expectation of privacy of email sent or received on University systems and/or equipment.
- If the email pertains to a student, it is likely to be an “education record” that the student will have the right to inspect and review. Therefore, all education emails must be sent only through your university assigned email address. Violations of this policy may result in discipline of some nature.
- The use of private “mailboxes” and passwords in an email system does not provide any privacy from people who will see email forwarded, printed out, or left displayed on an unattended computer screen.
- Anderson University makes no representations regarding the security of the email system.
- If Anderson University is involved in an investigation or litigation, email messages (and/or other computer content) may be monitored and/or read by the University as part of an investigation, in the discovery process, and may be publicized in a trial.