DIOCESE OF ALLENTOWN
NOTRE DAME HIGH
SCHOOL
ACCEPTABLE
USE POLICY
For
USE OF THE
COMPUTERS, NETWORK, INTERNET,
ELECTRONIC
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
SECTION
ONE: GENERAL, COMPUTING POLICY
Overview
Computers, handheld
devices, network, Internet, electronic communications and information systems
(collectively “CIS systems”) provide vast, diverse and unique resources. Access
to the School’s electronic communication systems and network is granted to
responsible users for educational purposes, and terms of use are outlined in
this document. This access includes Internet access, whether wired or
wireless, or by any other means.
1) Acceptable Use
In order to ensure smooth system operations, the system
administrator has the authority to monitor all accounts. A user must abide by
the terms of all software licensing agreements and copyright laws. A user can
be monitored at any time. Once a user receives a user ID to be used to access a
computer or network and computer systems on that network, he or she is solely
responsible for all actions taken while using the user ID. Therefore the
following are prohibited:
a) Applying for a user
ID under false pretenses
b) Sharing your user ID
with any other person. (If you do share your user ID with another person, you
will be solely responsible for the actions of that other person)
c) Deletion,
examination, copying, or modification of files and/or data belonging to other
users without their prior consent
d) Attempts to evade or
change resource quotas
e) Use of facilities
and/or services for commercial purposes
f) Any unauthorized,
deliberate action which damages or disrupts a computing system, alters its
normal performance, or causes it to malfunction is a violation, regardless of
system location or time duration
g) Copying programs
purchased by you onto Notre Dame High School computers and/or the network
systems, without the express, written consent of Notre Dame High
School.
h) Copying programs
licensed for Notre Dame High School for
personal use.
i) Abusing and
disrupting electronic equipment and/or systems.
2) Security
As a user of a computer or
network, you may be allowed to access other networks and/or computer systems
attached to those networks. Therefore the following are prohibited:
a) Use of systems and/or
networks in attempts to gain unauthorized access to remote systems
b) Decryption of system
or user passwords
c) Copying, deleting, or
moving system files
d) Deleting, examining,
copying, or modifying files and/or data belonging to other users
e) Copying of
copyrighted materials, such as third‑party software, without the express
written permission of the owner or the proper license
f) The willful
introduction of computer "viruses" or other disruptive or destructive
programs into the computer and/or network or into external computers and/or
networks
g) Vandalism is
prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, any attempt to harm or
destroy the data of another user, the network/lnternet, or any networks or
sites connected to the network/lnternet. Attempts to breach security codes
and/or passwords will also be considered a form of vandalism.
h) Willful destruction
of computer hardware or software, or attempts to exceed or modify the
parameters of the system are prohibited. Nothing in this policy shall prohibit
the school/institution operator from intercepting and stopping E‑mail
messages which have the capacity to overload the computer resources. Discipline
may be imposed for intentional overloading of school/institution computer
resources.
SECTION
TWO: INTERNET ACCESS
Internet access is now available to employees and
students of Notre Dame High School. This
access is being offered as part of a collaborative project involving Notre
Dame High School and Lehigh Carbon Intermediate Unit
20 (ISP). We are pleased to bring this access to Notre Dame High School and believe the Internet offers vast, diverse and unique
resources to administrators, teachers, employees, and students. Our goal in
providing this service is to promote educational excellence at Notre
Dame High School by facilitating resource sharing,
innovation and communication.
The Internet is an electronic highway connecting
thousands of computers all over the world and millions of individual
subscribers. Administrators, teachers, employees, and students have access to:
* electronic mail
communication with people all over the world;
* access to many University
Library Catalogs, the Library of Congress, and ERIC or other academic
databases,
* public domain and open
source software of all types;
* information and news from
NASA, as well as the opportunity to correspond with the scientists at NASA and
other research institutions.
* online learning communities
where academic collaboration and discussion are encouraged;
* institutions of higher
academic learning where students may earn college credits which will satisfy
academic requirements towards bachelorette degrees.
With access to computers and people all over the world
also comes the availability of material that may not be considered to be of
educational value in the school setting. Notre Dame High
School has taken precautions, which are limited to
known sites, to restrict access to controversial materials. However, on a
global network it is impossible to control all materials and an industrious
user may discover controversial information. We, Notre Dame High School,
firmly believe that the valuable information and
interaction available on this worldwide network far outweighs the possibility
that users may procure material that is not consistent with the educational
goals of this Project.
Internet access is coordinated through a complex
association of government agencies, and regional and state networks. In
addition, the smooth operation of the network relies upon the proper conduct of
the end users who must adhere to strict guidelines. These guidelines are
provided here so that you are aware of the responsibilities you are about to
acquire. In general, this requires efficient, ethical and legal utilization of
the network resources. If a Notre Dame High School user violates any of these provisions, his or her account
will be terminated and future access could possibly be denied. Disciplinary or
legal action including, but not limited to, criminal prosecution under
appropriate state and federal laws may also be taken. The signature(s) at the
end of this document is (are) legally binding and indicates the party (parties)
who signed has (have) read the terms and conditions carefully and understand(s)
their significance.
INTERNET
ACCESS ‑ TERMS and CONDITIONS
1) Acceptable Use
The purpose of accessing the
Internet is to support research and education in and among academic
institutions in the United States by providing access to unique resources and
the opportunity for collaborative work. The use of your account must be in
support of education and research, and consistent with the educational
objectives of Notre Dame High School. Each
user is personally responsible for this provision at all times when using the
network.
a) Use of other
organization's network or computing resources must comply with the rules
appropriate for that network.
b) Transmission of any
material in violation of local, state, and/or federal statutes or regulations
is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted
material, material protected by trade secret, threatening or obscene material,
and criminal activity.
c) Use by student users
for commercial activities or product advertisement (including campaigns for
student government/council) is prohibited.
d) Do not use the
network in any way that would disrupt network use by others.
e) NEVER reveal
personal information, such as your address, phone number, password, or social
security number. This also applies to others' personal information or that of
organizations.
f) Use of the network or
computer resources to publicly oppose, degrade, or intentionally misrepresent
any teachings, beliefs, or practices of the Catholic Church are strictly
prohibited.
2) Privileges
The use of the Internet is a
privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of
those privileges. (Each student who receives an account will be a part of a
discussion with a Notre Dame High School faculty
member pertaining to proper use of the network.) The system administrator will
deem what is inappropriate use and his or her decision is final. Also, the
system administrator may close an account at any time. An administrator,
faculty member, or staff of Notre Dame High School has the right to request, for cause, that the system
administrator deny, revoke, or suspend specific user accounts .
3) Network Etiquette
You are expected to abide by the
generally accepted rules of network etiquette (netiquette). These include, but
are not limited, to the following:
a) Be polite. Do not
send, or encourage others to send, abusive messages
b) Use appropriate
language. Remember that you are a representative of your school and district on
a non‑private network. You may be alone on a computer, but what you say
can be viewed around the world. Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other
inappropriate language. Illegal activities are strictly forbidden.
c) All communications
and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private
property.
4) Electronic Mail (E‑Mail)
Whenever you send electronic mail, your name
and userlD are included in each message You are responsible for all electronic
mail originating from your userlD. Therefore:
a) Unauthorized attempts to access
another person's E‑mail or similar electronic communications or to use
another's name, E‑mail or computer address or workstation to send E‑mail
or similar electronic communications is prohibited and may subject the
individual to disciplinary action.
b) All users must understand that
the school/institution cannot guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of
electronic documents and any messages that are confidential as a matter of law
should not be communicated over the E‑mail
c) The school/institution reserves
the right to access E‑mail to retrieve school/institution information and
records. to engage in routine computer maintenance and housekeeping, to carry
out internal investigations, or to disclose messages, data or files to law
enforcement authorities.
d) Any information contained on a
school/institution computer's hard drive or computer disks which were purchased
by the school/institution are considered the property of the
school/institution.
e) Forgery (or attempted forgery) of electronic mail is
prohibited.
f) Attempts to send harassing, obscene and/or other
threatening e‑mail otherwise known as “Cyberbullying” to another user is
prohibited.
g) Attempts at sending unsolicited
junk mail, "for profit" messages or chain letters is prohibited.
5) Security
Security on any computer system is
a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. Never use
another person's account to log on to the system. If you feel you can identify
a security problem, you must notify the system administrator, or send an e‑mail
message to Notre Dame High School. Do not
demonstrate the problem to other users. Do not reveal your account password to
anyone. Users are responsible for any misuse of their account that is due to
their own negligence. Users are responsible for reporting unauthorized use of
their account to the system administrator.
6) Updating Your User Information
If any
information on your account changes, e.g., telephone number, location, home
address, it is your responsibility to notify the system administrator.
7) Services
Diocese
of Allentown and Notre Dame High School
make no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service
it is providing. Diocese of Allentown and Notre
Dame High School will not be responsible for any damages you may suffer. This
includes loss of data resulting from delays, non‑deliveries, misdeliveries,
or service interruptions caused by the system or your errors or omissions. Use
of any information obtained via the system is at your own risk. Notre Dame High School specifically denies any
responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its
services.
Adopted by Notre Dame High
School, 3417 Church Road, Easton, PA on May 15, 2011.
The Department of Education of the Diocese of Allentown
would like to thank Bishop O'Reilly High School, Kingston, PA, the Luzerne
Intermediate Unit #18, and the Diocese of Galveston-Houston for their
assistance in developing this Acceptable Use Policy.
LEGAL NOTICE CONCERNING DISCLAIMER AND
TERMS OF USE
1.
Binding Agreement. We have developed these Terms of Use to govern
your use of this World Wide Web Site. Your use of our site tells us you have
read and agreed to these Terms of Use. Please read them carefully. These
Terms of Use represent a binding contract regarding your use of our web site.
If you do not agree with any of these terms, please exit the web site.
2.
Copyright. All information, content, artwork, text and
photographs displayed on, transmitted through, or used in connection with our
web site, including for example, news releases, directories, guides, text,
photographs, images, illustrations, trademarks, logos and the like
(collectively, the "Content"), as well as its selection and
arrangement, is owned by the Diocese of Allentown and/or its parishes, schools
and officially recognized and approved affiliated organizations (collectively
hereinafter referred to as the "Diocese of Allentown"). You may use
the Content online only, and solely for your personal, non-commercial use, and
you may download or print a single copy of any portion of the Content solely
for your personal, non-commercial use, provided you do not remove any
trademark, copyright or other notice from such Content. No other use is
permitted without prior written permission of the Diocese of Allentown. The
permitted use described in this paragraph is contingent on your compliance at
all times with these Terms of Use.
3. General Disclaimer and Limitation
of Liability. While we use reasonable efforts to include accurate
and up-to-date information, we make no warranties or representations as to the
accuracy of the Content and assume no liability or responsibility for any error
or omission in the Content. The Diocese of Allentown does not represent or
warrant that use of any Content will not infringe rights of third parties. The
Diocese of Allentown has no responsibility for actions of third parties or for
content provided or posted by others.
4.
No Warranties. The information on this web site is provided
"as is", "as available" and all warranties, express or
implied, are disclaimed (including but not limited to the disclaimer of any
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose).
All responsibility and liability for any damages caused by viruses contained
within the electronic files of this web site are disclaimed. The information
may contain errors, problems or other limitations. As a condition to our
providing the information on this web site, the viewer agrees that we are not
liable for any indirect, special, incidental, consequential damages or any
other damages (including damages for loss of business, loss of profits,
litigation or the like), whether based on breach of contract, breach of
warranty, tort (including negligence), product liability or otherwise, even if
advised of the possibility of such damages. We would not provide this web site
and information without such limitations. No representations, warranties or
guarantees whatsoever are made as to the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, currentness, completeness, suitability or applicability of
the information to a particular situation.
5.
Indemnity. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the
Diocese of Allentown and each of its employees, representatives, contractors
and agents, from any and all claims (including, but not limited to, claims for
defamation, trade disparagement, privacy and intellectual property
infringement) and damages (including attorneys' fees and court costs) arising
from or relating to any allegation regarding: (1) your use of this web site;
(2) the use of any content or information you provide, as long as such use is
not inconsistent with this agreement; (3) information or material posted or
transmitted by you; and (4) any violation of this agreement by you.
6.
Laws of Pennsylvania Apply. These Terms of Use will be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. You hereby
agree that any cause of action you may have with respect to the Diocese of
Allentown must be filed in a state court located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania,
within two months of the time in which the events giving rise to such claim
began, or you agree to waive such claim. If for any reason any provision of
this Agreement is found unenforceable, that provision shall be enforced to the
maximum extent permissible so as to effect the intent
of the parties as reflected in that provision, and the remainder of the
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. Any failure of the Diocese
of Allentown to enforce or exercise any provision of this Agreement or related
right shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. The section
titles used in this Agreement are purely for convenience and carry with them no
legal or contractual effect. In the event of termination of this Agreement for
any reason, you agree the following provisions will survive: the provisions
regarding limitations on your use of Content, and all other provisions for
which survival is equitable or appropriate.
7.
Communications. You should not send any confidential information
to the Diocese of Allentown on this web site and the content of any such
communication to this web site or e-mail, will not be considered confidential.
Any information sent to this web site via Internet e-mail or through the web
site is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis. We assume no
responsibility for the loss of confidentiality for any information that you
transmit to us via the Internet.
8.
Links. This web site may contain links to non-Diocese of Allentown web
sites. These links are provided to you only as a convenience. Such linked web
sites are not under the control of the Diocese of Allentown and the Diocese of
Allentown is not responsible for the content of any linked web site, or any
link contained in a linked web site. The inclusion of any link does not imply
endorsement by the Diocese of Allentown of the web site, and the Diocese of
Allentown shall have no responsibility for information which is referenced by
or linked to this web site.