General User Policy

Education for Change (EFC)

Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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1.0     Overview

EFC is committed to the protection of its employees, partners and the company from illegal or damaging actions by individuals which may be committed either knowingly or unknowingly.  EFC’s intentions for publishing a Computer Acceptable Use Policy are toward this end; they are not to impose restrictions that are contrary to EFC’s established culture of openness, trust and integrity.

Internet/, Intranet/, and Extranet-related systems, including but not limited to computer equipment, software operating systems, storage media, e-mail accounts providing electronic mail, World Wide Web browsing, and File Transfer Protocol are the property of EFC.  These systems are to be used for business purposes in serving the interests and mission of the company and of our parents, students and staff in the course of normal business operations.

Effective security requires a team effort involving the participation and support of every EFC employee who handles information and/or information systems.  It is the responsibility of every computer user to know these guidelines, and to conduct their activities in conformance with the policy.

2.0     Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the acceptable use of computer equipment at EFC.  These rules are in place to protect the employee and EFC.  Inappropriate use exposes EFC to risks including virus attacks, compromise of network systems and services, and legal issues.

3.0     Scope

This policy applies to employees, students, contractors, consultants, temporary employees, and other workers at EFC, including all personnel affiliated with third parties.  This policy applies to all equipment that is owned or leased by EFC including but not limited to, laptop computers, desktop computers, networked and non-networked peripherals such as printers, scanners and fax machines and imaging devices such as still and video cameras as well as the voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephone system.

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Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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4.0     Policy

General Use and Ownership

a. While EFC network administration intends to provide a reasonable level of privacy, users should be aware that the data they create on company systems remains the property of EFC.  Because of the need to protect EFC’s network, management cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information stored on any network device belonging to EFC.

b. Employees are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the reasonableness of personal use.   Brief and occasional personal use of the electronic mail system or the Internet is acceptable as long as it is not excessive or inappropriate, occurs during personal time (lunch or other breaks), and does not result in expense to EFC.  Regarding the content in any electronic communication, a good rule of thumb to follow would be; there is NO expectation of privacy.

c. Use is defined as “excessive” if it interferes with normal job functions, responsiveness, or the ability to perform daily job activities.  Electronic communication should not be used to solicit or sell products or services or to distract, intimidate, or harass coworkers or third parties; or disrupt the workplace.

d. Use of EFC computers, networks and Internet access is a privilege granted by administration and may be revoked at any time for inappropriate conduct carried out on such systems, including, but not limited to:

·         Sending chain letters or participating in any way in the creation or transmission of unsolicited commercial e-mail (“spam”) that is unrelated to legitimate educational activity;

·         Engaging in private or personal business activities, including excessive use of instant messaging and chat rooms;

·         Misrepresenting oneself or EFC;

·         Violating the laws and regulations of the United States or any other nation or state, city, province, or other local jurisdiction in any way;

·         Engaging in unlawful or malicious activities;

·         Deliberately propagating any virus, worm, Trojan horse, trap-door program code, or other code or file designed to disrupt, disable, impair, or otherwise harm either EFC’s networks or systems or those of any other individual or entity outside of the EFC network.

·         Using EFC computing resources in any way that is disruptive, offensive to others, or harmful to morale (e.g. sexually explicit images, ethnic slurs, racial

epithets, or anything else that may be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual

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Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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orientation, age, religious beliefs or political beliefs may not be displayed or transmitted);

·         Attempting to gain access to another employee’s personal file of e-mail or voicemail messages without the latter’s express permission;

·         Sending, receiving, or accessing pornographic materials;

·         Distributing politically partisan material or religious material;

·         Causing congestion, disruption, disablement, alteration, or impairment of EFC networks or systems;

·         Maintaining, organizing, or participating in non-work-related Web logs (“blogs”), Web journals, “chat rooms”, or private/personal instant messaging;

·         Failing to log off any secure, controlled-access computer or other form of electronic data system to which you are assigned, if you leave such computer or system unattended;

·         Using recreational games; and/or

·         Defeating or attempting to defeat security restrictions on organization systems and applications.

e. Using EFC’s electronic communication systems to access, create, view, transmit, or receive racist, sexist, threatening, or otherwise objectionable or illegal material is strictly prohibited.  “Material” is defined as any visual, textual, or auditory entity.  Such material violates EFC’s anti-harassment policies and is subject to disciplinary action.  Use of EFC resources for illegal activity can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal and criminal prosecution.  EFC will comply with reasonable requests from law enforcement and regulatory agencies for logs, diaries, archives, or files on individual Internet activities, e-mail use, and/or computer use.

f. Unless specifically granted in this policy, any non-business use of EFC’s electronic data systems is expressly forbidden.

g. Any employee found to violate this policy, could be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.           

Ownership and Access of Electronic Mail, Internet Access, and Computer Files

EFC owns the rights to all data and files in any computer, network, or other information system used in the organization.  EFC also reserves the right to monitor electronic mail messages (including personal/private/instant messaging systems) and their content, as well as any and all use of the Internet and of computer equipment used to create, view, or access email and Internet content.  Employees must be aware that the electronic mail messages sent and received using EFC’s equipment are not private and are subject to viewing, downloading, inspection, release and archiving by EFC officials at all times.  EFC has the right

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Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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to inspect any and all files stored in private areas of the network or on individual computers or storage media in order to assure compliance with policy and with

state and federal laws.  No employee may access another employee’s computer, computer files, or electronic mail messages without prior authorization from either the employee or an appropriate EFC official.  EFC has licensed the use of certain commercial software application programs for business purposes.  Third parties retain the ownership and distribution rights to such software.  No employee may create, use, or distribute copies of such software that are not in compliance with the license agreements for the software.  Violation of this policy can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Access to Inappropriate Material

To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or “Internet filters”) shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communication, access to inappropriate information by EFC students.

Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.

Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

Personal Electronic Equipment

Employees may not bring personal computers to the workplace or connect them to EFC’s electronic systems unless expressly permitted to do so by the Finance and Operations department.  Any employee bringing a personal computing device onto EFC premises thereby gives permission to the Finance and Operations department to inspect the personal computer at any time with personnel from EFC’s technical staff and to analyze any files, or other data, or data storage media that may be within or connectable to the personal computer or image recording device in question.  Employees who do not wish such inspections to be done on their personal computers or imaging devices should not bring such items to work at all.

Personal Software

The use and installation of personal software on EFC’s computer systems is forbidden.  All software required to perform job functions and installed on EFC computer systems, must be licensed to EFC.  Requests for additional software must be directed to the Finance and Operations department.

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Computer Acceptable Use Policy

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Violation of this policy, or failure to permit an inspection of any device covered by this policy, shall result in disciplinary action, up to and possibly including immediate termination of employment.  In addition, the employee may face both civil and criminal liability from EFC or from individuals whose rights are harmed by the violation.

I have read and understand the above information.

Printed Name: ________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________

Date: _____/_____/_____