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Policy 2303 – Policies on Internet Use

Revision Date:  09/12/2016
Last Review:  11/11/2024
Responsible Office: Computing Center

Policy:

Purpose

Louisiana Tech University provides access to centralized computer resources and to the Internet for all administrative and academic units at the University. The University intends this use to enhance record-keeping; to make both local and off-campus information accessible to faculty, staff, and students; and to serve as a communications bridge to off-campus parties interested in the University and the information generated by members of the University community.

Because of the nature of some of this information, access to it must be limited; however, because of its role as a state-supported educational institution, it is the University’s obligation to make suitable information available to both its internal and external constituents. Because of these potential conflicting needs — limiting access to information and making information widely available — it is the obligation of faculty, staff, and students to make use of computer and Internet resources responsibly, ethically, and legally.

Supervision of Computer and Internet Resources

The mainframe, including related hardware and software, and University-related cloud storage and services are supervised by the Computing Center.

The IT Steering Committee assesses campus needs for computing services and assigns priorities to meet those needs.

The IT Steering Committee supervises the presentation of faculty, staff, and student information on the Louisiana Tech University Web Site.

Home Pages on the Louisiana Tech University World Wide Web Site

Institutional

All units of the University and individual faculty and staff members are encouraged to create and maintain a presence on the World Wide Web. These Web pages should be used to give information about such topics as degree programs, registration, financial aid, distance learning programs and courses, and information about administration, faculty, and staff accomplishments. As these pages will be available to a world-wide public, it is important that these pages be well-planned, appealing in appearance, and kept up-to-date. Institutional pages will be linked to the Louisiana Tech University Home Page and will be listed under the appropriate section and heading. All institutional home pages should provide a link back to the University Home Page, an e-mail address for interested parties to contact, the author or supervisor of the page, and the date of the last revision of the page.

Student

Student-generated Web pages may also be linked to and accessed through the University Home Page. These pages may be used by the student for such things as providing a list of student accomplishments and/or interests, job and academic history, personal academic and non-academic interests, and other useful information. The University does not intend to supervise these pages but does request that their content not reflect adversely on the University as a whole, or on its personnel (particular faculty, staff, and students), and that the content of these pages does not violate the standards enumerated below.

Guidelines for the Creation and Use of Home Pages

Institutional

As explained, Web pages set up by official agents of Louisiana Tech University should, as a whole, deal with the academic and student-oriented matters typical of a University community. It is assumed that each supervisor of these sites will attend to such matters as the use of personal and copyrighted material, the accuracy and currency of the information presented, and the aesthetic appeal of the page in its reflection on the University as a whole and on the particular unit generating the page.

It is assumed that other pages linked to these institutional pages, such as the Home Pages of faculty and staff members, will also be created and viewed as entities of the University and will present material that is in keeping with the unit and individual(s) involved or presented through the page(s).

Individual: Faculty, Staff, and Student

Home pages of individuals (such as faculty, staff, and students) that are not linked to a unit page but are presented as entities in themselves and linked to the University Home Page should be done so that they do not reflect adversely on the creator or on other areas of the University community. Within this guideline, individual interests and imagination are encouraged.

Areas of Concern

Creators of institutional and individual home pages should exercise care in the following areas to insure that applicable ethical and legal guidelines are followed:

  1. Home Pages at Louisiana Tech University should not be used for commercial purposes, for either individuals or commercial entities. 
  2. Information should not be disseminated that is in violation of the Privacy Act; such information would include student grades or medical records.
  3. Information that could be used to compromise computer security at Louisiana Tech University or elsewhere should not be released. 
  4. Copies of commercially-available software should not be posted on a University Web Site. 
  5. Information that violates applicable copyright laws should not be used in the creation of a Web site or page. The Copyright Website provides useful information about the use of copyrighted material.
  6. University computing resources such as e-mail should not be used to harass others or interfere with the working of the University.
  7. University computing hardware resources — including the central computer and separate computers available in offices and labs — should not be tampered with or changed without permission. 
  8. Software on University computers — either central or on separate ones — should not be tampered with or copied.

For Social Media Guidelines, please refer to Policy 1308-Online Social Media Usage Policy.

Definitions:

Not applicable.

Procedures:

Not applicable.

 

Policy 2303 – Policies on Internet Use

Revision Date:  09/12/2016
Last Review:  11/11/2024
Responsible Office: Computing Center

Policy:

Purpose

Louisiana Tech University provides access to centralized computer resources and to the Internet for all administrative and academic units at the University. The University intends this use to enhance record-keeping; to make both local and off-campus information accessible to faculty, staff, and students; and to serve as a communications bridge to off-campus parties interested in the University and the information generated by members of the University community.

Because of the nature of some of this information, access to it must be limited; however, because of its role as a state-supported educational institution, it is the University’s obligation to make suitable information available to both its internal and external constituents. Because of these potential conflicting needs — limiting access to information and making information widely available — it is the obligation of faculty, staff, and students to make use of computer and Internet resources responsibly, ethically, and legally.

Supervision of Computer and Internet Resources

The mainframe, including related hardware and software, and University-related cloud storage and services are supervised by the Computing Center.

The IT Steering Committee assesses campus needs for computing services and assigns priorities to meet those needs.

The IT Steering Committee supervises the presentation of faculty, staff, and student information on the Louisiana Tech University Web Site.

Home Pages on the Louisiana Tech University World Wide Web Site

Institutional

All units of the University and individual faculty and staff members are encouraged to create and maintain a presence on the World Wide Web. These Web pages should be used to give information about such topics as degree programs, registration, financial aid, distance learning programs and courses, and information about administration, faculty, and staff accomplishments. As these pages will be available to a world-wide public, it is important that these pages be well-planned, appealing in appearance, and kept up-to-date. Institutional pages will be linked to the Louisiana Tech University Home Page and will be listed under the appropriate section and heading. All institutional home pages should provide a link back to the University Home Page, an e-mail address for interested parties to contact, the author or supervisor of the page, and the date of the last revision of the page.

Student

Student-generated Web pages may also be linked to and accessed through the University Home Page. These pages may be used by the student for such things as providing a list of student accomplishments and/or interests, job and academic history, personal academic and non-academic interests, and other useful information. The University does not intend to supervise these pages but does request that their content not reflect adversely on the University as a whole, or on its personnel (particular faculty, staff, and students), and that the content of these pages does not violate the standards enumerated below.

Guidelines for the Creation and Use of Home Pages

Institutional

As explained, Web pages set up by official agents of Louisiana Tech University should, as a whole, deal with the academic and student-oriented matters typical of a University community. It is assumed that each supervisor of these sites will attend to such matters as the use of personal and copyrighted material, the accuracy and currency of the information presented, and the aesthetic appeal of the page in its reflection on the University as a whole and on the particular unit generating the page.

It is assumed that other pages linked to these institutional pages, such as the Home Pages of faculty and staff members, will also be created and viewed as entities of the University and will present material that is in keeping with the unit and individual(s) involved or presented through the page(s).

Individual: Faculty, Staff, and Student

Home pages of individuals (such as faculty, staff, and students) that are not linked to a unit page but are presented as entities in themselves and linked to the University Home Page should be done so that they do not reflect adversely on the creator or on other areas of the University community. Within this guideline, individual interests and imagination are encouraged.

Areas of Concern

Creators of institutional and individual home pages should exercise care in the following areas to insure that applicable ethical and legal guidelines are followed:

  1. Home Pages at Louisiana Tech University should not be used for commercial purposes, for either individuals or commercial entities. 
  2. Information should not be disseminated that is in violation of the Privacy Act; such information would include student grades or medical records.
  3. Information that could be used to compromise computer security at Louisiana Tech University or elsewhere should not be released. 
  4. Copies of commercially-available software should not be posted on a University Web Site. 
  5. Information that violates applicable copyright laws should not be used in the creation of a Web site or page. The Copyright Website provides useful information about the use of copyrighted material.
  6. University computing resources such as e-mail should not be used to harass others or interfere with the working of the University.
  7. University computing hardware resources — including the central computer and separate computers available in offices and labs — should not be tampered with or changed without permission. 
  8. Software on University computers — either central or on separate ones — should not be tampered with or copied.

For Social Media Guidelines, please refer to Policy 1308-Online Social Media Usage Policy.

Definitions:

Not applicable.

Procedures:

Not applicable.