Riverland Community College

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Computing Contract

  1. Riverland Community College's computer network gives access to the College's local area network and to the Internet. The Internet is an electronic information and communications "highway" connecting millions of computers all over the world and millions of individual people. Those with an account have access to any or all of the following:
    • E-mail able to communicate with people all over the world
    • Information and news from a wide variety of sources and research institutions
    • Public domain and shareware software of all types
    • Discussion groups on a wide variety of topics
    • Access to many college libraries, the Library of Congress, and more!
  2. With access to computers and people all over the world also comes the availability of some materials that may not be considered to be of educational value within the context of the school setting. The administration of Riverland Community College firmly believes that the valuable information and interaction available on this worldwide network far outweigh the possibility of users procuring material that is not consistent with the educational goals within the College. 
     
  3. Acceptable Use
     
  4. Below are some guidelines provided to establish the responsibilities you are about to acquire. If any user violates any of these provisions, his or her account or access privileges may be terminated, appropriate disciplinary action taken, and all future access through the College may be denied.
  5. The purpose of the Riverland Community College's provision of access is to support the education in and among academic institutions in the U.S. by providing access to unique resources and the opportunity for collaborative work. The use of your account must be in support of education and be consistent with the educational objectives of Riverland Community College. Members of the College community may not use the computing and network resources of the College for commercial purposes or for financial gain. Use of other organizations' networks or computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for that network. The privilege of using the computing resources provided by the College is not transferable or extendible by members of the College community to people or groups outside the college. Further amplification of acceptable use can be found in the laptop computer policy.
  6. Display or transmission of any materials in violation of any US or state organization is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or materials protected by trade secret. Use for product advertisement or political lobbying is also prohibited. Students must be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities, and take care not to display on screens in such locations images, sounds or messages which could create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others. You must also refrain from displaying or transmitting to others in any location inappropriate images, sounds, or messages which might reasonably be considered harassing.
  7. Privileges: The use of Riverland's network services is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use may result in a cancellation of those privileges. The site and/or system administrator(s) may close an account or deny access at any time as required. The site administrator and/or staff of Riverland may request the system administrator to deny, revoke, or suspend specific user accounts. In addition, e-mail is not guaranteed to be private. People who operate the system do have access to all mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities must be reported to appropriate authorities.
  8. Netiquette (Network etiquette): The use of your account requires that you abide by accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • BE POLITE. Do not send abusive messages to ANYONE.
    • USE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE. In all messages, do not swear or use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language. Anything pertaining to illegal activities is strictly forbidden.
    • RESPECT NETWORK RESOURCES: Do not use the network in such a way that would disrupt the use of the network by others. Logout/shutdown when you are through.
    • SOLICITATION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. This includes global and/or chain letters.
  9. Services: Riverland will not be responsible for any damages you may suffer. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliverables, or service interruptions caused by our own negligence or your errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Riverland network services is at your own risk. Riverland denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through network services.
  10. Security: Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. If you feel you can identify a security problem with the Riverland network, you must notify a system administrator either in person or via the network. Do not demonstrate the problem to other users. Do not use another individual's account, forge messages or post anonymous messages. Attempts to login to Riverland's networks as a system administrator or any other form of unauthorized access may result in immediate cancellation of user privileges. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to Riverland's network services.
  11. Vandalism: Vandalism may result in cancellation of privileges and/or criminal prosecution. This includes, but is not limited to, contamination, deletion, or reconfiguration of data or degradation of system performance in any way.
  12. Updates: Riverland may occasionally require new registration and account information from you to continue providing service. You must notify the system administrator of any changes in your account information. All Terms and Conditions as stated in this document are applicable to Riverland Community College. These Terms and Conditions reflect the entire agreement of the parties and supersede all prior oral or written agreements and understandings of the parties. These terms and conditions shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, United States of America.
  13. Statement: "I understand and will abide by the above Terms and Conditions for use of the Riverland computing and network services. I further understand that any violation of the regulation above is unethical and may constitute a criminal offense. Should I commit any violation, my access privileges will be revoked, school disciplinary action may be taken and/or appropriate legal action pursued. I have had the opportunity to discuss this agreement with a representative of Riverland's computing services. Furthermore, I have read and understand the Acceptable Use of the Computer Labs Policy set forth by the College. I agree to follow this policy.