Access.  As an employee of Lycoming College, you are given access to the Novell network by a personal account, an e-mail/groupware account (GroupWise), appropriate administrative databases (primarily Datatel’s Colleague), a personal network storage space, a personal web site, appropriate department web site accounts, a Lycoming Employee Resource account (employee-only web pages containing forms, financial and advisement information, etc.), appropriate phone extensions and a voice mail box.

Training and Standards.  Immediate training can be received by contacting the help desk of Information Technology Services at x4150.  Printing is networked and departments charged for related user accounts.  Important files must be saved on the network for daily backup.  The college does not recover data lost on individual computers.  E-mail is assigned limited space and must be periodically archived.  GroupWise, Microsoft Office and FrontPage are the current standards to be used for office e-mail, files, e-mail attachments, and official College web pages.  All employees are expected to stay current with all College software standards.

E-mail.  Lycoming College e-mail accounts are an official means of communications within the College.  Examples are the weekly Academic Bulletin, and other important notices.  As such, it is the responsibility of full-time and part-time employees to frequently read their e-mail.  Faculty requiring students to read e-mail for a course should make the requirement clear in the course syllabus.

Those who use College e-mail services are required to do so responsibly – that is, to comply with state and federal laws, act within this policy and other policies of the College, and with normal standards of professional and personal courtesy.

Confidentiality of Records.  Each person approved for access to the Datatel Colleague system, whether by a direct screen or web interface, is responsible for security of his/her password and protection of information.  At no time should any individual share his/her password with another person, display the password in public view, or install the password as a macro function.  Each person approved for access is responsible for signing off when finished accessing data.

Each person having access to employee and College records is responsible for maintaining confidentiality and is limited to the use of this information only for College purposes.

Further, it is the express understanding of the Office of the Registrar that student records information will be employed only as it is needed to fulfill the requirements of one's position at the college and it will not be released to any other individual or office for another purpose. A person having access to student records should be aware that there are possible civil sanctions and college disciplinary action for violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and related institutional policies for maintaining the confidentiality of student information.

All persons accessing confidential or restricted student data are required to maintain data about individual students in a secure fashion such that it cannot be viewed--by screen access, file access or in printed form--by unauthorized individuals.  Although it is allowable to print a report or screen of confidential information for authorized record keeping or advising purposes, the user should not release the printed information to other individuals or offices.  Any personally identifiable confidential data contained in print form or on computer files that are no longer needed should be destroyed in such a way that identification of a student is not possible.

Use Policies.  Employees should understand that the College’s communication systems are primarily for business use and the College reserves the right to review, audit and disclose all matters disseminated or stored on its systems.  This includes e-mail, voice mail and computers files stored on the College’s systems.  The complete policy is found in the Administrative Manual, Faculty Handbook, and on the College web site at www.lycoming.edu/oct/policies.htm.                                                                                       

Generally speaking, the College only reviews stored material when necessary upon receiving a complaint either internal or external of a violation of College policy or federal, state, or local laws.  An investigation will require review and approval by both the Dean of the College and the President, or if unavailable, two officers of the College.  If an internal investigation has occurred, the employee whose file has been reviewed will be informed in a timely manner.   An investigation may also occur in response to a subpoena or other valid legal process.

All users are urged to be sensitive to the public nature of shared computing facilities, including e-mail services, and refrain from transmitting to others within or without the system inappropriate images, sounds or messages which might reasonably create an atmosphere of discomfort and harassment.

Signature.  By my signature below, I understand and agree to preserve the security and confidentiality of information I access and my password, as well as to abide by Lycoming College policies as stated above.  I understand that software standards may change from time-to-time and that my signature is an agreement to conform to these standards.  Misuse, abuse or violation of these policies could result in disciplinary action.

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Signature of Lycoming employee                                                                      Date

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Printed name of Lycoming employee