Acceptable Use of Technology Resources at CSB and SJU

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In accordance with their mission to provide a liberal arts education, to foster the free exchange of ideas, and to provide effective support for its teaching, learning and research, it is the policy of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB and SJU) to permit broad access to information technology resources for students, faculty, and staff to use in fulfilling the institutional mission, and for appropriate college/university-related activities. Included in this policy is the intention to share information technology resources with other members of the broader community that have been granted access to the CSB and SJU network.

Technology resources are widely available for all members of the community.  Access to information technology resources, however, carries with it the responsibility for ensuring that its use is primarily for institutional purposes and related activities. Moreover, the use of information technology resources must be consistent with institutional policies and local, state, and federal laws.  

Scope

This policy applies to all persons who access or use institutional resources, which includes employees, students, faculty, emeriti faculty, visitors, volunteers, third parties, alumni, contractors, consultants, clients, temporaries, and others (collectively known as “users“), who have access to, support, administer, manage, or maintain CSB and SJU information and technology assets.

This policy applies to all technology resources of the institution, including without limitation:

General Standards for Acceptable Use

Prohibited Uses
Anyone who has been granted a username will have their access privileges denied, restricted, or revoked for any of the following activities:

Prohibited Uses – Examples

The above examples are only meant to provide general guidance and are by no means exhaustive.

Violation Resolution Procedures:
Failure to comply with any of the above policies may result in suspension or termination of network services, appropriate disciplinary action.

Members of the CSB and SJU community that use any information technology resources in the furtherance of activities prohibited by state, local or Federal law, or CSB and SJU policy, will be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.  Appropriate discipline for any violation will be determined by the head of the relevant constituency group, in consultation with the Chief Information Officer (e.g., the Provost for faculty and student violations and the Chief Operating Officer for staff violations).

Noncompliance and Sanctions

Users who violate this policy may be denied access to the institution’s resources and may be subject to penalties and disciplinary action, both within and outside of the institution, subject to the appropriate enforcement process. The institution may temporarily suspend or block access to an account, prior to the initiation or completion of such procedures, when it reasonably appears necessary to do so to protect the integrity, security, or functionality of the institution or other computing resources or to protect the institution from liability.

Violations of this Acceptable Use Policy will be handled through standard disciplinary processes as outlined in the Student Handbook and applicable faculty and staff handbooks. Information Technology Services reserves the right to take immediate action to protect information security, system integrity, and operational continuity. Reviews of actions taken by Information Technology Services and subsequent disciplinary decisions are made by the appropriate disciplinary authority in consultation with the Chief Information Officer (e.g., the Provost for faculty and student violations and the Chief Operating Officer for staff violations).

Privacy
CSB and SJU strives to protect the privacy of this information, although it cannot guarantee confidentiality.  Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to access, review or disclose information stored in CSB and SJU’s information technology resources in response to court orders or other legal action, in connection with investigations of possible violations of institutional policy or legal obligations, or if an individual’s conduct raises concern about appropriate conduct in the workplace or educational environment.  CSB and SJU retains the right to use its discretion in accessing, reviewing, and disclosing records in order to address these types of situations.

Individual users of information systems and resources should be sensitive to the inherent limitations of shared network resources. No computer security system can absolutely prevent unauthorized persons from accessing stored information and CSB and SJU cannot, and does not, guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of stored information or electronic communications.

Legal Compliance

The institution will, when required by subpoena, warrant, or retention order, retain, or release available institutional data to appropriate authorities. Based on the requirement of the subpoena, warrant, or order, users may or may not be made aware of these actions.

Policy Details

By using the information technology resource provided by CSB and SJU, you are indicating your acceptance of this policy and your promise to abide by it.

CSB and SJU reserves the right to change, modify, or otherwise alter this policy at its sole discretion and at any time as it deems circumstances warrant.

This policy will be reviewed annually. It was last revised on 6/4/2024.