STUDENT AFFAIRS OP 91.117: Student Use of Computing Resources
Date: November 29, 1994 (Revised 04/03/06)
Purpose
To provide guidelines and regulations governing students' use of computing resources at Mississippi State University.
Policy
In support of the university's mission of teaching, research, and service, Mississippi State University provides computing, networking, and information resources to the university student community. Such open access is a privilege, and requires that individual users act responsibly, including the conservation of computer resources and consideration of other users. All existing federal and state laws, and university regulations and policies apply, including not only those laws and regulations that are specific to computers and networks, but also those that may apply generally to personal conduct (See OP 91.100: Code of Student Conduct).
Procedure
The university views abuse of any computer facility and resource as a serious offense. Such abuse includes but is not limited to:
Negligently degrading, intentionally degrading, or attempting to degrade the performance of the university's system or any system available through the Internet;
Penetrating or attempting to penetrate the security of the university system or any system available through the Internet;
Depriving or attempting to deprive other users of resources, or access to computer resources;
Using any computer system or network to send unsolicited, offensive, abusive, obscene, or otherwise harassing communications as reported by the receiver of the message and confirmed by an investigation by the Dean of Students and determined to be a violation of campus policy;
Displaying obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit or offensive material/images that can be in view of others in a public facility or location;
Using a computer account belonging to another individual (students are responsible for all activity originating from their account as well as for its safeguard and use);
Negligently, or intentionally and without authorization, accessing, altering, interfering with the operation of, damaging or destroying all or part of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, computer program, or computer database;
Failing to reasonably protect, or intentionally or knowingly giving or publishing any password, identifying code, personal identification code, or other confidential information about a computer, computer system, computer network, or database;
Inspecting, modifying, or copying programs, data, or electronic mail without authorization;
Placing, posting, or viewing any information in the university's computer system, computer network, or any system available through the Internet which is not in keeping with the educational purposes of the university, such purposes being determined solely by the university; and
Specifying false or misleading information when applying for computer access or when being investigated for computer misuse under this policy.
Students committing prohibited actions will be held accountable and shall be subject to the Disciplinary Procedures described in University Policies and Regulations Regarding Individual Behavior found online at http://www.msstate.edu/web/security.html (See OP 91.100: Code of Student Conduct). Students who suspect their accounts have been infiltrated, should contact the Helpdesk or the individual responsible for another university network, and the Dean of Students.
Review
The Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for the review of this operating policy every five years or as needed.
For information about this policy, contact the responsible/reviewing department hyperlinked above.
