This section is very important. Infractions may cause you to lose your IT account privileges and may affect standing with the University and/or the police. This section is divided into two parts: the official IT policy and unofficial “common sense” practices.
In order to use the IT facilities, you must agree to:
1. Respect the lab area and lab equipment. You must not eat or drink in the lab areas. This can lead to unsanitary lab conditions and/or damage equipment. You must also clean up your work area before leaving.
2. Not seek unauthorized information on or from other users. You must not seek unauthorized access to, or copies of, others' files, data, or user information (including passwords). You must not modify others' files, data, or information.
3. Not log in as or otherwise represent yourself as another user.
4. Respect the legal protection provided by copyrights and licenses for programs, data, and intellectual and artistic property. For example, you must not make a copy of a licensed computer program to share with others in avoidance of the copyright in order to avoid a software purchase.
5. Respect the intended use for which your access to the facilities is granted. For example, you may not use IT facilities for outside commercial activities. Be respectful of the amount of computers in the lab. If someone needs to use a computer and you are playing games, you may be asked to leave the computer.
6. Respect the integrity of the IT facilities. You must not intentionally develop or use programs that harass other users or infiltrate computers or systems and/or damage or alter the software components of a computer system or impair in any way the operation of the IT network or systems.
7. Respect the personal rights of others. You must not engage in private or public behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for other users based on race, sex, color, religion, creed, nationality, age, marital status, handicap, or veteran status.
8. Not use the email system to send spam.
IT accounts are only to be used in support of the College of Engineering and Technology instructional and research activities. The use of IT facilities for the storage and transmission of pornographic materials (images or text) is a violation of IT policy and is also a violation of the Honor Code. Such use will be reported to the Honor Code Office. The BYU Computer Network Patron Policy states, in part:
Students will most likely be asked to leave the University when any of the following conditions have been substantiated: Any of the materials are pornographic, erotic, or indecent or when materials or associated expressions of conduct are offensive and, in the sole discretion and judgment of the University, are inconsistent with the principles of the Church and the BYU Honor Code.
IT reserves the right to monitor your account and associated computer activities. Abuse in any form will result in the suspension of your account(s). If an abuse involves illegal activity, the appropriate authorities will be notified.
This part contains some of the “common sense” rules for IT. Violation of these “common sense” rules may also cause you to lose your account privileges.
1. Wash your hands before using equipment, especially after eating, working in the shop, or using the restroom. Don't touch the screens with your fingers. Point to items on the screen with a pencil or other object to avoid leaving smudges which make the screen harder to read.
2. Never give your password or door codes to anyone.
3. You may at some time do work for outside engineering firms. Never use BYU software licenses to do any work for outside employers. Most software licenses are donated and/or educational. Any payment received by students from outside sources for work done on IT systems could result in legal action against BYU and/or against you, and in the loss of the software licenses involved. If you have any question about this, see a IT administrator!
4. Do not lock workstations with a password to reserve a place in the lab for after class. Log out if you will be out of the lab for more than a few minutes.
5. If you need to run a program that will take a long time to complete, there are methods to do so without interrupting the work of others. Please contact an administrator for information on how to run jobs that will take an extended amount of time.