7540.04 - TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES USE POLICY

Leipsic Local School District

Bylaws & Policies

7540.04 - TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES USE POLICY

Policy restricting personal use of District computers and systems

PURPOSE

		1.	To better serve our students and provide our staff with the best tools to do their jobs, Leipsic Local School District ("LLSD") makes available to our workforce access to one (1) or more forms of electronic media services, including but not limited to: computers, softwares, printers, copiers, files, databases, cellular phone/pager, e-mail, telephones, voicemail, fax machines, external electronic bulletin boards, wire services, online services, intranet, internet and the World Wide Web.
		2.	The Leipsic Local School District encourages the use of these media and associated services because they can make communications more efficient and effective and because they are valuable sources of information about vendors, customers, technology, and new products and services. However, all employees and everyone connected with the organization should remember that electronic media and services provided by Leipsic Local School District property and their purpose is to facilitate and support LLSD business. All computer users have the responsibility to use these resources in a professional, ethical, and lawful manner.
		3.	To ensure that all employees are responsible, the following guidelines have been established for using e-mail and the Internet. No policy can lay down rules to cover every possible situation. Instead, it is designed to express Leipsic Local School District philosophy and set forth general principals when using electronic media and services.

	B.	AUTHORIZATION
		Access to Leipsic Local School District's technology resources is within the sole discretion of LLSD. Generally, employees are given access to LLSD's various technologies based on their job functions. Only employees whose job performance will benefit from the use of the LLSD's technology resources will be given access to the necessary technology. Additionally, employees must successfully complete an approved training before being given access to LLSD's technology resources.
	C.	PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS
		Electronic media cannot be used for knowingly copying, transmitting, retrieving, or storing any communication that is:

		1.	discriminatory or harassing;
		2.	derogatory to any individual or group;
		3.	obscure, sexually explicit, pornographic, defamatory or threatening;
		4.	in violation of any license governing the use of software;
		5.	engaged in for any purpose that is illegal or contrary to Leipsic Local School District policy or in a manner contrary to the best interest of LLSD, in any way that discloses confidential or proprietary information of LLSD or third parties, or for personal or pecuniary gain; or
		6.	protected by copyright's laws unless the employee has the author's permission or in accessing a single copy only for the employee's reference.

	D.	PROFESSIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
		It is important to maintain a proper spirit and tone to your communications over the system. The following guidelines are suggested:

		1.	Make your communications positive, constructive, complete, factual.
		2.	Don't write when angry and edit before sending.
		3.	Be careful with humor-they can't see you wink.
		4.	Always avoid sarcastic humor.
		5.	Never use all caps-that is perceived as "SHOUTING".
		6.	Avoid belaboring disagreements in e-mail-there is a time for face-to-face meetings.
		7.	Always guide your recipient in responding by stating what you need and by when.
		8.	Pay attention to grammar and spelling, both to protect your own reputation and intelligence and to avoid irritating your recipients who are distracted by careless mistakes.

	E.	PERSONAL USE
		The computers, electronic media and services provided by LLSD are primarily for business use to assist employees in the performance of their jobs. As long as personal use does not interfere with the employee's duties, is not done for pecuniary gain, does not conflict with LLSD's business, and does not violate any LLSD policy, occasional, or incidental use of electronic media (sending or receiving) for personal, non-business purpose is understandable and acceptable, and all such use should be done in a manner that does not negatively affect the systems' use for their business purpose. However, employees are expected to demonstrate a sense of responsibility and not abuse this privilege. The LLSD assumes no liability for loss, damage, destruction, alteration, disclosure, or misuse of any personal data or communications transmitted over or stored on the LLSD technology resources. The LLSD accepts no responsibility or liability for the loss or non-delivery of any personal electronic mail or voicemail communications or any personal data stored on any LLSD property. The LLSD strongly discourages employees from storing any personal data on any of the LLSD's technology resources.
	F.	ACCESS TO EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS

		1.	Generally, electronic information created and/or communicated by an employee using e-mail, word processing, utility programs, spreadsheets, voicemail, telephones, Internet and bulletin board system access, and similar electronic media is not reviewed by the LLSD. However, the following conditions should be noted.
			The LLSD may routinely gather logs for most electronic activities or monitor employee communications directly, be it:

			a.	Telephone Use and Voicemail: Records are kept of all calls made from and to a given telephone extension. Although voicemail is password protected an authorized administrator can reset the password and listen to voicemail messages.
			b.	Electronic Mail: Electronic mail is backed-up and archived. Although electronic mail is password protected, an authorized administrator can reset the password and read electronic mail.
			c.	Desktop Facsimile Use: Copies of all facsimile transmissions sent and received are maintained in the facsimile server.
			d.	Document Use: Each document stored on LLSD computers has a history, which show which users have accessed the document for any purpose.
			e.	Internet Use: Internet sites visited, the number of times visited, and the total time connected to each site is recorded periodically monitored.

The LLSD reserves the right, at its discretion and without notice, to review any employee's electronic files and messages to the extent necessary to ensure electronic media and services are being used in compliance with the law, this policy and other LLSD policies, or to investigate misconduct, to locate information, or for any other business purpose.

		2.	Employees should understand, therefore, that they have no right of privacy with respect to any messages or information created or maintained on the LLSD's technology resources including personal information or messages. Accordingly, if they have sensitive information to transmit, they should use other means. All messages sent and received, including personal messages, and all data and information stored on the LLSD's electronic-mail system, voicemail system, or computer systems are LLSD's property regardless of the content. As such, the LLSD reserves the right to access all of its technology resources including its computers, voicemail, and electronic-mail systems at anytime, in its sole discretion. Passwords do not confer any right of privacy upon any employee of the LLSD. Employees are expected to maintain their passwords as confidential. Employees must not share passwords and must not access coworkers' systems without authorization. Deleting or erasing information, documents, or messages maintained on the LLSD'S technology resources is, in most cases ineffective. All employees should understand that any information kept on the LLSD's technology resources may be electronically recalled or recreated regardless of whether it may have been "deleted" or "erased" by an employee.
			Because the LLSD periodically backs-up all files and messages, and because of the way in which computers re-use file storage space, files and messages may exist that are thought to have been deleted or erased. Therefore, employees who delete or erase information or messages should not assume that such information or messages are confidential.

	G.	THE INTERNET AND ON-LINE SERVICES
		The LLSD provides authorized employees to on-line services such as the Internet. The LLSD expects that employees will use these services in a responsible way and for business-related purposes only. Under no circumstances are employees permitted to use the LLSD's Technology Resources to access, download, or contribute to the following:

		1.	gross, indecent, or sexually-oriented materials;
		2.	sports sites;
		3.	job-search sites;
		4.	entertaining sites;
		5.	gambling sites;
		6.	games, humor;
		7.	illegal drug-oriented sites;
		8.	personal pages of individuals; and
		9.	politically-oriented sites or sites devoted to influencing the course of legislation or public policy.

Additionally, employees must not sign "guest books" at Web sites or post messages, Internet news groups or discussion groups at Web sites. These actions will generate junk electronic mail and may expose the LLSD to liability or unwanted attention because of comments that employees may make. The LLSD strongly encourages employees who wish to access the Internet for non-work-related activities to get their own personal Internet access accounts.

PARTICIPATION IN ONLINE FORUMS

		1.	Employees should remember that any messages or information sent on LLSD-provided facilities to one (1) or more individuals via an electronic network-for example, Internet mailing lists, bulletin boards, and online services - are statements identifiable to the LLSD.
		2.	The LLSD recognizes that participation in some forums might be important to the performance of an employee's job. For instance, an employee might find the answer to a technical problem by consulting members of a news group devoted to the technical area.

	I.	SOFTWARE
		To prevent computer viruses being transmitted through the company's computer system, unauthorized downloading of any unauthorized software is strictly prohibited. Only software registered through the LLSD may be downloaded. No employee may load any software on the LLSD's computers, by any means of transmissions, unless authorized in advance by the LLSD's system administrator.
	J.	SECURITY/APPROPRIATE USE

Employees must respect the confidentiality of other individuals' electronic communications. Except in cases in which explicit authorization has been granted by LLSD management, employees are prohibited from engaging in, or attempting to engage in:

			a.	monitoring or intercepting the files or electronic communications of other employees or third parties;
			b.	hacking or obtaining access to systems or accounts they are not authorized to use;
			c.	using other people's log-ins or passwords;
			d.	breaching, testing, or monitoring computer or network security measures; and
			e.	no e-mail or other electronic communications can be sent that attempt to hide the identity of the sender or represent the sender as someone else.

		2.	Electronic media and services should not be used in a manner that is likely to cause network congestion or significantly hamper the ability of other people to access and use the system.
		3.	Anyone obtaining electronic access to other companies' or individuals' materials must respect all copyrights and cannot copy, retrieve, modify or forward copyrighted materials except as permitted by the copyright owner.
		4.	The LLSD has installed a variety of programs and devices to ensure the safety and security of the LLSD's technology resources. Any employee found tampering or disabling any of the LLSD's security devices will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

	K.	ENCRYPTION
		Employees can use encryption software supplied to them by the systems administrator for purposes of safeguarding sensitive or confidential business information. Employees who use encryption on files stored on a LLSD computer must provide their supervisor with a sealed hard copy record (to be retained in a secure location) of all of the passwords and/or encryption keys necessary to access the files.
	L.	CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
		The LLSD is very sensitive to the issue of protection of trade secrets and other confidential and proprietary information of both the LLSD and third parties ("Confidential Information"). Therefore, employees are expected to use good judgment and to adhere to the highest ethical standards when using or transmitting Confidential Information on the LLSD's technology resources. Confidential Information should not be accessed through the LLSD's technology resources in the presence of unauthorized individuals. Similarly, Confidential Information should not be left visible or unattended. Moreover, Confidential Information transmitted via technology resources should be marked with the following confidentiality legend:
		"This message contains Confidential Information. Unless you are the addressee (or authorized to receive for the addressee), you may not copy, use, or distribute this information. If your have received this message in error, please advise _____________________ (employee's name) immediately at ____________________ (employee's telephone number) or return it promptly by mail."
	M.	VIOLATIONS
		Any employee who abuses the privilege of their access to e-mail or the Internet in violation of this policy will be subject to corrective action, including possible termination of employment, legal action, and criminal liability.
	N.	PROCEDURES
		Procedures for accessing the Voicemail, E-mail and Internet system, as well as the guidelines for how to properly send and retain information, may be obtained by contracting Mark Myers. The Voicemail/E-mail/Internet policies and procedures should be reviewed by each employee on a semiannual basis. Questions concerning the use of the Voicemail/E-mail/Internet system should be directed to the systems administrator. Questions concerning the improper use of the system should be directed to the employee's immediate supervisor, and if not satisfied with the response, to the LLSD Administrator.
	O.	EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT ON USE OF E-MAIL AND THE INTERNET
		I have read, understand, and agree to comply with the foregoing policies, rules, and conditions governing the use of the LLSD's computer and telecommunications equipment and services. I understand that I have no expectation of privacy when I use any of the telecommunication equipment or services. I am aware that violation of this guideline on appropriate use of the e-mail, and Internet systems may subject me to disciplinary action, including termination from employment, legal action and criminal liability. I further understand that my use of the e-mail and Internet may reflect on the image of the LLSD to our customers, competitors, and suppliers and that I have responsibility to maintain a positive representation of the LLSD. Furthermore, I understand that this policy can be amended at any time.

Adopted 7/17/01
Revised 1/10/06
Revised 12/12/06