Policies and procedures
*For the purposes of policy governing the use of IT facilities, research postgraduate students come under the Guidelines for Staff.
These Guidelines are issued by the Director of Information Strategy and Technology Services (ISTS) under the authority of Council.
These guidelines provide clarification for students on the practical application of the University's Policy on Acceptable Use of IT Facilities and they should be read in conjunction with it.
IT facilities includes all computing and communication equipment, software, services, data and dedicated building space used in connection with information technology, which is owned by, leased by or used under licence or agreement by the University.
1. Responsibilities of students
2. Unacceptable or prohibited use of IT facilities
3. Privacy
4. Monitoring use of IT facilities
The following sections set out requirements that are particularly significant and provide relevant information about some of the legislation that governs the use of IT facilities. All students who use University IT facilities must comply with the policy, legislation and principles that are referred to here as well as to other directives from the Director of Information Strategy and Technology Services that may be issued.
Information technology facilities may be used only as set out in the University's Policy on Acceptable Use of IT Facilities.
Students must not use IT facilities for the purpose of personal profit making or for commercial activities other than those of the University. Student use of University IT facilities including email and the internet is conditional upon compliance with all University policies procedures and guidelines, including the Sexual Harassment Policy & Grievance Procedures (C - 12.3) and Equal Opportunity Policy C - 2.3) as well as with State and Commonwealth law.
A list of relevant documents and Government legislation with which staff must comply is set out in Appendix A of the Policy on Acceptable Use of IT Facilities.
Copyright law restricts the copying of software and other material
subject to copyright (documents, music, broadcasts, videos etc) except
with the express permission of the copyright owner.
A more detailed
discussion of copyright.
1.2.1 Software
Students may not make use of, or copy, software contrary to the provisions of any agreement entered into by the University. The onus is on students to consult with ISTS to clarify the permitted terms of use if they wish to use any software for purposes other than those for which the University has a licence.
1.2.2 Email and Copyright
The copyright of an email message is owned by the sender, or the sender's employer. Consider the expectations of the originator; did that person set any conditions on the further communication of their email, or expect that it would not be forwarded to anyone else, or would not be forwarded to a particular recipient?
1.2.3 Spam Act 2003
All email messages sent from a University email account must comply with the Spam Act 2003. This Act sets up a scheme for regulating commercial e-mail and other types of commercial electronic messages. The Spam Act refers to spam as "unsolicited commercial electronic messaging". "Electronic messaging" includes emails, instant messaging, SMS and other mobile phone messaging. A single message may be spam. The message does not need to be sent in bulk, or received in bulk.
1.3.1 User Identification
On request of relevant University managers and supervisors, a student must provide evidence (eg. current student id card) of their eligibility to use the University's IT facilities.
1.3.2 User Misrepresentation
Students must not under any circumstance, in messages or otherwise, represent themselves as someone else, fictional or real, without providing their real identity or username.
1.3.3 Public statements on behalf of the University
Communications using University IT facilities should not give the impression that the writer is representing, giving opinions or making statements on behalf of the University or any part of it unless appropriately authorised to do so.
The following practices should be observed to maintain the security of the University's IT facilities.
1.5.1 Inconvenience and damage
Students must not behave in a manner which, in the opinion of relevant University managers and staff, unduly inconveniences other people or which causes or is likely to cause damage to University IT facilities.
1.5.2 Installation of software
Students must not install software on any University IT facility.
IT facilities are provided for use in the University's teaching and learning, research, administrative and business activities. Some types of unacceptable use, for example transmission of material of an obscene nature, are specifically prohibited by the Policy on Acceptable Use of IT Facilities and by State and Commonwealth law. The policy contains an appendix listing relevant legislation and University policy and procedures.
Unacceptable use of IT facilities is set out in section 5.3 of the Policy on Unacceptable Use. Further examples of unacceptable use include:
In relation to use of the web, it may not always be possible to tell if a web page is relevant until it has been read and web search engines and links can sometimes lead to irrelevant and inappropriate websites. In these cases usage logs may be used to demonstrate that access to inappropriate sites was inadvertent.
Where a student is in doubt concerning their authorisation to use any IT facility or about whether a particular use is acceptable, they should seek the advice of their lecturer, a member of Information Strategy & Technology Services (ISTS) or the Division/School IT officer.
If the incident is happening Report the incident directly to University Security
If the incident has happened Report it to the IT Help Desk (x25000)
Where an alleged misuse has been reported to the IT Help Desk or brought to the attention of the Director: Information Strategy & Technology Services or staff members responsible for managing any part of the University's information technology facilities, the Director (or nominee) may:
If an investigation of alleged misuse requires a student's use of IT facilities to be examined or monitored they will not necessarily be notified.
Allegations that constitute misconduct or breaches of the law will be referred to the appropriate authority for investigation. The University will give that authority all reasonable assistance requested including disclosing:
If a student does not abide by University policy when using IT facilities, access to IT facilities may be suspended and disciplinary action, or civil or criminal legal action may be taken. See the Policy on Acceptable Use of IT Facilities.
The use of individual password may suggest that privacy is ensured. However, privacy is limited in the following ways.
To ensure fairness, the University has provided these Guidelines to inform students about its practice of monitoring and accessing records relating to use of University IT facilities, including computers, email and the internet.
For information about how the University protects the privacy of information it holds in relation to its students, see the Policy on Confidentiality of Student Information (C 46.1).
The University also informs members of the public about how the University monitors their use of the University web site. See the Privacy statement.
Another limitation on privacy arises from the University's obligation to comply with Freedom of Information legislation.
Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of South Australia, a document is defined as "anything in which information is stored or from which information may be reproduced". Email messages created in the course of studying may be official records covered by the State Records Act (1997) and the Freedom of Information Act (1991), and as such are subject to the same requirements as hardcopy records. The content of email messages arising from this use remains the property of the University and may be subject to release in accordance with the FOI Act. For further information or advice, contact the Records and Copyright Officer.
The University provides IT facilities for use in relation to the University's teaching and learning, research, administrative and business activities. Routine monitoring of the use of IT facilities is conducted to monitor the costs and acceptable use of University resources. The type of information automatically collected includes:
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In normal circumstances, staff supporting IT services will not monitor the contents of electronic mail messages or other communications or files they access as a result of their work (eg auditing operations). However, the University will inspect, copy, store and disclose the contents of email when appropriate to prevent or correct improper use, satisfy a legal obligation, or to ensure proper operation of IT facilities.
