The Glasgow School of Art

Student Acceptable IT Use Policy

September 2016

Policy Control

	Title	Student Acceptable IT Use Policy
	Date Approved	September 2016
	Approving Bodies	Executive Group
	Implementation Date	September 2016
	Supersedes	N/A
	Supporting Policy	GSA Staff IT Acceptable Use Policy
	Review Date	June 2019
	Author	Colin Watson, Head of IT and Systems
	Date of Impact Assessment	tbc
	Benchmarking	JANET Acceptable Use Policy

GSA STUDENT ACCEPTABLE IT USE POLICY

1.SCOPE

This policy is to ensure the appropriate use of all of GSA’s computing and network facilities including use of these facilities for non-academic purposes. This policy applies to students.

2.GENERAL PRINCIPLES

The GSA provides internet and e-mail facilities primarily to support its aims. The GSA furnishes its students with open access to the internet to ensure that they are able to access information that will help them in their studies. However students must take responsibility for ensuring that they are using the facilities in ways that will not discredit GSA nor bring it into disrepute.

3.MONITORING

All users should note that in order to protect the integrity of the GSA network facilities and IT systems, e- mail and Internet use will be monitored from time to time by way of automated software and/or human monitoring.

As a Higher Education Institution GSA has a statutory duty under the Counter-Terrorism & Security Act 2015 “to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. Any concerns relating to terrorism identified as a consequence of monitoring will be reported to the GSA Prevent Group to determine appropriate action.

GSA Student Acceptable IT Use Policy

4.USE OF INTERNET AND E-MAIL ON NON-ACADEMIC MATTERS

The GSA provides network access primarily for study related matters. It is accepted that students will use the network for purposes that are not related to their studies. All use of GSA network facilities must abide by this Acceptable Use Policy and must not adversely affect the use of the network by others. Abuse of this privilege may result in disciplinary action. Examples of abuse could include (this list is not exhaustive):

∙The sending of messages that are offensive either in terms of content or language or attachments

∙The sending of vexatious messages such as chain letters

∙The sending of mass e-mails to GSA addresses for personal or financial gain eg. selling of personal goods, property to rent, non-GSA charity events etc.

Students should be aware that the following examples of unacceptable conduct may result in disciplinary action:

∙Sending messages which use offensive, degrading or derogatory language which contravenes the GSA Promoting Diversity policy

∙Consciously accessing sites that contain offensive or illegal material or images

∙Downloading, distributing or storing offensive or illegal material or images

∙Accessing or publishing material which in breach of copyright (for example using BitTorrent)

The sending of “student wide” e-mails about matters which are not related to work or GSA business is forbidden.

5.USE OF THE NETWORK FACILITIES FOR STUDY

Internet and e-mail facilities should enhance and simplify the working life of students at the GSA.

It is recognised that sometimes during the course of internet-based research, websites may be accidentally accessed which contain offensive or illegal material. Should a student access such a site by mistake, they must ensure that a member of staff (e.g. their tutor) is made aware of the unintended access to the site, reporting the dates and times of the access and the site address concerned, to avoid unnecessary investigation. This notification should be given in writing.

Similarly there may be rare occasions when, in the interests of learning and research, students will request access to sites that might be considered inappropriate in the usual academic context. In such circumstances, students must ensure a senior member of staff (e.g. Head of School) is aware in advance of the need to research a particular area that might lead to offensive or inappropriate material being viewed. On an exceptional basis this will be allowed and documented as such, however no illegal images should be downloaded or stored.

In any event all research must comply with GSA’s ethical research policy.

Students who borrow GSA laptops or other mobile devices are also reminded that the equipment remains the property of GSA and, as such, no inappropriate materials may be stored on the device even if this is done outside GSA.

Students who use their own mobile devices must abide by the Acceptable Use Policy when accessing the GSA network, and are not permitted to use the GSA network to download inappropriate material.

GSA Student Acceptable IT Use Policy

6.USE OF EMAIL FOR OFFICIAL GSA COMMUNICATION

All official e-mail communication between enrolled students and GSA must be undertaken using the GSA email address which is issued to each student. Students must not use personal or private email addresses for such purposes.

7.SOCIAL NETWORKING

Definition

Social networking is the interaction between a group of people who share a common interest using virtual communities, often known as networking sites, to communicate and share knowledge.

Social Networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, personal web pages, blogs, message boards, internet space hosted by third parties and any other form of electronic or digital communication. This list is not exhaustive.

Students should exercise caution when posting information on social networking sites. Personal information can be gathered from social networking sites for use in identity fraud.

Where students associate themselves with the GSA on-line, they should act in a manner which does not bring GSA into disrepute.

Students should not set up groups or profiles which use GSA’s name, unless this has been authorised by GSA.

Students are requested not to use GSA e-mail addresses for the purpose of social networking.

The use of GSA’s logo on social networking sites is prohibited.

Bullying and Harassment

Students are prohibited from harassing, bullying and slandering fellow students, staff members, and third parties through social networking sites.

For definitions of harassment and bullying, please refer to the GSA Bullying and Harassment policy.

Material should not be posted online that is obscene, vulgar, defamatory, derogatory, threatening, discriminatory, harassing, abusive, hateful or embarrassing to another person or entity whether this be on grounds related to disability, sex, age, race, marital status, religion or religious belief, sexual orientation, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, or Trade Union membership/non-membership. Failure to adhere to this may lead to disciplinary action.

GSA Student Acceptable IT Use Policy

8.ADDITIONAL RULES GOVERNING THE GENERAL USE OF GSA IT EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE

Students must not:

∙share their password with anybody

∙engage in malicious hacking or other deliberately disruptive activities such as introducing viruses to computer equipment, interfering with set-ups, removing icons, damaging files and other activities that disrupt services

∙access information which they are not authorised to access

∙enable other people to access information which they are not authorised to access

∙add additional software to GSA computer equipment without the agreement of the IT department

∙connect additional hardware to the GSA network without the agreement of the IT department, other than via the approved wireless network

∙use the GSA network to distribute information which is illegal or likely to bring the GSA into disrepute

Students must:

∙adhere at all times to appropriate statutory law such as the Theft Act 1968, the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Defamation Act 1996

∙undertake to comply with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the provisions of the GSA’slicence with the Copyright Licensing Agency, and with any other applicable legislation, statutory instrument or regulation

∙consider the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 when storing personal data related to living individuals on a computer

∙respect the intellectual property rights, copyright and moral rights of authors and artists

∙abide by all licence agreements for software entered into by the GSA with other parties

∙note that software and/or data provided by GSA may only be used for educational purposes or as part of your studies at GSA

9.CONNECTION OF PRIVATELY OWNED DEVICES

It is recognised that students will want to connect their own personal, privately owned computers or other devices to the GSA network.

GSA provides a wireless network which can be used for this purpose. In some areas public wired connections are also provided.

Students must not plug their personal computer or device into any GSA wired network outlet, other than those specifically identified as public, without the prior agreement of the IT department.

10. PENALTIES FOR IT MISUSE

Any misuse of GSA IT equipment or software by students will be dealt with by the relevant GSA student discipline procedure.

GSA Student Acceptable IT Use Policy

11. LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Some of the relevant UK legislation related to the use of Information Systems and Data is listed below. Users should note carefully that much of the legislation prescribes criminal penalties including fines and custodial sentences where an offence is committed.

∙Data Protection Act 1998

∙Computer Misuse Act 1990

∙The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

∙Telecommunications Act 1984

∙Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 1998

∙Section 26 of the Counter-terrorism and Security Act 2015