(i) Policy Statement

"It is the Policy of Seneca College that all members of the Seneca Community are responsible for obeying Provincial and Federal laws/regulations and College Policy concerning the use of information technology services, facilities and equipment. The College's Information Technology resources remain the sole property of Seneca College. Seneca College grants students, clients and employees the privilege to use its information technology services, facilities and equipment to further learning, teaching and working.

Further, any materials which may violate a person's right to work and study in an environment free from discrimination/ harassment are not to be stored, displayed, transmitted or otherwise linked to Seneca College information technology services, facilities and equipment.

However, Seneca College recognizes the individual right to access information. As a user of the College information technology services, facilities and equipment, you are responsible for abiding by the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy and the Protocol for Dealing with Information Technology Abuse."

(ii) Prevention, Education and Enforcement

Seneca College is committed to preventing behaviour which results in the inappropriate use of the College's Information Technology Services and Facilities. The College is responsible for communicating to all employees, students, clients, the public, and/or contractors that the inappropriate use of the College's IT services, facilities and equipment is prohibited. This includes ongoing proactive education/prevention campaigns such as staff and student training, regular communication of the ITAUP through internal media, and the articulation of the ITAUP into the ICA 001 curriculum. The College maintains its responsibility for communicating, monitoring, implementing and enforcing, where necessary, all aspects of the ITAUP.

Official College E-Mail is available to all employees and students. Faculty, staff and students are reminded that College correspondence should only be disseminated electronically through official College-provided e-mail. Alternate e-mail addresses, such as Yahoo mail or Hotmail mail, are not authenticable through Seneca.

(iii) Policy Regulations and Responsibilities

Seneca College Provides Information Technology services, facilities and equipment to meet your learning, teaching or working needs.

However, it is a violation of College Policy to:

1. enter, without authorization, into equipment, facilities, networks or accounts to use, read, transfer or change the contents, or for any other purpose;
2. use another individual's information technology account;
3. grant another individual access to your information technology account;
4. use any College information technology facilities to interfere with the work of other students, faculty members or college officials;
5. use information technology facilities to send obscene, abusive, derogatory or harassing messages;
6. display, transmit, distribute or make available information that expresses or implies discrimination or an intention to discriminate;
7. use information technology facilities to interfere with the normal operation of College information technology systems and connecting networks; this list would include such things as flooding the network with messages or sending chain letters or pyramid solicitations. Unauthorized use of information technology facilities and accounts and removing or altering data is a criminal offense in Canada;
8. use Seneca College's computer facilities for profit or commercial gain;
9. create and/or use world-wide web information pages or links to point to offending materials that do not comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code or the Criminal Code of Canada;
10. use Seneca College's computer facilities for any purpose that could be seen as a violation of the Criminal Code of Canada.

(iv) Consequences of Policy Violations

Employees, students and clients are responsible for reporting all real, or perceived infractions of the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy to the Information Technology Security Officer (CSO). The CSO can be reached electronically at cso@senecac.on.ca. Documented and substantiated complaints shall be handled through the Protocol for Dealing with Information Technology Abuse.

Overall, the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy asks that you obey the law and be considerate of others' needs.

Failure to adhere to the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy could result in suspension of usage privileges or other discipline as appropriate.

When there is a suspected violation of the Policy, the College has the authority to conduct appropriate search and seizure procedures of all College owned and operated Information Technology services, facilities and equipment. The College also reserves the right to review and/or restrict services and programs that are deemed potential violations of College Policy.

ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE ABOVE POLICY ARE HANDLED BY THE RESOLUTION, EQUITY AND DIVERSITY CENTRE (REDC), IN CONJUNCTION WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE CSO at cso@senecac.on.ca, the REDC at Human.Rights@senecac.on.ca, or visit our Website at www.senecac.on.ca/hr/redc

All employees, students and clients are expected to abide by the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy and accompanying Protocols. All employees and students are also expected to comply with the directions given to them by staff when they are performing their regular or delegated duties regarding this Policy.

(i) Preamble

Seneca College has developed standards of behaviour when using information technology services, facilities and equipment. All members of the Seneca Community are responsible for obeying the law and College policy with regards to the use of information technology services, facilities and equipment. Legislation and College policy which affects the use of information technology services, facilities and equipment include, but are not limited to:

• the Ontario Human Rights Code
• the Criminal Code of Canada
• Internet Service Provider Acceptable Use Policy
• Seneca's Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy
• Seneca's Discrimination & Harassment Policy
• Seneca's Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy
• Seneca's Personal Safety/Security Threats Policy

It is the policy of Seneca College that any materials which may violate a person's right to work and study in an environment free from discrimination/harassment are not to be stored, displayed, transmitted or otherwise linked to Seneca College information technology services, facilities and/or equipment. However, Seneca College recognizes the individual right of access to information. As such, it is not considered an offense to seek out information, that may be considered offensive or sexually explicit, providing it is done for specific academic purposes.

This Policy follows the College's Discrimination and Harassment Policy and as such is intended to foster a balance between academic freedom and the freedom from Discrimination and/or Harassment. The College strives for a learning, teaching and work environment which promotes inclusion, understanding and respect for all students and employees. It is the College's objective to ensure that curriculum, teaching and promotional materials reflect our college community.

Where teaching and/or promotional materials are being developed and/or utilized, every effort shall be made to portray and acknowledge the diversity of Canadian society. Materials that may contain discriminatory bias and stereotypes must be used exclusively for the purpose of ensuring that members of the College community become open-minded, discerning, critical and analytical thinkers, aware of historical and current values, attitudes and behaviours.

(ii) Process

Seneca College has a process in place for filing individual complaints of Discrimination and/or Harassment. In addition, where the College does not receive an individual complaint but is aware of activity which violates the law or College policy and impairs the objectives of the College, a College complaint will be initiated. In these instances, the College is obliged to take action.

Violations of the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy will be processed using the following procedures.

A. Reporting of Alleged Violations

1) Employees, students and clients are responsible for reporting all believed to be or perceived infractions of the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy to the CSO or the REDC. The CSO can be reached electronically at cso@senecac.on.ca

2) Reports can be made to a local technician or administrator who is then responsible to report to the CSO.

B. Local Technician/Administrator Responsibilities - Immediate Response

1) The Local Technician/Administrator is responsible for ensuring that login logs, login failures and usage logs are preserved wherever possible.

2) All non-required services and daemons should be turned off (i.e., mail turned off on servers where it is not required for learning or teaching purposes).

3) Warnings may be issued for minor infractions of the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy or local policies. Discretion must be used when issuing a warning. A sample wording has been developed and should be used. All warnings will be copied to the REDC and the CSO for central record keeping.

4) No actions will be taken resulting in severe discipline for an infraction without a proper investigation and the involvement of the Resolution, Equity and Diversity Centre unless notification to the individual and/or group would cause the College to violate specific legal obligations with regards to the dignity, safety or security of its constituent(s).

C. Security Officer - Technical Investigation

1) Upon receipt of a report, the CSO or College designate will conduct a preliminary investigation to collect information about the report and determine if the incident could possibly be a breach of any applicable College policy, provincial code or federal law.

2) Where the CSO and/or College designate has sufficient information that the incident could be a breach, he/she will report it immediately to the REDC. The College may also assign the responsibility of collecting pre-investigation material to a local technician.

3) If the material in question resides on College computer equipment, facilities or networks (for example a web page on Seneca's server), the material may be removed pending an investigation. If the incident involves abuse of e-mail or other information technology activities, account privileges for the alleged offender may be suspended pending an investigation. This decision will be made by either the CSO or REDC, depending upon circumstances.

D. Resolution, Equity and Diversity Centre Responsibilities - Formal Investigation and Resolution

1) Upon receipt of the CSO's report, REDC will conduct an investigation which will include, but is not limited to, the following: review of the CSO's report, inspection of any materials or evidence presented, and interviews with any parties who were involved or may have knowledge of the incident.

2) Where the incident breaches the College's Policy on Discrimination and Harassment or the Ontario Human Rights Code, REDC will initiate proceedings under the College's Procedures on Discrimination and Harassment.

3) Where the incident breaches the Criminal Code of Canada or Provincial laws/regulations, the REDC will notify the appropriate Police Force.

4) Where the incident breaches the Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy, REDC will discuss the investigative findings with the CSO and appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated.

(iii) Disciplinary Action

Where incidents are found to be in violation of College policy, the College will exercise its rights to take appropriate disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, verbal/written warnings, rescinding of e-mail or Internet accounts, removal of materials from College computer equipment facilities and networks, disciplinary directives, behavioural contracts, suspension and/or expulsion/dismissal from the College. In addition to internal College sanctions that can impact on a student's academic performance or employee's employment, the College will cooperate with all local, national and international law agencies whenever necessary. The College will not be responsible for sanctions taken by these agencies for violations of the College's ITAUP that are against local and international laws and/or criminal codes.

Updated January 2007