• COPYRIGHT
• PRIVACY STATEMENT
• DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA)
• RESPONSIBLE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
• PROCEDURES

COPYRIGHT

All graphics, photographs, and text on the Ramapo College home page and connected pages displaying the Ramapo College logo, unless otherwise stated, are copyrighted by Ramapo College of New Jersey. Redistribution or commercial use is prohibited without express written permission.

PRIVACY STATEMENT

Ramapo College is committed to protecting your privacy. Any information you voluntarily provide to us through a Ramapo College website, such as an email address, name, or phone number, will never be sold to other colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, or businesses.

Information gathered automatically
Unless you take steps to browse the Internet anonymously, or opt-out, Ramapo College, like most institutions and organizations on the Internet, tracks web browsing patterns to inform understanding of how our sites are being used. Generic information is collected through the use of “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to evaluate usage patterns so that we can improve both content and distribution. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser; however, doing so may prevent you from using the full functionality of all of our websites.

Ramapo College websites use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyze how users use our sites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website includes your IP address. This information will be transmitted to and stored by Google on its servers. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity, and providing other services relating to Internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Please visit the following pages for more information on Google Analytics terms of use and Google’s privacy practices.

External links
Some Ramapo College websites may contain links to external websites not owned by, or officially affiliated with, Ramapo College in any way. Ramapo College is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

Electronic messages sent to the identified email Website contacts will be answered by the recipient or forwarded to another individual at Ramapo to be answered. Email messages and copies of replies may be kept and reviewed to help ensure the relevance of information presented in the Ramapo Website and the usefulness of the replies.

DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA)

The use of copyrighted material on the Ramapo public Website must be consistent with the policy described in the preceding paragraphs and consistent with existing federal laws and statutes.

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, “copyright protects original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible form of expression.” Copyrighted works include the following categories:

1. literary works
2. musical works, including any accompanying words
3. pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
4. motion pictures and other audio/visual works
5. sound recordings
6. architectural works

Pursuant to title 17 United States Code, Section 512 (c)(2), (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notification of claimed copyright infringement must be reported to the designated agent listed below:

The act requires the complaint to include the following:

• a physical or electronic signature;
• identification of the infringed work;
• identification of the infringed material;
• contact information for the complaint;
• a statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner or the law, and;
• a statement that the information contained in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

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RESPONSIBLE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Acknowledgement Form

See Also Statement of Confidentiality

Computing resources are provided to support the academic research, instructional and administrative objectives of Ramapo College. These resources are available for the use of college faculty, staff, students, and other authorized users to accomplish tasks consistent with the college’s mission. College systems offer powerful tools for communication among members of the Ramapo community and communities outside of the college. When used appropriately, these tools can enhance dialogue and communications. Unlawful or inappropriate use of these tools, however, can infringe on the rights of others, and is unacceptable in an academic institution.

Ramapo College expects all members of its community to use electronic communications in a responsible manner. The college reserves the right to limit access to its networks through college-owned or other computers, and to remove or limit access to material posted on college-owned electronic media. Recognizing that the college is creating a limited public forum, the college retains the right to limit access and postings to college systems.

As a means to foster intellectual pursuits, the college will make every effort to respect the privacy of all users. However, for technical reasons related to system architecture and maintenance needs, privacy cannot be guaranteed at all times and users must take this into account when composing email or surfing the Web. An expectation of privacy is further limited by the needs of the college to comply with State and Federal laws, protect the rights of students, faculty, staff, board members, and invitees, and/or to meet administrative objectives.

Ramapo College faculty and staff are provided with e-mail accounts for the purpose of conducting official college business related to instructional, academic and/or administrative activities to accomplish tasks consistent with the college’s mission. Because email is an effective way to disseminate information of importance, relevance and interest, and because it is an important tool to meet the academic and administrative needs of the college community, it shall be the college’s policy that electronic mail (email) be an official communication mechanism with faculty, staff, and students and that all faculty, staff, and students are required to maintain an “@ramapo.edu” address. This is the only email address that will be used for official communication with faculty, staff, and students regarding all academic and administrative matters. Retired tenured faculty and retired staff with at least ten years of service may be permitted to retain their e-mail accounts upon request.

Responsible Unit: Academic Affairs

Date Adopted: February 14, 2001

Date Revised: February 2006, October 2008, December  8, 2008

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PROCEDURES

I. DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to the terms used in this policy.

Covered Persons: All current members of the college community including staff, faculty, students, adjunct faculty, eligible retirees and college volunteers such as board of trustee members, Ramapo College Foundation Board members, who have been granted access to college systems.

College Systems: Computers, network systems, servers, facsimile machines, telephony, video and other similar devices and systems that are administered by the college and for which the college is responsible.

Chief Information Officer (CIO):  The chief information officer is responsible for academic and administrative computing, the college network, email systems, help desk, computer labs, telecommunications, Resident Life Network, the Instructional Design Center, the integrity and security of the College technology infrastructure and for confidentiality of electronic communications.

Education Records: Records specifically related to students and maintained by an educational institution or a party acting on its behalf. These records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) as amended.

Electronic Communications: The use of college systems in the communicating or posting of information or material by way of electronic mail, bulletin boards, or other such electronic tools.

ITS: Ramapo College’s Information Technology Services.

Network Systems: Includes voice, video and data networks, switches, routers and storage devices.

Systems or Network Personnel: Those tasked by the CIO with maintaining college systems.

Policy officer: A person with responsibility for issues having broad-based policy implications.

For incidents involving students, the policy officer is the vice president for student affairs;

For incidents involving faculty, the policy officer is the provost / vice president for academic affairs; and

For incidents involving staff, the policy officer is the chief planning officer.

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II. COLLEGE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The college reserves the right to limit access to its networks. The college does not monitor the contents of material transported across its networks nor generally restrict access to the networks, but it retains the right to do so when evidence exists that such materials are in violation of college policies or codes, contractual obligations, state or federal laws.
2. To protect the college against seriously damaging consequences, such as impairment of the integrity of computers, networks and data, or legal liabilities, systems or network personnel shall take immediate temporary restrictive action pending final adjudication by the college. If systems or network personnel detect evidence, or are informed, of a violation while performing their duties operating or maintaining a system, they should contact the CIO as soon as possible.
3. The college reserves the right to remove or limit access to material posted on college-owned computers when applicable college policies or codes, contractual obligations, or state or federal laws are violated.
4. The college does not monitor or generally restrict the content of material residing on college computers, whether or not such computers are attached to campus networks.
5. The college reserves the right to inspect the content of electronic files when it has reasonable belief that the content of material would violate college policy, state or federal law. The college retains the right to review the content of any files when the content of such files is likely to be material to the alleged violation as put forth below in Violations, or on the death, illness, or separation of a covered person, or as required for legal proceedings or processes. Notification of such inspection will be made to the president or designee immediately. The president will provide a confidential report to the board of trustees on an annual basis of all instances of content inspections by year and employment category. All instances of content inspections in which the president or a designee receive notice of inspection of content pursuant to this paragraph will be reported to the HR Committee of the Board of Trustees at its regularly-scheduled meeting.

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III. USER RESPONSIBILITIES

Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to the work of all authors and publishers in all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution. Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Users are responsible to comply with the following:

1. Copyright Compliance: Violations of authorial integrity include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, impostorship, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, all of which may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community. Users of college systems shall not abridge the rights of copyright owners and shall comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. 101 et seq.
2. For any computer account, users are responsible for the use made of that account. Users should set a password which will protect their account from unauthorized use, and which will not be guessed easily. Do not share your password with others.  If users discover that someone has made unauthorized use of their account, they should report the intrusion to the manager of that system or the CIO.
3. A user who is directed by an ITS employee to cease engaging in any computing or network related activity must do so. The CIO must review any such action in a timely manner, and either restore privileges or send a written statement of charges to the appropriate policy officer and the People Operations and Employee Resources Department.
4. Electronic communications shall not be used to:
   1. harass, threaten, or otherwise cause harm to a specific individual(s), whether by direct or indirect reference, impede, interfere with, impair, or otherwise cause harm to the activities of others;
   2. download or upload to college computers, or transport across college networks, material that is illegal, proprietary, in violation of college contractual agreements, or otherwise is damaging to the institution;
   3. harass or threaten groups of individuals;
   4. Illegally access proprietary data from remote locations.

It shall be the user’s responsibility to comply with all the stipulated requirements set forth in the above section. Failure to comply with the provisions for “User Responsibility” may subject the user to specific sanctions as set forth in the “Violations” and “Sanctions” sections below.

Backing up Data: It shall be the users’ responsibility for backing-up their own electronically stored data. While the college has a policy of backing up data on its general access systems at regular intervals as preparation for a catastrophic loss of resources, or as required for legal proceedings or processes, users should not rely on these actions. A user’s decision whether or not the college’s back-up is an adequate substitute is the individual’s decision but alleviates any responsibility of the college to maintain such back-up.

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IV. EMAIL AS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION

1. Official Communication via Email
   Ramapo College faculty and staff are provided with e-mail accounts for the purpose of conducting official college business related to instructional, academic and/or administrative activities to accomplish tasks consistent with the college’s mission.  Because email is an effective way to disseminate information of importance, relevance and interest, and because it is an important tool to meet the academic and administrative needs of the college community, it shall be college policy that electronic mail (email) be an official communication mechanism with faculty, staff, and students, and that all faculty, staff, and students are required to maintain an “@ramapo.edu” address. This is the only email address that will be used for official communication with faculty, staff, and students regarding all academic and administrative matters.This policy does not preclude the use of conventional methods of communication.
2. Procedures
   1. Acquiring an email account
      1. Official college email accounts are available to all current faculty, staff, and enrolled students and eligible retirees. These accounts must be activated before the college can send correspondence using official email addresses. Students, faculty, and staff may activate their email account at https://web.ramapo.edu by selecting “New Email Accounts”.
      2. Official email addresses will be maintained in college information system and will be included in the college’s faculty/staff directory (not students).
   2. Redirecting/forwarding of email
      If a faculty, staff, or student wishes to have email redirected/forwarded from their official @ramapo.edu address to another email address (e.g., @aol.com, @Yahoo.com, etc.), they may do so at their own risk. The college shall not be responsible for the handling of email by outside vendors. Having email redirected does not absolve a faculty, staff or student from the responsibilities associated with official communication sent to his or her @ramapo.edu account.
   3. Expectations about use of email
      Senders of e-mails should identify themselves as representatives of the college by including their title or function at the end of the message.  It is inappropriate to include statements or quotations in the body or signature portion of the message that do not directly advance the administrative or academic purpose of the message.  Email users should avoid using language that could be offensive to others, or create an atmosphere of discomfort.  Content and signature information of electronic messages should be focused on official college business.Faculty, staff and students are expected to check their email on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current. Certain communications may be time-critical, therefore, it is expected that official correspondence shall be received and read in a timely fashion. Various excuses such as “I didn’t check my email”, error in forwarding email, or email returned to the college with “Mailbox Full” or “User Unknown” shall not be acceptable for missing official college communications via email.
   4. Email Quota
      The college reserves the right to set email quotas for faculty, staff, and students. Email destined for users who are over quota will be queued for seven days and redelivery will be attempted every hour. Quotas can be checked by logging into Webmail. Student accounts that are over quota and have not been checked for 120 days are subject to deactivation
   5. Access to Email
      Unit heads and supervisors must provide computer access to employees whose positions do not provide them with regular access to a computer, as well as a reasonable amount of time to use the computer provided for the purpose of checking their email for college business.
   6. Confidentiality
      Users should exercise extreme caution in using email to communicate confidential or sensitive matters (e.g. individual personnel actions), and should not assume that email is private and confidential. It is especially important that users are careful to send messages only to the intended recipient(s). Particular care should be taken when using the “reply” and “reply all” command during email correspondence. ITS personnel are responsible for dealing with email related issues at Ramapo College. Notwithstanding, the provisions set out above under the College’s Rights and Responsibility section, it may occasionally be necessary for ITS personnel to read an email header which has failed to reach its destination to determine, if possible, the intended address and redirect the message. These actions taken shall not be deemed a violation of privacy.   The college reserves the right to review but will not monitor e-mail messages.   It must be understood that e-mails are not confidential and may be viewed by others from time to time.  Electronic mail is discoverable in legal proceedings.
   7. Backing Up of Email
      Email is backed up in regular intervals by an automated process. The automatic process does not involve human reading of email and is not considered a violation of privacy. There are user responsibilities related to backing up data in the previous section of this policy which should be read and understood.
   8. Academic Use of Email
      Faculty will determine how electronic forms of communication (e.g., email, My Ramapo (Luminus)) will be used in their classes, and will specify their requirements in the course syllabus. This email policy will ensure that all students will be able to comply with email-based course requirements specified by faculty. Faculty can therefore make the assumption that students’ official @ramapo.edu accounts are being accessed and faculty can use email for their classes accordingly.
   9. Retirees
      Retired tenured faculty and staff with at least ten years of service may be permitted to retain their e-mail accounts upon request.
   10. Broadcast E-Mail & Voice Mail Policy
       The broadcast e-mail and voice mail systems are important communications tools for disseminating information to a large part of the campus or a specific targeted group. The system should only be utilized when a minimum of seventy-five percent of the campus or a specific targeted group needs to be made aware of the information. It is essential that the system not be overused whereby the community feel overwhelmed and begin to ignore its messages. Announcements are limited to information about emergencies, health and safety; presidential communications; major campus events approved by the Cabinet; critical alerts related to human resources, facilities and technology; and key internal processes, procedures and deadlines that affect the majority of the campus or a specific targeted group. Major campus events include, but is not limited to: Opening Convocation, State of the College Address, Founders’ Day, Holiday Celebration, Diversity Convocation, Remembrance Day, Honors Convocation, Commencement, Picnic at the Pavilion, Summer Concerts, letter-writing campaigns, athletic championship events, requests for major nominations, dedications, groundbreakings, topping-off ceremonies, significant college accolades and fund-raising news. Other event announcements should to be submitted to the Daily Digest. For guidelines regarding emergency communications policy and procedures, please refer to Procedure for Sending an Emergency Notification. https://www.ramapo.edu/board/policies
   11. Broadcast E-Mail, Voice Mail and Targeted E-Mail Procedures
       Audience Groupings
       Three audience groupings are designated for broadcast voice mail and targeted e-mail: faculty, employees and students. Campus members are assigned a role according to the Banner database. Individuals may have multiple roles.
       Faculty: All campus members who teach a course (full-time or part-time faculty, adjuncts, staff who teach). Also included in this designation are advisors, staff in the provost’s office, deans, and unit secretaries from the schools.
       Employee: All campus members who receive a paycheck (full-time or part-time staff, faculty, and Ramapo student employees.) Also included are volunteers, dining services managers and campus store managers.
       Student: All campus members with active student enrollment status (full-time or part-time students, and staff who are enrolled in courses).
       Message Format
       1. Broadcast E-Mail FormatThe subject line of official broadcast e-mails should lead with the word “Official” followed by a colon and the specific topic of the announcement (e.g., Official: Opening Convocation). The first line of the text before the body of the message should address to whom the message is being sent (e.g. “To: Faculty and Staff” or “To: RCNJ Students”). The message must also contain a contact name, office name and phone number or e-mail address. It is important to know who sent the message and to whom to reply for further information because the default sender for Luminis e-mail is announcements@ramapo.edu, which cannot receive a reply.
       2. Broadcast Voice mail FormatThe greeting in all campus-wide broadcast voice mails should state “This is an Official Campus Broadcast Voice mail about _____(fill in topic)_______.” If the announcement targets a limited number of audience groupings, this should be stated (e.g., “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Faculty/Staff…” or “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Students…” or “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Students in Maple Hall…”).
       3. Targeted E-Mail FormatThe subject line of official broadcast and targeted e-mails should lead with the word “Official” followed by a colon and the specific topic of the announcement (e.g., Official: Message from the Dean). The first line of the text before the body of the message should address to whom the message is being sent (e.g., “To: Faculty” or “To: RCNJ Students”). The message must also contain a contact name, office name and phone number or e-mail address. It is important to know who sent the message and to whom to reply for further information because the default sender for Luminis e-mail is announcements@ramapo.edu, which cannot receive a reply.

       Authorized Designees

       The Administration has authorized primary and secondary designees to send broadcast e-mail and voice mail announcements through the Luminis  and phone system.  When primary designees are not available, secondary designees may be contacted.

       OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

       Has the authority to access the Luminis announcement Website or other vehicles to broadcast official messages from the president, including messages from the trustees and some bereavement messages.

       Primary Contacts: Executive Assistant to the President, Special Assistant to the President

       Secondary Contacts: Assistant VP of Marketing and Communications, Associate Director of Web & Digital Marketing

       COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (Institutional Advancement)

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website or other vehicles to broadcast official messages from the vice president for institutional advancement; additionally, serves as secondary authority for messages from the Office of the President. In its official “college spokesperson” role, the Office of Marketing and Communications has authority to broadcast official messages about campus safety and emergencies.

       Primary Contacts: Executive Secretarial Assistant, Assistant VP of Marketing and Communications

       Secondary Contacts: Associate Director of Web & Digital Marketing

       HUMAN RESOURCES

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send targeted messages and broadcast messages about: critical alerts related to human resources, key internal processes, procedures and deadlines, bereavement, benefits information, and other information as appropriate.

       Primary Contacts: Secretarial Assistant, Director of Human Resources

       Secondary Contact: Associate Director of Human Resources or Assistant Director of Human Resources.

       DEANS

       Have the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a targeted message to conveners, faculty and students within the School.

       Primary Contacts: Unit Secretary, Dean of each of the Schools

       Secondary Contacts: To be determined by the Dean.

       CONVENER/PROGRAM COORDINATORS

       Have the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a targeted message to faculty and students within the major or program.

       Primary Contacts: Unit Secretary

       Secondary Contacts: Convener of each major or program

       FACULTY MEMBER

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a targeted message to students within a class.

       Primary Contacts: Unit Secretary

       Secondary Contacts: Faculty member

       FACULTY ASSEMBLY

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a targeted message to faculty.

       Primary Contacts: President of the Faculty Assembly

       Secondary Contacts: To be determined by the President of the Faculty Assembly

       STUDENT AFFAIRS

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a targeted message to students.

       Primary Contact: Executive Assistant to Associate Vice Presidents for Student Affairs, Unit Secretary

       Secondary Contact: Associate Vice Presidents for Student Affairs

       PROVOST

       Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Website to send a message to faculty or students.

       Primary Contact: Assistant Director for Academic Affairs

       Secondary Contact: Provost

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VI. REPORTING VIOLATIONS

If you believe that a violation of this policy has occurred, contact the appropriate officer who will report the incident to the appropriate director or the CIO. There may be situations when the following additional offices should be contacted: Public Safety, if an individual’s health or safety appears to be in jeopardy; Human Resources, if violations occur in the course of employment.

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VI. VIOLATIONS

It shall be a violation to intentionally seek information about, browse, copy, or modify files or passwords belonging to other people, whether at Ramapo or elsewhere. Explicitly and intentionally established public servers, or clearly designated files for shared public use may be assumed authorized for use. However, if it is unclear whether some files are intended to be available for public use, it shall be a violation to assume that they are intended for public access and it shall be assumed that they are private.

It shall be a violation to attempt to or to decrypt or translate encrypted material, with the intention of obtaining system privileges to which you are not entitled. It shall be a violation to take any action which interferes with the supervisory or accounting functions of college systems or that is likely to have such effects.

It shall be a violation to display on screens, in public or shared facilities, images, sounds, or messages that could reasonably be expected to create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others. Restrictions on time, place, and manner for such access may be determined by the college. It shall be a violation to transmit to others in any location inappropriate images, sounds or messages which might reasonably be considered harassing. The college’s policies on harassment apply equally to electronic displays and communications as they do to more traditional means of display and communication.

It shall be a violation for any user of official @ramapo.edu email addresses to forge an electronic mail signature or to make it appear as though email originated from a different person, impersonate a college office, faculty/staff member, or student, to illegally access proprietary information, and/or attempt to gain access to another person’s mail files.

It shall be a violation to waste computing resources. Examples of violating the responsible use policy are:

1. excessive game playing or other trivial applications;
2. sending chain letters, spam, or other frivolous or excessive messages locally or over an attached network;
3. printing excessive copies of documents, files, images, or data;
4. using unwarranted or excessive amounts of storage;
5. printing documents of files numerous times because you have not checked thoroughly for all errors and corrections;
6. running grossly inefficient programs when efficient ones are available;
7. failing to allow access to those people whose work requires these specialized facilities;
8. using college systems or informational resources for commercial purposes or to promote one’s personal interest or secure financial gain for oneself or others with whom one is associated, if the activity is not reasonably related to the discharge of the user’s duties or role at the college;
9. preventing others from using shared resources by running unattended processes or placing signs on devices to “reserve” them without authorization from the appropriate system manager. Absence from a public computer or workstation should be no longer than reasonable. A device unattended for an unreasonable amount of time may be assumed to be available for use, and any process running on that device terminated;
10. accessing or copy programs and data which have been obtained under contracts or licenses, cross-assemble, or reverse-compile programs. It shall be a violation to access or copy, cross-assemble, or reverse-compile programs available from other institutions and individuals on attached networks. Users are responsible for determining that programs or data are not restricted in this manner before copying them in any form, or before reverse-assembling or reverse-compiling them in whole or in any part. If it is unclear whether users have permission to copy such software or not, users shall assume that one may not do so;
11. sending messages, sentiments, and declarations as electronic mail or as electronic postings that would not be appropriate  as hard copy documents. Users are free and encouraged to publish their opinions. Users shall clearly and accurately identify opinions as coming from the user; or if the user is acting as the authorized agent of a group, such shall be identified as coming from that group. It shall be a violation of the policy to falsely attribute (i.e. forge) the origin of electronic mail, messages, or postings. It shall be a violation to alter or delete any electronic information contained in, or posted to any campus computer resource or to any computer resource on an attached network, it will be considered forgery if it would be considered so on a tangible document or instrument;
12. creating and/or willfully disseminating computer viruses. Users shall be responsible for learning about and be cognizant of the ease of spreading viruses. Users shall be responsible for taking steps to insure user files are virus free;
13. introducing non-Ramapo software.  Users shall notify ITS of any software needs and shall not load non-Ramapo software on Ramapo systems.

The above are only examples and not an exhaustive list.

Compliance with Federal and State Law: Users shall be responsible for being aware that there are federal, state and sometimes local laws that govern certain aspects of computer and telecommunications access and use. Members of the college community are expected to abide by these laws, as well as, to observe and respect college rules and regulations.

Actions to be Taken by Systems and Network Personnel when Violations are Reported

1. Refer to Specific Violations and Action to take below to determine what type of violation may apply:
   • violations targeted at a specific individual(s);
   • violations causing harm to the activities of others;
   • violations involving illegal, proprietary or damaging material;
   • violations targeted at groups of individuals.
2. If you are unable to match your incident with a description in Specific Violations and Action to take below, or if multiple descriptions seem to apply, contact the appropriate policy officer for guidance.
3. Follow the guidelines in Action to take in Specific Violations below. In addition to the type of violation, the guidelines are framed by other factors, specifically:
   • who reported the violation;
   • whether you administer the college system involved or some other affected system;
   • how participants or affected parties are affiliated with Ramapo.
4. In all cases, these guidelines tell you:
   • which college authority should receive a formal complaint;
   • the party or parties who normally file such a complaint;
   • what actions, if any, you should or may take.
5. Report the violation in accordance with these guidelines and those established by the appropriate unit.
6. Document the incident and any actions you take. Protect this information as you would any confidential material: update and retain it as appropriate. This information may be subject to review by appropriate college authorities, so it is important that the information be current, complete and correct, maintained in an electronic database, and easily retrievable.

In exceptional cases, the priorities of protecting the college against seriously damaging consequences and/or safeguarding the integrity of computers, networks, and data either at the college or elsewhere, may make it imperative that you take temporary restrictive action on an immediate basis. In such instances, you may take temporary restrictive action, preferably with the prior approval of the appropriate policy officer and/or the CIO, pending final adjudication by the college. All restrictive actions taken must be documented and justified in accordance with this policy.

In some instances, documentation prescribed above will constitute education records (see the “Definitions” Section of this document) and therefore will be protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended.

Actions to be taken by the Policy Officer

Policy officers are authorized to apply this policy and other existing college policies when a general violation or other violation is identified. When a specific violation is identified, as listed below, policy officers should follow the “action to take” in the Specific Violations section below.

Specific Violations

1. Violations Targeted At Specific Individual(s)

1. Sending repeated and unwanted (harassing) communication by any of the following modes of communication: network systems, college systems, or electronic communication;
2. Sending repeated and unwanted (harassing) communication by electronic mail or other electronic communications that is sexual in nature;
3. Sending repeated and unwanted (harassing) communication by electronic mail or other electronic communications that is targeted at someone because of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or age;
4. Posting or otherwise disseminating personal or sensitive information about an individual(s). (Examples include postings of an individual’s academic records; medical information; social security number; or similar information of a personal or confidential nature that, if disseminated, could have legal or otherwise damaging implications either for the targeted person or the institution. Personal expression by an individual about another, even if posted in a public manner, is not subject to limitation or restriction under this policy, although a targeted person may have recourse under other campus policies or codes, or state or federal laws regarding harassment or libel.)

Action to take:

Provide the targeted individual (victim) with the following information:

1. “Harassment is a violation of Ramapo’s policies and codes, and in some cases, state or federal laws. Write the sender directly and state that you find the continued correspondence to be harassing and formally ask the sender to cease all communications with you. Save a copy of this message and any other correspondence for evidence.”
2. “If you continue to receive correspondence after formally requesting that the correspondence stop, notify the (appropriate policy officer).”
3. “If you are concerned about your personal safety, contact Ramapo Public Safety or your local law enforcement agency.”

Appropriate Action if Violation is Reported by Another Individual:

Thank the party for forwarding the information and add the following:

“Harassment is a violation of Ramapo’s policies and codes, and in some cases state or federal laws. Complaints must be filed by the targeted person. If appropriate, please encourage the targeted person to contact the (appropriate policy officer).”

Note: Ramapo can act upon a complaint only if the sender of the material is a member of the Ramapo community. If the sender is not a member of the Ramapo community, the appropriate policy officer will assist the targeted individual by referring him/her to appropriate sources of help outside the college.

2 .Violations Causing Harm To The Activities Of Others

a. Propagating electronic chain mail

Action to take:

Provide the reporting party with the following information and take steps outlined below:

“Although we understand that some of these letters can be offensive or unwanted, Ramapo College cannot prevent their circulation. Forwarding chain mail using college resources violates Ramapo’s codes and policies, and in some cases may be illegal. I will be working with campus authorities regarding this incident.”

1. Post a notice to your system alerting users to the incident and instructing them not to propagate further.
2. Report the Ramapo propagators; if the propagator(s) is not a member of the Ramapo community, contact the administrator of the originating system, if possible, as a matter of courtesy or follow-up when warranted.
3. Contact the appropriate policy officer if you believe the content of the material to be illegal, damaging, or otherwise to have external consequences for the institution.

b. Interfering with freedom of expression of others by “jamming” or “bombing” electronic mailboxes.

Action to take:

Provide the party with the following information and take steps outlined below:

“Attempting to interfere with the freedom of expression of others violates Ramapo’s Code of Professional Responsibility Board of Trustees Policy # 458″ for faculty and staff violators and the Campus Code of Conduct” for student violators. I will be working with campus authorities regarding this incident.”

If the violator is a member of the Ramapo community, instruct him/her to cease the activity, referring to campus policy, and contact the appropriate policy officer for further guidance. If the violation is reported to the policy officer, he/she should contact the appropriate systems personnel. If the violation is reported to systems personnel, they should contact the appropriate policy officer. Systems personnel and policy officers should work together to resolve the violation. The appropriate policy officer should keep a record of all such violations. If the violator is not a member of the Ramapo community, contact the administrator of the originating system, if possible, as a matter of courtesy or follow-up.

c. Forging, fraudulently altering, or willfully falsifying electronic mail headers, electronic directory information, or other electronic information generated as, maintained as, or otherwise identified as college records in support of electronic communications

Action to take:

Provide the party with the following information and take steps outlined below:

“Forging, fraudulently altering or willfully falsifying college records violates Ramapo’s Code of Professional Responsibility for faculty and staff violators and the Student Code of Conduct for student violators. I will be working with campus authorities regarding this incident.”

If the violator is a member of the Ramapo community, instruct him/her to cease the activity, referring to campus policy. If the violator is not a member of the Ramapo community, contact the administrator of the originating system, if possible, as a matter of courtesy or follow-up.

d. Using electronic communications to forge an academic document.

Action to take:

Provide the party with the following information:

“This incident may violate campus policies or codes. I will be working with college authorities to review what actions may be appropriate.”

Contact the appropriate policy officer for further guidance. If the violation is reported to the policy officer, he/she should contact the appropriate systems personnel. If the violation is reported to systems personnel, they should contact the appropriate policy officer. Systems personnel and policy officers should work together to resolve the violation. The appropriate policy officer should keep a record of all such violations.

e. Using electronic communications to hoard, damage, or otherwise interfere with academic resources accessible electronically

Action to take: same as 2d

f. Using electronic communications to steal another individual’s works, or otherwise misrepresent one’s own work

Action to take: same as 2d

g. Using electronic communications to collude on examinations, papers or any other academic work

Action to take: same as 2d

h. Using electronic communications to fabricate research data.

Action to take: same as 2d

3. Violations Involving Illegal, Proprietary, or Damaging Material

a. Electronically accessing, distributing or posting copyrighted material in violation of license restrictions or other contractual agreements or those that may be in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act..

Responsible Use policy and procedures govern incidents involving the illegal distribution of copyrighted material – as transported through Ramapo’s networks or posted to Ramapo’s computers – by electronic means. The possession of misappropriated copyrighted material by a student violates the Campus Code of Conduct. The possession of misappropriated copyrighted material by faculty or staff violates the Code of Professional Responsibility.

b. Launching a computer worm, computer virus or other rogue program

c. Downloading or posting illegal, proprietary or material that may damage the college’s computer system.

d. Transporting illegal, proprietary or damaging material across Ramapo’s networks

Action to take:

Commensurate with the degree of urgency and potential damage to the institution, take pre-emptive steps – preferably with the approval of the appropriate policy officer – including ensuring the preservation of evidence.

a. accessing and/or downloading pornography and possibly child pornography

Action to take:

When the policy officer, or other college administrator, has knowledge that a covered person is using a college computer to access and/or download pornography, and possibly child pornography, the college will investigate and take prompt action to stop the unauthorized activity.  If the violation is reported to the policy officer or systems personnel, he/she should contact the director of human resources who will conduct an investigation. The director of human resources and the policy officer(s) will work together to resolve the violation. The appropriate policy officer should keep a record of all such violations.

4. Violations Targeted at Groups of Individuals

a. Posting threatening and/or harassing language that would constitute a group’s rights by any of the following modes of communication: network systems, college systems, or electronic communications.

Action to take:

Provide the party with the following information:

“Although this posting/communication may be offensive to members of the community, the college is respectful of expression in its own right. However, this posting/communication may constitute harassment, which is a violation of Ramapo’s policies and codes, and in some cases, state or federal laws. I will consult with campus authorities regarding this incident.”

Contact the appropriate policy officer for further guidance. If the violation is reported to the policy officer, he/she should contact the appropriate systems personnel. If the violation is reported to systems personnel, they should contact the appropriate policy officer. Systems personnel and policy officers should work together to resolve the violation. The appropriate policy officer should keep a record of all such violations.

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VII. SANCTIONS FOR POLICY VIOLATIONS

Violations of appropriate use may result in one or more of the following actions:

• A written warning to the offender.
• A restriction of system access for a specified term.
• A revocation of all system privileges for a specified term.
• A statement of charges to the appropriate disciplinary body of the college, which could lead to other penalties up to and including probation or suspension for students and disciplinary action for faculty or staff.
• Alleged criminal actions and/or activity may be referred by the college to law enforcement officials for investigation or action.

Responsible Unit: Academic Affairs/CCIS

Date Adopted: February 14, 2001

Date Revised: February 16, 2006, June 5, 2007, October 6, 2008