Acceptable User Policy (AUP)
Electronic Resource and On-line Technology
Administrative Procedure and Use
As part of Upper Freehold Regional School District’s commitment to the utilization of new technologies, staff members and students have been provided with access to a variety of electronic resources (i.e., but not limited to, e-mail, UFRSD networked and non-networked computer systems, the Internet, and phone voice mail). In order to maintain system integrity and performance, to limit the threat and effect of security threats like hacking and viruses, and to ensure compliance with copyright law, end users of these resources must adhere to strict guidelines. They are provided here so that staff, students, their parents/guardians, and the community are aware of their responsibilities. Your use of these electronic resources is a privilege, not a right.
Use of the School District’s computers and communication over the District’s networks should not be considered private. Supervision and maintenance of the District’s computers as well as monitoring communication over networks may require a review and inspection of District computers. Privacy in the District’s computers and/or communication over its networks is not guaranteed. Users of District computers should not expect that information stored on or accessed by the District computers, in any form, will be private. The District reserves the right to access and monitor any and all information stored within or accessed by District computers, inclusive of email, computer files and electronic forms of communication. The District reserves the right to monitor any employee’s email and computer files for any legitimate business reason, including when there is reasonable suspicion that employee use of these systems violates the Acceptable Use Policy or may have an adverse affect on the District or District employees.
The district may modify these rules at any time by publishing the modified rule(s) on the system. The signatures at the end of this document are legally binding and indicate that the parties have read the terms and conditions carefully, understand their significance, and agree to abide by established rules.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
- Network and Internet access is provided as a tool for conducting district business and for specific educational purposes (as stated in the various curricula). The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, delete, and store, at any time and without prior notice, any and all materials, files, information, software, communications, and other content that is created, transmitted, received or stored using any of it’s electronic resources.
All information created, accessed, or stored using UFRSD applications and systems is the property of UFRSD. Users (staff and students) do not have a right to privacy to any activity conducted using the district’s electronic resources. The district and its authorized representatives can review, read, access, or otherwise monitor all activities on the district systems, or any other systems accessed by use of the UFRSD system.
- While most of the content available on the Internet is innocuous and much of it a valuable educational resource, some objectionable material exists. The district has and continues to take steps to block objectionable areas, but potential pitfalls remain. The district monitors all web-sites visited. It is specifically prohibited for employees and students to knowingly visit sites that feature pornography, terrorism, espionage, theft, or drugs.
The district’s electronic resources are not to be used to send or receive harassing, discriminatory, threatening, or otherwise offensive content. Also prohibited is the use of the District’s systems for the operation of any unauthorized commercial enterprise, product advertisement, political lobbying, or any activity prohibited by law.
- Among uses that are considered unacceptable and constitute a violation of this policy are downloading, transmitting, importing, or storing any and all copyrighted materials (i.e. music, pictures, video, text, software) without the expressed permission from the copyright owner. Even if materials on the district’s network or the Internet are not marked with the copyright symbol
you should assume that they are protected under copyright laws, unless there is clear permission on the materials to use them. Doing otherwise may violate application licensing agreements and/or copyright law.
- Only authorized district personnel are permitted to install, modify, or remove software applications, utilities, operating systems, and system configurations. Hacking tools and any software having the purpose of damaging other user accounts, files, or breaching network security measures is specifically prohibited.
- Theft of district property electronic or physical, as well as any act of vandalism will result in cancellation of system privileges and other disciplinary measures in compliance with the district’s discipline code. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another, the hardware, software, and files that comprise district systems, or any of the agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet backbone. This includes, but is not limited to the intentional uploading or creation of computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other mal-ware.
- Although drawing, painting and games (when it conforms to the curricular goals of that program and the district) have legitimate academic use, those activities are prohibited when done for recreational purposes. Game playing over direct-wire links or other inter-machine communications is prohibited.
DISCLAIMER
The Upper Freehold Regional School District has no control over information transmitted over the Internet, including items automatically collected into news groups or e-mail items sent into or stored within this network.
USER CONTRACT
I hereby acknowledge that on this date I received a copy of the UFRSD Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and procedure on district electronic resources (i.e. Internet, e-mail, and the network system) access. I hereby acknowledge that I have read and understand the policy and procedure. I agree to abide by this policy and specifically understand that a violation of this policy may lead to discipline up to and including termination. Furthermore, a violation of this policy may also be a violation of the law and subject the user to investigation and criminal or civil prosecution. Such action may lead to monetary fines and/or imprisonment.
