Acceptable Use Policy  (Technology and Privacy of Information Policy Concordia Seminary St. Louis)

Computer and telecommunication technology provide a variety of means for communicating and transferring information.  These include, but are not limited to, electronic mail, voice mail, telephone communication, cellular communication, video communication, and computer networks.  Technological developments may incorporate other forms in the future.

All faculty, staff, and students are advised that:

 

1.      The technology that is owned or leased by Concordia Seminary to which you have access, the information stored in it, and the information transferred through it are the property of Concordia Seminary.  These facilities and resources are made available for the purpose of carrying out your duties as an employee or as arranged by the Seminary with students.  Appropriate personal use is also permitted within these same limitations.  Commercial use is prohibited.

 

2.      During the course of normal maintenance operations, during checks to insure security, or at the request of the President or Vice President for Administrative Services, authorized personnel may monitor the use of these facilities and resources, and they may examine information and stored communications found there.  You have no reasonable right to privacy while using these Seminary-owned or-leased systems other than that provided by law.

 

3.      Any activities or information deemed inappropriate by the Seminary or which may be unlawful will be reported to the proper authorities for further action.  Inappropriate activities include, but are not limited to, viewing or transmitting obscene materials, harassment of any sort, and interfering with the use of these facilities by others.  Concordia Seminary will cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies in the investigation of unlawful events.

 

4.      Before faculty or staff undertake to monitor any ongoing telephone communication, cellular communication or voice mail, such faculty or staff shall request that either the President or Vice President for Administrative Services seek appropriate legal advise as to the propriety of such action on a case by case basis.

 

Approved by Board of Regents - January 23, 1999

 

The following statements relating to students shall be considered as an extension to and subject to the terms of the Technology and Privacy of Information Policy as established by the Board of Regents and adopted by it on January 23, 1999.

 

1.      Concordia Seminary does not assume any responsibility for installation, maintenance, and/or repair of student computers and software.  Students are responsible for insuring that their equipment and/or software do no harm to the Seminary network.

 

2.      Students wishing to utilize access to the Concordia Seminary network shall be subject to the following terms:

 

  1. All students who intend to connect computers and other network equipment to the Concordia Seminary local area network MUST insure that all such equipment complies with minimum operating systems and security standards.
  2. Access to the local area network will be allowed only after minimum standards are met.  Resources are available to aid the student in reaching compliance with the minimum standards.
  3. Information Services reserves the right to monitor network activity of any student equipment or programs connected to the network.
  4. All unauthorized or unregistered equipment shall be immediately disconnected from the network.  Failure to do so may result in financial and/or other penalties to be assessed against the student by the Seminary.

 

3.      Students who knowingly or unknowingly engage in inappropriate or excessive network activity shall be subject to the following:

 

  1. Information Services reserves the right to monitor all network traffic on the Concordia Seminary network.
  1. When Information Services identifies activity which it deems to be inappropriate or excessive, including but not limited to virus-like activity, excessive peer-to-peer traffic, and high volume streaming or uploading/downloading activity, Information Services shall identify the source of the offending activity and cause the connection to be terminated.
  1. Information Services shall make reasonable attempts to contact the person to whom the equipment or connection is registered to inform him/her of the action taken.
  1. The connection will be reactivated only upon acceptable proof that proper steps have been taken to insure that the offending equipment or programs have been repaired, modified, or deleted to the satisfaction of Information Services.
  1. In the event that the offending equipment or programs cause temporary or permanent harm to the Seminary network or causes the Seminary to expend substantive resources to locate and isolate offending equipment or software, financial and/or other reasonable penalties may be assessed by the Seminary.