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This Campus is pleased to be able to offer students a wide variety of computer facilities, services, equipment, and software. Students are encouraged to use them within the guidelines. The Montana University System Board of Regents has implemented information technology policies that apply to all public institutions of higher education within the state of Montana. These policies may be reviewed at: www.bor.montana.edu/borpol/bor1300/1304-1.htm. Additional campus policies can be found at www.msugf.edu/facultystaff/ PoliciesProcedures.htm. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion from the campus and criminal prosecution.

Access

Students have access to computers on the MSU – Great Falls Campus at several locations – in computer labs, the library, computer classrooms, and at the computer kiosks outside the bookstore. Students currently enrolled for classes also may have access to wireless networking but must first sign an agreement with the Information Technology Department when using personal computers for such use and comply with the Network Attached Device Policy and Standards. Students and non-students are welcome to use the computer kiosks, but are asked to share that resource with others who wish to use it. Similarly, students and non-students may use the research computers in the library to meet their informational needs. Computers in the library dedicated as computer lab workstations will require a current student identificati on card. Library computer workstations dedicated for research are available to the general public; however, priority for these machines will be given to students enrolled at the college. The library’s computers (both student lab workstations and research stations) may not be used for communicative or leisure purposes - for instance, personal email, chat rooms, blogging and online or personal gaming. Because access to computer labs and classrooms is purchased by students through their computer fees, computer labs and classrooms may be used only by students currently enrolled in classes, workshops, or seminars at the College. Students are allowed access to open computer-equipped classrooms when the building is open, Monday - Friday. On weekends, in the event of an overflow from the Library Computer Lab, a classroom may be unlocked for student use.

MSU – Great Falls Campus computer systems and networks are public and subject to Montana State laws. Files of personal information, including programs, regardless of the medium on which they are stored or transmitted, may be considered public information and are stored on MSU – Great Falls College of Technology computers. However, simply being able to access a file or other information does not imply permission to do so. The preservation of individual privacy is given high regard on this Campus, and students may not use electronic and other technological methods to infringe upon another’s privacy. No one should look at, copy, alter, or destroy any individual’s personal files without explicit permission from that individual, unless authorized by the Dean of the College in compliance with law or regulation.

No member of the Campus community may, under any circumstances, use MSU Great Falls Campus's computers or networks to libel, slander, or harass any other person. Harassment includes intentionally using the computer to: threaten or sexually harass another person; contact another person repeatedly regarding a matter for which one does not have a legal right to communicate once the recipient has provided reasonable notice that he or she desires such communication to cease; and/or disrupt or damage someone's academic, research, administrative, or related pursuits.

Students are responsible for knowing what information resources (including networks) are available, remembering that the members of the campus community share them, and refraining from all acts that waste these resources or prevent others from using them. Details regarding available resources can be obtained by consulting with the Campus Computer Services Department.

Students are discouraged from using campus computing and network services for non-academic purposes such as game playing and non-academic chat rooms. A student using a computer for non-academic matters must give it up when someone who wishes to use the computer for academic purposes is waiting.

State law restricts the use of state facilities and equipment for personal gain or benefit. Computing facilities, services, and networks at the MSU-Great Falls Campus may not be used for compensated outside work or work for the benefit of organizations not related to the MSU-Great Falls Campus without written permission from the Dean. Electronic gambling, stock trading, or any other financial gain method conducted on Campus computers, services, or networks is forbidden. State law also restricts the use of Campus computer systems for political advocacy or for commercial advertising.

Students are prohibited from attempting to circumvent or subvert any system's security measures, degrade the performance of a computer system or network, or deprive authorized personnel of resources or access to any campus computer system or network.

The following harmful activities are also prohibited: creating or propagating viruses; disrupting services; deleting or damaging files without proper authorization; intentional destroying or damaging equipment, software, or data belonging to the MSU-Great Falls Campus or other users; and the like.

No software may be installed, copied, or used on campus resources except as permitted by system administrators.