Purpose
The CLAS IT computing resources exist to complement the instructional and research missions at the University of Florida. Each user is obligated to use these resources in accordance with CLAS IT policies and the the UF Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
Scope
This document applies to faculty, staff, students, and other personnel associated with the University of Florida. Our Internet visitors should visit the University of Florida Internet Privacy Policy.
Policy
Be civil and courteous to others.
All University of Florida rules and regulations regarding conduct apply in the electronic environment. Please refer to the UF Acceptable Use Policy for more information.
- If someone asks you to stop sending them email, then stop sending it. If the person files a complaint, your actions can be considered harassment.
- If you feel you are being harassed, your departmental contact can help you file a complaint.
Do no harm, even as a joke.
Do nothing on the system that may harm another user. Complaints will be investigated. Violations may result in criminal and/or disciplinary action(s), and ignorance is not an excuse.
- Do not email an excessive number of messages to another user (aka, “mail bomb”).
- Do not send a message to a random number of recipients and/or newsgroups (aka, “spamming”).
- Do not create a web page that deliberately “crashes” or compromises a remote web browser.
- Do not deliberately cause a denial-of-service attack (aka “ping flood” and/or “smurf attack”).
One person per account
Do not share your account or password with anyone. Each authorized CLASnet user should have their own account. Shared accounts are not allowed, as each account must have a single “responsible party.”
- You will be held responsible for any destructive or illegal activity performed with your account. Ignorance of this policy is not a valid excuse.
- Do not give your password to anyone else, even people you trust. If you suspect that someone may have discovered your password, change it immediately.
- If you need someone to read/respond to your email while you are unavailable, contact your departmental contact to set up an email forward to the alternate person’s account during the interim.
Email is not a secure medium
Email messages may be forged. If you suspect a forgery, contact the supposed sender and ask for confirmation. If the message is a forgery, save the message and report the incident to your departmental contact.
Email messages are not encrypted. Thus, treat them as a “postcard” which unintended others can read without much difficulty. Don’t send a message you don’t want published on the front page of the Gainesville Sun.
You may not make a profit from your account
You may not be paid, or otherwise profit from your CLAS IT email account. Similarly, you cannot help another profit by forwarding emails to/from your account.
- You may not send chain letters.
- You may not send “MAKE MONEY FAST” offers.
- You may not send advertisements.
- You may not run or promote a business using your account.
At best, these messages merely offend or annoy people. However, some of them constitute wire fraud, a criminal offense. All of them are a violation of the UF Acceptable Use Policy.
Do not forward virus “warnings”
Many virus warnings (like “JOIN THE CREW” or “GOOD TIMES”) are hoaxes, and we have to spend a lot of time debunking them. However, do not click any links in unexpected email messages, as they may actually be computer malware.
Do not falsify your identity in online posts
All messages must correctly identify the sender. Any messages formatted to mislead the recipient into believing your message is from another person can be considered “theft of identity,” which is a punishable offense. If you want to post without being identified as a UF employee, you should post using a Google Mail or similar off-campus account.
Do not attempt to bypass login restrictions
Do not try to avoid login procedures or restrictions in order to gain access to computer systems where you aren’t allowed. This is “computer cracking”, or “hacking”, and can result in serious legal consequences.
Monitor your disk usage
Be prudent in your disk usage. The CLAS IT server storage is designed to hold critical files related to your daily work. Don’t use it to store non-business files.
- Do not store large sound, graphics, or movie files files on CLAS IT servers, unless they are required for your official UF duties. If these files are related to your UF duties, please get in touch with your departmental contact. It may be more prudent to arrange an alternate backup method, with the files residing on your local system.
- Keep your web files small. Please remember that many people using your web pages are viewing them via a modem connection, which is very slow compared to the campus network. Large files on web pages are rarely downloaded by your target audience.
- Do not store software on the network drives/folders. Only documents should be stored on the CLAS IT HOME, SHARE, or WEB volumes. Any software on the server must be licensed through CLAS IT. If your department would like to add programs to the server, please contact us.
- Do not download or hoard unneeded/redundant files onto the CLAS IT servers. USB memory sticks, DVDs, CD-R, backup tapes, or other media should hold any materials to which you do not need constant access. If you have such a need, please speak with your departmental contact.
If you have questions about these policies, or about CLAS IT in general, please refer to the CLAS IT web pages, check with your department’s computer contact, or contact us.
Responsibilities
- Failure to adhere to this policy can result in notification of your computer contact or your supervisor. In case of potential violations of UF policy, the UF Administration may be notified.
More Information
Last revised: September 18, 2009.