STUDENT NETWORK USER GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
Updated February 2002

THE COMPUTERS IN THE COMPUTER LABS, CLASSROOMS

AND LIBRARY ARE INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

Students are responsible for the ethical use of their Colegio Bolivar network accounts.  The following guidelines are intended to help students understand appropriate use.  The school may restrict or terminate any user's access, without prior notice, if such action is deemed necessary to maintain computing availability and security for other users of the system.  Other disciplinary action may also be imposed as stated in the Colegio Bolivar Student Handbook, the Manual de Convivencia, or detailed in this document.

Students should be respectful in their use of the computers at school and abide by instructions of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Staff, teachers, and student TA’s (Technology Assistants).  This includes the following:

¨      Avoid food, candy or drinks in computer areas.

¨      Ask the teacher or a TA for permission or assistance to adjust equipment or settings, and report problems immediately.

¨      Remember that horseplay or practical jokes can be harmful to other students or the equipment.

¨      Use only your own account and password, and protect your password.

¨      Lost, stolen or problems with accounts and passwords should be reported immediately to the ICT Staff.

¨      Use only software programs authorized by the school.

¨      Store all files in your home directory only, and delete files or transfer them to diskette when no longer needed at school.

¨      Accept the responsibility for Internet sites visited, files in your home directory, and all material received under your account.

¨      Comply with legal and school restrictions regarding plagiarism and the citation of information resources.

¨      Work in ways that do not violate the privacy of, nor interfere with, the productivity of other students or staff.

¨      Email and personal use of computers should not deprive other students of resources required for schoolwork.

¨      Conserve consumable resources such as paper, ink, and diskettes.

¨      Avoid giving out personal information: passwords, name, address, phone number, credit card numbers.

¨      Report AUP infractions, suspicious behavior, or privacy violations to a teacher, ICT Staff or TA.

¨      Log off from the workstation after you have finished, and leave the work area tidy.

Students are not to use the school’s computer resources in inappropriate ways that:

¨  are disruptive or intended to cause problems for other users               

¨  are illegal or libelous

¨  interfere with the normal operations of the school’s systems                

¨  incite hatred or violence

¨  jeopardize the safety or well being of others                                         

¨  encourage the use of drugs

¨  are pornographic or obscene                                                                

¨  promote dangerous or antisocial behavior

¨  are threatening or insulting                                              

¨  would tarnish the reputation of Colegio Bolivar

Students are advised that there will be consequences if they participate in inappropriate activities, as explained below:

Category 1  - Inappropriate Activities That Will Result In Administrative Discipline.

Students who participate in any of the following inappropriate activities can expect to be disciplined, which may involve parent conferences, loss of computer privileges, failed objectives, suspension from classes, or expulsion from the school.  The activities in this category are considered serious because they interfere with the normal operations of our systems, or are harmful to members of our school community.  Even first time offenders may face serious consequences.

¨  Hacking           Students are not to attempt to access or modify network resources for which they do not have permission, for whatever reasons.  A student who engages in suspicious activities such as tampering with the school’s security software, ‘snooping’, falsifying their identity, or hiding files, will be viewed as a security threat.

¨  Files                 Students are not to store inappropriate files in their home directories, or anywhere on the school’s computers.

¨  Privacy            Students are not to use, to attempt to access, or to interfere with, another persons’ private resources, such as their login, password, email, or files.

¨  Games             Students are not to install or play unauthorized games.

¨  Websites         Students are not to access inappropriate websites, or to create websites that threaten the fabric of the Bolivar Community or promote antisocial attitudes.

¨  Email                Students are not to email inappropriate messages.

¨  Dishonesty     Students are not to engage in activities that promote dishonesty, including plagiarism, sharing files for the purpose of cheating, or stealing the electronic work of others.

¨  Copyright        Students are not to copy and paste text, images or graphics from websites that are protected by copyright, without ‘proper acknowledgment’ or permission of the owner of the intellectual property.

¨  License:          Students are not to use software for which the school does not have a valid license.

¨  Safety              Students are not to post or email personal information about others that could jeopardize their security.

Category 2  - Inappropriate Activities That Will Result In An AUP Infraction Report

Students who participate in the following activities cause problems that are annoying, and interfere with the use of the computers by others.  These actions often require time-consuming attention from the ICT Staff to restore network resources.

These students can expect to be spoken to by their principal, and have an AUP Infraction Report placed in their student file, and may lose computer privileges.  Repeat offences will be treated as Category 1 violations.

¨      Students are not to install or download programs, without authority from a teacher or ICT staff.

¨      Students are not to change settings:  cursor, background, colours, screen savers.

¨      Students are not to send annoying email:  ‘spam,’ chain-mail, email bombing, junk.

¨      Students are not to use the school’s computers for commercial purposes (e.g. to create a website and sell advertising).

¨      Students are not to use their home directories to store personal files that are not related to their studies at school.

¨      Students are not to use the computers as music listening centers.  Students are allowed to use portable CD or MP3 players with headphones in classes where teachers permit listening to music during class, or when using the labs during ‘free time’.

¨      Students are not to use Internet chat sites, unless authorized by a teacher for a class.

STUDENT AND PARENT AGREEMENT

Student Agreement:

I have read the Colegio Bolivar Acceptable Use Policy carefully before signing this document.  I agree that I will abide by the guidelines and provisions set forth in the policy.  I understand that if I am found guilty of unacceptable use, my network access may be suspended or permanently terminated.  I also understand that other penalties may be imposed, as outlined in the Student Handbook and Manual de Convivencia, or detailed in this document.

Student Name ________________________________________ Grade ___ Signature _________________________________

Student Name ________________________________________ Grade ___ Signature _________________________________

Student Name ________________________________________ Grade ___ Signature _________________________________

Student Name ________________________________________ Grade ___ Signature _________________________________

Parent Agreement:

I, the parent/guardian of the minor students listed above who have signed, along with me, this Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), understand that my son(s)/daughter(s) must adhere to the terms of this policy.  I understand that access to the Colegio Bolivar network is designed for educational purposes, and as such will allow my son(s)/daughter(s) access to external computer Internet sites, databases and networks that are not controlled by Colegio Bolivar.  I also understand that some materials available through these external sources may be inappropriate and objectionable; however, I acknowledge that it is impossible for Colegio Bolivar to screen or review all of the materials available through these sources.  I accept responsibility to set and convey standards for appropriate and acceptable use to my son(s)/daughter(s) when using the Colegio Bolivar network, or any other electronic media or communications associated with Colegio Bolivar.

I agree that my son(s)/daughter(s) may have access to Colegio Bolivar network resources.  Finally, I understand that should my son(s)/daughter(s) be found guilty of misuse of these resources, he/she/they may be subject to disciplinary action as explained in this Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

Parent / Guardian __________________________________________________________________  Date __________________________

Dear Parent/Guardian:  Attached is a copy of Colegio Bolivar’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) that explains in detail the regulations that govern the behavior expected of our students with respect to the use of our computers and network, and the consequences for infractions.  Parents are asked to read the document, along with their children, and sign in the spaces provided.  A copy of the signed document will be kept on file at the school.  Should you wish to refer to a copy, or produce a printed copy, the AUP can be accessed on our website at http://www.colegiobolivar.edu.co/technology/aup.html

Please have one of your children return the signed agreement to a teacher or to the secretary of their section.  Thank you.