A. Information and Technology Services Policy Statement
Mitchell Hamline School of Law encourages use and application of technology to enhance students’ legal education. Tools include, but are not limited to, computers, telephones, library databases, software, e-mail, and Internet. Access to various technology tools available at the School is a privilege extended to current students and requires that individual users act responsibly. Users must respect the rights of others, respect the integrity of systems and related physical resources, and observe all relevant laws, regulations, and School policies. The School reserves the right to access information in its technology tools for business purposes. Business purposes may include day-to-day management of the systems; monitoring user performance or productivity where applicable; and investigating possible violations of law school policies, such as sexual harassment, the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, misuse of School resources or property, or a violation of law. There is no privacy nor expectation of privacy associated with a user’s account. The School reserves the right to extend, limit, restrict, or deny privileges or access to its technology tools.
B. Security
Users are expected to keep passwords confidential, and user passwords may be overridden by the School as necessary for business or administrative reasons. The student to whom an account is assigned is the only person authorized to use the account. Please report any unauthorized use of your account to the Information Technology Services Director.
C. Usage
Accounts will be terminated twelve (12) months after the end of the last semester in which the student was enrolled. User access may be suspended or terminated by the School at any time, with or without notice, for violation of this or other School policies.
In your final year, ITS will create an Alumni email account that you can begin using at that time. It will be available for your use for as long as you keep it active.
D. Acceptable Uses/Limitations
Examples include but are not limited to:
- The School’s technology tools are to be used primarily for School business purposes. Students are permitted to use technology tools in a prudent manner for personal use as long as it does not interfere with the use of technology by other members of the School community.
- Users do not own accounts on School computers, but are granted the privilege of use. The School may revoke this privilege if policies are not followed. Users may not share their accounts with others and must keep account passwords confidential.
- The School cannot guarantee that messages or files created, stored, received or sent through School technology systems (including computers, telephones, hard drives, disks, etc.) are private or secure. The School may monitor and record usage to enforce its policies and may use information gained in this way in disciplinary actions against the user.
- Users must adhere strictly to software licensing agreements and copyright laws.
- Only software that has been authorized by the School may be loaded or used on any School computer. The Information Technology Services Department is responsible for loading or removing any software.
E. Prohibited Conduct
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Sending, posting, storing, or accessing harassing, pornographic, obscene, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate information or material.
- Deliberate attempts to access files or information that the user is not authorized to access.
- Downloading personal music or videos due to the impact on system performance.
- Unauthorized attempts to view and/or use another person’s accounts, computer files, programs, or data.
- Use of School resources for any commercial activity or for-profit services.
- Any attempts to disable or compromise the security of information contained on the School’s computers.
- Copying software protected by copyright.
- Initiating or propagating electronic chain letters.
- Inappropriate mass mailings to newsgroups, mailing lists, or individuals.
- Unauthorized broadcasting of unsolicited mail or information.
- Attempts to disrupt, subvert, or circumvent the School’s access to any data, communications, systems, files, or passwords.
- Posting a message on an Internet bulletin board, World Wide Web document, or any publicly available Internet site which might be interpreted as stating a School position or policy, without express advance approval of the President and Dean, unless the message clearly indicates that it reflects only the views of the author and not the School.
F. Violations
Any suspected violation of this policy should be directed to the Dean of Students. Violations may result in disciplinary action.
G. Questions
Users of the School’s technology tools are encouraged to ask questions and understand the topics covered in this policy. Questions should be directed to the Dean of Students.
