The use of Tufts computing and communications resources, like the use of any other University-provided resource, is subject to the normal requirements of legal and ethical behavior within the University community. The Responsible Use Policy applies to all users of University technology resources, and to all uses of those resources, whether on campus or from remote locations.
- Tufts University computing and communications resources may only be used by authorized persons for legitimate purposes relating to teaching, learning & research, and University administration. No one may use Tufts’ technology resources for inappropriate or illegal purposes such as playing practical jokes, accessing pornography, circulating chain letters, introducing viruses, wiretapping, packet sniffing, circumventing security, and so on.
- Commercial use of these resources, except for authorized Tufts University business, is prohibited. Reselling of University technology resources or services is not permitted.
- Users are responsible for complying with the requirements of the contracts and licenses applicable to the software and other data they install on University or personal systems. Copyright violations, especially of downloaded material or shared software, are of particular concern. Proof of legal licensing should be made available upon request.
- Users may utilize only those computing resources that they are authorized to use and use them only in the manner and to the extent authorized. No one may share individually assigned accounts and passwords under any circumstances, not even with supervisors, family members, or UIT or University staff. No one may share use of an account, personal computer or network connection for the purposes of providing network access to unauthorized individuals.
The University employs various measures to protect the security of its computing resources and of users' accounts. Users should engage in "safe computing" practices by establishing appropriate access restrictions for their accounts, guarding their passwords and changing them regularly, backing up files and using virus protection. Because University computing resources are University property, uses of those resources are not private but may be monitored by the University in appropriate circumstances. While the University does not routinely monitor individual usage of its technology resources, the normal operation and maintenance of the University's resources require the backup and caching of data and communications, the logging of activity, the monitoring of general usage patterns, and other such activities that are necessary for the provision of service.
The complete text of the Responsible Use Policy is available online at the following link:
http://uit.tufts.edu/?pid=444&c=104
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| | Question: | I have been issued an e-mail account to assist me in performing my job with the University. Is it a problem if I occasionally direct e-mail of a personal nature to colleagues outside the University? | | Answer: | The University has made a substantial investment in the data network and servers that enable its faculty and staff to correspond via electronic mail. While the University recognizes that occasional use of this infrastructure for personal purposes will not disrupt its functionality, it expects that e-mail users will respect the priority of business communications and keep personal correspondence to a minimum.
| | Question: | My spouse and children have become very interested in the Internet. Is it possible for me to let them use my Tufts computer account in the evening hours to access the World Wide Web or to create their own home pages? | | Answer: | No, only the "responsible person" for that account should answer questions regarding transactions. You should refer the coworker to your supervisor, who can best decide whether or not to provide the answer.
| | Question: | Is it really a problem if I don't change my password? If I stick with the same one it is so much easier for me to remember | | Answer: | You are encouraged to an in some cases forced to use strong passwords that are changed every 180 days or less in order to reduce the potential of security problems. Strong passwords contain at least 8 alphanumeric characters including upper and lower case letters as well as punctuation keys. It is occasionally possible for outsiders to gain access to our system if they determine the password of one of its authorized users. The use of strong passwords that are frequently changed minimizes this risk.
| | Question: | I am going on vacation for two weeks and have given my user ID and password to a coworker so that she can review my e-mail messages and attend to urgent business. Is this acceptable? | | Answer: | Giving another person your password constitutes a violation of University policy. The best solution in cases of absence is to ask your Local Area Network (LAN) administrator to forward your e-mail to the mailbox of someone else for review.
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