The purpose of the Oakton Community College Computer labs is to provide a vocational and technical environment that will guide, develop and encourage students toward their educational goals.  The Oakton Community College Computer Labs are available to support students and faculty in carrying out College educational, instructional and academic objectives. As you take advantage of our technology resources, we ask that you read and follow the policies and procedures explained below.  These policies are intended to ensure efficient, safe, and ethical use of OCC's computer facilities and system. By following these policies, you will help to safeguard the computer system, computer labs, and, therefore, your continued right to access networks to which the college is connected and to use OCC's computer labs.  Academic work always has priority over other uses. Maintaining Computer Facilities and Equipment Information Technology staff are available to help with general computer use. They are also responsible for enforcing policies and rules to safeguard equipment and to ensure a supportive working environment for all lab users.  Please help preserve our computer labs:    Do not bring food or drinks into the labs. Dispose of all paper and other waste before leaving. Refrain from disruptive behavior such as loud talking, using cellular phones and personal stereos. Do not bring children into the lab. Do not attempt to move, repair, reconfigure, modify, or attach external devices to the computer systems. Note: You are liable for any damage done to the OCC computer equipment and related facilities as a result of improper use or mishandling.  Please report any software and/or hardware malfunctions to the computer lab staff.  Using OCC's Network All users of OCC's computer network are expected act in a responsible and efficient manner consistent with the instructional, academic, and administrative goals of the college.  Due to limitations or restrictions on computing resources, such as storage space, time limits or amount of resources consumed, users are not allowed to:    engage in nonacademic practices such as online games, chat rooms, electronic mail chain letters, engage in deliberately wasteful activities such as printing unnecessary output or multiple copies of files (Further information on the college printing policy is posted next to the printers in each lab), generate excessive network traffic, perform unnecessary computations, hold computers unnecessarily for excessive periods of time when others are waiting for these resources, install or use unauthorized software. Each user is provided with a unique login id and password that may not be used by anyone else. Failure to comply with this policy could result in the login ID being disabled.  Any attempt to gain unauthorized access to local or network resources is forbidden.  Users are expected to protect their work by frequently saving files, keeping archives and backup copies of important documents, and properly using the features for securing files.   Internet Access Use of the Internet for commercial gain, online gambling, profit, or advertisement is not allowed from Oakton Community College. Unauthorized transferring of copyrighted materials to or from the Oakton Community College computer system without express consent of the owner is a violation of federal law. (Link to academic dishonesty text)  Responsible Use of OCC Computer Services Use of network resources to harass, offend, or annoy other users of the network is forbidden. Obscene, defamatory, or any other material that violates college non-discrimination and sexual harassment policies, will not be allowed. The college reserves the right to take whatever action it deems appropriate to prevent, correct, or discipline behavior that violates this policy.  Access to and utilization of the resources of Oakton Community College computing services can be withdrawn or curtailed, and without proper notice, if there is reason to believe that the user has violated this policy or applicable law. Additionally, violation of this policy can result in further discipline under the appropriate procedures existing at Oakton Community College or by civil or criminal prosecution. All users, as a condition of their access to or utilization of Oakton Community College computing services, agree to cooperate in every way with the College in an investigation of alleged improprieties or abuse of this privilege and waive any right of confidentiality.  Individual Oakton Community College computer laboratories (such as the Art Lab, ISS, CAD Lab Nursing Lab, Language Lab, Library, and HIT Lab.) post additional operational rules and restrictions that are considered part of the Oakton Community College computer policy.  Issues concerning these guidelines allegations of harassment or other irresponsible use of computing resources should be brought to the attention of the Computer Lab Coordinator. The Information Technology staff will investigate apparent or alleged violations of these guidelines. The staff also reserves the right to immediately suspend user privileges for potential violations of these regulations.  Oakton Community College  Des Plaines, IL  August, 2000  The full Technology Acceptable Use Policy (Board Policy #8330.2) can be viewed in the IT Policies section.