User Code of Conduct for Computing Resources

Guiding Principle

The University of Ottawa's computing resources are intended to support its educational and research activities.

Code Violations and Discipline

Violations to the User Code of Conduct, complaints about violations, and disciplinary measures against violators are governed by applicable laws and regulations and by University policies, regulations, employment contracts or collective agreements.

Definitions

1. Account: Any account number, access code, user identification code or authorization code granted for a computing resource.
2. Computing Resource: Includes but is not limited to computers, peripherals, software, data, network infrastructure, other hardware owned or managed by the University of Ottawa.
3. User: Any person who has been provided with an account or computing resources.

User Commitment and Responsibility

Users accept and agree that they are responsible for all use of their account and computing resources and further accept to abide by the User Code of Conduct set out below.

Rights of the University of Ottawa

The University reserves the right to remove material from an account or computing resource and to suspend access to an account or computing resource pending investigation into suspected violations of the User Code of Conduct.

The University does not sponsor or endorse a user's data or the content of a user's account or personal Web page.

Specific Responsibilities of Users

Under the User Code of Conduct, users must:

1. Use only the account for which they have been authorized by the University, and comply with all restrictions applying to this account.
2. Prevent unauthorized access for every single account and computing resource provided to them by using passwords and other controls, and keep these passwords and access controls confidential at all times.
3. Never impersonate other users or any other person.
4. Ensure their accounts and computing resources are used only for authorized activities.
5. Never use accounts and computing resources for personal commercial purposes or financial gain.
6. Prevent their accounts and computing resources from being used by other people, including family, friends, acquaintances and other third parties.
7. Never send, display or store obscene or pornographic material or any other material that is subject to applicable laws or regulations.
8. Never send harassing communications or send unauthorized and unsolicited bulk electronic mail.
9. Never intercept or try to intercept network communications (such as e-mail messages, user-to-user dialogue) not intended specifically for them.
10. Never interfere or attempt to interfere with any account or computing resources, as this could impair their normal operation.
11. Never use accounts or computing resources to try to gain unauthorized access to non-University resources.
12. Use sound security devices and methods to protect accounts and computing resources, such as regular password changes, anti-virus software and regular data back-up.
13. Comply with all copyright, trademarks and trade-name rights and licences in all software or other material.

Office of the Secretary (562-5950)


Approved by the Administrative Committee on October 4, 2000

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