Purpose
Montreat College is committed to protecting its employees, partners, and itself from illegal or damaging actions by individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly. Each user of the college’s email system is a representative of the college, in that a record of his or her email address – reflecting “montreat.edu”— is included in each email message. Accordingly, each user is expected to behave in a manner that reflects our commitment to be a community under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The purpose of this policy is to prevent tarnishing the public image of Montreat College. These rules are in place to protect the college and its faculty, staff, and students. Any person who has a question about this policy, or is concerned about potential violation of this policy by him/herself or by another person, is encouraged to contact Campus Technology.
Scope
This policy applies to all individuals who are given access to the Montreat College email system (Office 365), including, but not limited to, the following (whether full-time or part-time): faculty, staff, and students.
Policy
The following policies cover the appropriate use of any email sent to or from a Montreat College email account:
Prohibited Use
The Montreat College email system may not be used for the creation or distribution of any disruptive or offensive messages, including offensive comments about race, gender, hair color, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, pornography, religious beliefs and practices, political beliefs, or national origin. Employees who receive any emails with this content from any Montreat College email account should report the matter to their supervisor and Campus Technology immediately. Sending chain letters or joke emails from a Montreat College email account is prohibited. Virus or other malware warnings and mass mailings from a Montreat College email account must be approved by the Montreat College Chief Information Officer before sending.
Personal Use
The limited use of the Montreat College email system for personal emails is acceptable, but non- work related email must be saved in a separate folder from work related email.
Monitoring
Montreat College faculty, staff, and students shall have no expectation of privacy in regards to anything they store, send, or receive on the Montreat College email system. Montreat College may monitor messages without prior notice, however, Montreat College is not obligated to monitor email messages.
Policy Compliance
The college considers any violation to be a serious offense. College officials reserve the right to access, examine, intercept, monitor, and copy the files and/or actual terminal sessions of any user, or to suspend a user’s access to the system, in connection with the investigation of any of the following: a) violations or suspected violations of security and/or policies, b) terminal interactions which may be contributing to poor computer performance, or c) computer malfunctions. In connection with such investigations, users whose files or terminal sessions are affected are deemed to have acknowledged the following: that they are not entitled to any expectation of privacy with regard to their files, data, or communications, and that appropriate college officials and criminal enforcement agencies may be notified of the violation and provided with information and materials relating to the investigation and/or violation.
Compliance Measurement
Campus Technology will verify compliance to this policy through various methods, including but not limited to, periodic walk-throughs, video monitoring, business tool reports, internal and external audits, and feedback to the policy owner.
Exceptions
Any exception to the policy must be approved by Campus Technology in advance.
Non-Compliance
The responses for violation of this policy will include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Notification: alerting a user to what appears to be an inadvertent violation of this policy in order to educate the user to avoid subsequent violations.
- Warning: alerting a user to the violation, with the understanding that any additional violation will result in a greater penalty.
- Loss of computer privileges: limitation or removal of computer privileges, either permanently or for a specified period of time.
- Restitution for damages: requiring reimbursement for the costs of repairs to or replacement of computer related material, equipment, hardware, software, data, and/or facilities, which reimbursement shall include, but not be limited to, the cost of additional time spent by college employees due to the violation.
In addition to the aforementioned, violators may be subject to disciplinary action – which may include suspension, expulsion, or termination – as may be prescribed by other rules, regulations, handbooks, procedures, or policies applicable to the violator. Furthermore, the violator may be subject to civil suits or ordinances, laws, statues, or regulations of the applicable local government, the State of North Carolina, or the United States of America.
Definitions of Terms
Chain Email or Letter: Email sent to successive people. Typically, the body of the email has direction to send out multiple copies of the note and promises good luck or money if the direction if followed.
Contact Information
Campus Technology
Phone: 828-669-8012 Ext. 3663
Email: support@montreat.edu
Revision History
Initial Draft: 08/19/2016
Revised: 09/02/2016