Computer Labs

 

Delta State University provides several computer labs on campus for use by the staff, faculty, and students. The labs will be used according to the following procedures.

 

University Computing Labs are to be used by the University community for university purposes only.

 

 

College/Unit Policy Officer: A person with responsibility for issues having broad-based policy implications for students, faculty, and staff in the college/unit; an Associate Dean or similar position.

 

Electronic Communications: The use of computers and network systems in the communicating or posting of information or material by way of electronic mail, bulletin boards, or other such electronic tools.

 

Network Systems: Includes voice, video and data networks, switches, routers, wireless devices, and storage devices.

 

System or Network Administrator: A university employee responsible for managing the operation or operating system environments of computers or network systems, respectively.

 

University Computers and Network Systems (University Systems): Computers, networks, servers, and other similar devices that are administered by the university and for which the university is responsible. Throughout this policy, the shortened term "university systems" is used to mean all university computers and network systems.

 

 

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) in conjunction with the Executive Assistant to the President will determine the need for additional computer lab facilities on the DSU campus. Equipment and software purchased and/or installed for the campus computing labs will be determined by the Office of Information Technology. All departments desiring a computer lab facility for departmental or college/school use, must coordinate the planning and development of such a lab with the full cooperation and approval of the Office of Information Technology. Funding for the creation and installation of labs will be determined by the Chief Information Officer and the Executive Assistant to the President.

 

Maintenance (installation and service of any hardware, software, or comparable services) of computer labs on campus will be performed by the Office of Information Technology. Under no circumstances is any third party approved to perform any work, installation of software, repair services, or equipment installation services without the express approval and cooperation of the Office of Information Technology.

 

Those departments and instructors who would like course specific software installed in the University public computing labs for the University to use, must have the approval of OIT before departmental/course specific software is purchased or assigned for purchase by the students for coursework. Once the software has been approved and has been verified to work with existing computing resources, including University approved and purchased software, the OIT will work with the department and the instructor(s) to install said software in the University public computing labs, and departmental labs where necessary. 

 

It is the responsibility of the course instructors and their department head to notify OIT of software needs for any existing courses or for courses being considered to be added to the curriculum. In the spring of each academic year, OIT prepares the lab image for the following year. At this time, departments will be asked to provide to OIT a copy of any software that is currently being evaluated for the fall semester along with legal licensing. OIT will make every effort to work with each department on campus to ensure that the software chosen by the course instructor is installed in campus labs for each course. Each department and/or instructor should contact OIT as soon as possible to determine if the software they are evaluating will work with University computing resources. Every effort will be made to find a software solution that will meet the needs of the instructor, department, and the campus while working well with the University approved software and hardware. Once the software has been verified by OIT to work with existing resources and the department has purchased the necessary licensing, OIT will assume responsibility for installing the software in the University Computing Labs.

 

The University lab “image” is finalized by August 1 of each year. Departments should make every effort to have their software requests turned in by that time.  Software additions during the semester will require a three-week lead time with no guarantee of completion.

 

The following rules and regulations are posted in each computer lab on the DSU campus. Anyone using the labs or visiting the labs is subject to the rules listed below:

 

·        No University system may be used for purposes that violate University statutes or regulations, or for illegal or criminal purposes. Please keep in mind that many people use University systems for daily work. Obstructing this work by consuming gratuitously large amounts of system resources (disk space, CPU time, print quotas, and network bandwidth) or by deliberately crashing the machine(s) will not be tolerated.

·        Use of any University system by outside individuals or organizations requires special permission from the system’s administrator and payment of fees to the University and to the appropriate software vendors where applicable.

·        Use of University systems for commercial purposes, except where explicitly approved, is strictly prohibited. Such prohibited uses include, but are not limited to, development of programs, data processing or computations for commercial use and preparation and presentation of advertising material.

·        Copying, storing, displaying, or distributing copyrighted material using University systems or networks without the express permission of the copyright owner, except as otherwise allowed under the copyright law, is prohibited. Under the Federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, repeat infringements of copyright by a user can result in termination of the user’s access to University systems and networks.

·        Sending electronic mail that is obscene, abusive, threatening, or harassing is not allowed. It is a criminal offense to fraudulently represent yourself with electronic mail.

·        Copying of software is forbidden. It is illegal for you to make copies of licensed software.

 

·        Frivolous, disruptive, or inconsiderate conduct in computer labs or terminal areas is not permitted.

·        No University computing facility may be used for playing computer games or Internet driven computer games.

·        The use of cell phones is prohibited in University Computing Labs. Any occurrence is cause for suspension or revocation of user privileges.

·        Use of the lab must not violate University policies or procedures, local, state, or federal law, and must not be an academic or non-academic offense as defined in the document Student Handbook.

·        Food, drinks, smoking, and tobacco are not allowed. Please help us keep the lab clean by following this rule.

·        Keep the lab neat. Please pick up your scrap paper, clean up around the computer and push in your chair when finished.

·        Inappropriate use of the computer equipment or the lab will result in termination of lab privileges. All users will abide by the DSU Computing Guidelines at all times.

·        University Computing Labs are to be used for the completion of assigned class work or university-related work only.

·        All users of University Computing Labs shall obey directions regarding reasonable conduct and/or use of equipment given by the Lab Assistant on duty. Lab Assistants may direct students to leave the lab if they do not observe these regulations. Users are also required to obey all DSU signs posted in the lab.

·        Users must provide the lab assistant with their DSU identification card before being assigned a computer. Users without a DSU identification card will not be allowed to use the lab. Upon departure, retrieve ID from the lab assistant and sign out from the lab.

·        Time limits of two hours are enforced when students are waiting.

·        Bring a USB Jump Drive with you to the lab to save work.  Do not save to the computer’s hard drive.

·        Classes may request to have some equipment reserved for them. Users may be required to leave for the duration of the scheduled event.

·        Users should back up data frequently to prevent loss of work.  Remember that a power failure or flawed removable media device could be disastrous.

·        Do not turn off the machine when finished. The computers stay on all day. Please exit the application you were working on and return to the Windows Main Screen before removing your data storage device.

·        DSU has implemented a pay for print system. Please help us to keep our printing cost down by printing only necessary pages. The lab assistant must release all print jobs to the printer. Make sure to press print on your computer before going to the lab assistant to have him/her release your print job. Pages can be saved to removable media devices and printed in the convenience of your home or dorm room. 

·        Users will properly operate all hardware and not abuse it in any way. Users shall not disconnect or connect peripherals, devices, power cables or network cables to or from lab machines. Users shall not tamper with nor attempt to repair any equipment.

·        The telephone is to be used for incoming calls or for calling for assistance in the laboratory. It is not for personal usage. Long distance calls are not accessible with this extension.

·        Users will notify the Lab Assistant on duty of any malfunctioning equipment.

·        See a lab assistant concerning any problems or questions. The lab assistant on duty sits behind the Help Desk in the lab.

·        If a lab assistant is not present, please call the OIT help desk (x4444) for assistance.

·        Note:  Violations of these regulations constitute cause for the revocation of user privileges and could result in formal disciplinary action by the University and/or criminal prosecution.

 

Violations of these policies may result in the immediate suspension of computer account and network access pending investigation of circumstances and may lead to their eventual revocation. Serious violations of the policy will be referred directly to the appropriate University or outside authorities; unauthorized use of University computing facilities can be a criminal offense. The penalties may be as severe as suspension or dismissal from the University and/or criminal prosecution.

 

Violators of this policy will be dealt with according to the details outlined in the University’s Responsible Use of Electronic Communications policy.  Those who cannot accept these standards of behavior will be denied use of Delta State computers or network systems.  Violators may also be subject to penalties under University regulations and under state and federal laws