Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Computer Facilities and External Networks – Acceptable Use

Related Policies:

Nil

Purpose:

This policy supports and describes the process for the acceptable use of Catholic Education Office computer facilities and external networks, including the internet, for the purposes of administration and the fostering of educational activities in Archdiocesan schools, the CEO and other CEO non-school workplaces.

Policy:

•  Access for all authorised users is for educational administration and/or learning and teaching purposes, and reasonable personal use.

•  All CEO work places are responsible for establishing and maintaining on-site procedures for a secure computing environment with regard to authorised access, student supervision and acceptable use by staff and students consistent with the role and functions of the CEO, as well as the Copyright Act 1968 and Privacy Act 1988.

•  Each CEO work place is expected to implement a Code of Practice for acceptable use (see example).

•  The CEO, Archdiocesan schools and other non-school workplaces are required to implement the attached CEO Code of Practice.

Definitions:

Computer Facilities and External Networks includes computers, local area networks, connections to external electronic networks, and subscriptions to external network services.

Licensed Software collectively refers to copyrighted and proprietary programs, data and documentation.

Internet refers to the global network of multi-platform smaller computer networks which allows the user to access information and communicate electronically.

Responsibilities:

1. It is the responsibility of the CEO to:

1.1 ensure that the authorised use of computer facilities and external networks, including the internet, relates to CEO business and is consistent with principles, regulations and laws relating to the privacy and safety of school students and CEO staff.

2. It is the responsibility of all users to:

2.1 obtain authorisation prior to using CEO computer facilities and external networks, including the internet, through the use of passwords and user identification.

3. It is the responsibility of Principals to:

3.1 implement a School Code of Practice (use attached example as a guide to developing a school-based code);
3.2 develop and implement a Student Code of Practice;
3.3 ensure that Codes of Practice are available to and understood by all users;
3.4 ensure that student access will be appropriately supervised as determined by the school;
3.5 highlight to users the possible dangers of communicating personal information on the internet;
3.6 obtain from the person with parental responsibility, annual written permission for students under 18 years of age to publish or transmit student work which may or may not include identifying student information. This includes any publishing of student work which may be done by a third party on their behalf;
3.7 obtain written permission from students 18 years and over (refer to previous point); and
3.8 monitor reasonable personal use by school staff.

4. It is the responsibility of CEO Heads of Division to:

4.1 implement the CEO Code of Practice;
4.2 ensure that Codes of Practice are available to and understood by all users.
4.3 monitor reasonable use by CEO Division Staff

Procedures

1. Acceptable uses are those:

1.1 related to learning and teaching;
1.2 related to educational administration.

2. Supervision of computer facilities and external networks.

Supervisors must take measures to ensure that computer networks are used in an acceptable manner. Procedures to ensure this must include:

2.1 a school code of practice;
2.2 a CEO code of practice;
2.3 security procedures to ensure authorised access to computing network;
2.4 appropriate supervision of users;
2.5 the use of appropriate software, either on site or by the service provider, to allow access to appropriate online sites only; and
2.6 education programs that focus on ethical and acceptable uses of the internet, as well as correct online etiquette.

3. Prohibited Activities.

3.1 For students under 18 years of age, publishing or transmitting student work which may or may not include identifying student information, without annual written permission from the person with parental responsibility. Students 18 years and over must give their own written permission.
3.2 Uses that unduly interfere with the work of other users of the network or with their host systems, or that seriously disrupt the network, or that result in the loss of a user's work.
3.3 Transmitting or deliberately accessing material, the use of which may be harmful emotionally or physically (eg, instructions to make a bomb).
3.4 Uses that contravene existing laws regarding transmitting or deliberately accessing information (eg, hacking), which contains profane language or panders to bigotry, sexism, or other forms of discrimination.
3.5 Transmitting or deliberately accessing information which contains sexually explicit material.
3.6 Uses that violate Commonwealth, State or Territory laws.
3.7 Uses that violate the privacy of individuals.
3.8 Communicating any information concerning any password, identifying code, personal identification code or other confidential information without the permission of its owner or the controlling authority of the computer facility to which it belongs.
3.9 Creating, modifying, transmitting or using any computer program or instructions intended to gain unauthorised access to, or make unauthorised use of, a computer facility, software or licensed software.
3.10 Use of the CEO's computing network for commercial or private purposes.
3.11 Creating, modifying, transmitting or using any computer program or instructions intended to obscure the true identity of the sender of electronic mail.
3.12 Accessing or intentionally destroying software or licensed software in a computer facility without the permission of the owner of such software or licensed software or the controlling authority of the facility.
3.13 Making unauthorised copies of licensed software.
3.14 Communicating any credit card number or other financial account number without the permission of its owner.
3.15 Effecting or receiving unauthorised electronic transfer of funds.
3.16 Violating any laws or participating in the commission or furtherance of any crime or other unlawful or improper purpose.
3.17 Using the computer facilities and external networks in a manner inconsistent with the CEO's contractual obligations to suppliers of computer facilities and external networks or with any published CEO policy.

References:

ACT DET Acceptable use of (IT) Information Technology Resources Statement

Forms:

Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Catholic Education Office - Code of Practice – Acceptable Use of Computer Facilities and External Networks.

Example of a School's Code of Practice - Acceptable Use of Computer Facilities and External Networks.

Last updated on June 23, 2008