Employee Computer & Network Use

POLICY SUMMARY

Computing resources provided by Pratt Institute to employees are intended to be used for Institute business and educational purposes only. Pratt encourages the use of the Internet and e-mail because they can make communications more efficient and effective.

Policy
Overview
Computing resources provided by Pratt Institute to employees are intended to be used for Institute business and educational purposes only. Pratt encourages the use of the Internet and e-mail because they can make communications more efficient and effective. However, all computing resources, including Internet service and the contents of email remain Pratt property. 
Every employee has a responsibility to maintain and enhance the Institute’s public image and to use email and access to the Internet in a productive manner. To ensure that all employees are fully aware of these responsibilities, the following guidelines have been established. Any improper use of the Internet, email, or other Institute-owned computing resources is unacceptable and will not be permitted. Information Technology, in concert with Human Resources, will determine which specific technology is appropriate for a given position and require that each employee not be issued more than one computer.
Limited Activities
• Computing systems may not be used to play computer games during work periods.
• Limited personal use of computing resources is allowed at the supervisor’s discretion, following the example set of allowing limited personal telephone calls and storage of personal property. 
• Pratt cannot guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of email, electronic documents, or other materials transmitted via the network. Any messages that are confidential as a matter of law should not be communicated via e-mail.
Prohibited Activities
• Use of electronic media for any other purpose that is illegal or against Institute policy or contrary to the Institute’s best interest. 
• Solicitation of non-Institute business or any use of the company email or Internet services for personal gain.
• Use of non-public institutional information for personal ends, or obstructing its use for proper institutional operation.
• Use of institutional computing facilities to effect or receive the electronic transfer of funds for purposes unrelated to Institute business purposes.
• Use of the network or email in a manner that is disruptive to the work or educational environment. Employee policies which cover the display or transmission of offensive or disruptive materials remain in effect when applied to network and computer use.
• Use of Institute resources for transmitting, retrieving, or storage of any files or communications of a discriminatory or harassing nature or materials that are obscene.
• Harassment of any kind is prohibited. No messages with derogatory or inflammatory remarks about an individual’s race, age, gender, disability, religion, national origin, physical attributes or sexual preference shall be transmitted. No abusive, profane or offensive language is to be transmitted through the Institute’s email or Internet system.
• Mass email is limited to items that are genuinely essential to the entire Pratt Institute Internet population, such as messages covering security issues or system outages. Announcements of events, special programs and all other mass e-mail messages are to be disseminated according to the Universal Email System. 
Procedures for Handling Violations
In case of a written, oral or electronically transmitted complaint of misuse of this policy, the Director of Academic Computing or designee will request authorization to access information contained in that user’s account and, if warranted, to suspend the account until the matter is resolved.
Access to and suspension of accounts must be recorded and the alleged offender(s) notified as soon as possible. If the complaint appears to have merit, the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and the Director of Academic Computing will meet with the alleged offender, and will follow the Institute’s judicial procedural guidelines.
Consequences of Violations
Pratt Institute reserves the right to monitor, restrict or deny access to its computers and networks in the event of a violation of this policy, other Institute policies, or of state and federal law. As stated above, penalties will be in accordance with Institute guidelines and in the case of employees may include termination. In addition, Pratt will cooperate with outside law enforcement agencies in the investigation of criminal activity occurring within the Pratt Internet domain.