IT 030 - Software Usage

Policy

CWI provides users with access to a wide variety of Software. This Software is a valuable resource provided for the limited purposes of advancing, enhancing and promoting the business and educational opportunities made available by CWI. This policy sets forth guidelines regarding the use of such Software and establishes acceptable practices and responsibilities associated with the use of such Software. CWI prohibits the improper or illegal use of Software by Users

Guidelines

Ownership

Software, sent, received, or stored on CWI’s ETRs is the sole and exclusive property of the granted license owner.

Copyright

All Software is protected under United States copyright law from the time of its creation. CWI has licensed copies of Software from a variety of producers to help fulfill its mission. Unless otherwise provided in the Software license, duplication of copyrighted Software, except for backup and archival purposes, is a violation of applicable laws and this policy.

CWI may track Software usage at any time for any reason. All CWI-owned applications, including Blackboard, are filtered, monitored and logged for, among other things, content, sites visited, patterns of activity, routing information, and duration of use. Accordingly, no User has (or should expect to have) any right of privacy or confidentiality with respect to the use of CWI’s Software. Whether for the purpose of managing those resources and traffic flow, assuring system security, verifying and ensuring compliance with CWI policies or applicable law, or for any other reason, CWI expressly reserves the right (from time-to-time or at any time) to intercept, divert, discard, access or review any Internet connection, other electronic communications or Software stored on CWI’s ETRs.

CWI also reserves the right to disclose to other persons or otherwise use the contents of any Software for any of the foregoing purposes, as well as for the purposes of complying with or assisting law enforcement officials or legal authorities who may, by subpoena, search warrant or otherwise, seek review of communications, or for the purpose of litigation or other legal proceedings.

Idaho Public Records Act 

As a political subdivision of the state of Idaho, CWI is subject to the Idaho Public Records Act. Except as specifically provided therein, the Idaho Public Records Act expressly denies to CWI employees any expectation of privacy in their use of CWI’s ETRs. Users should be aware that their use of ETRs may be subject to the public’s right to inspect and copy records, as that term is defined by Idaho law, of Software installed on CWI’s ETRs.

Standards Of Conduct

Users shall, as an express condition of their use, comply with the following standards of conduct with respect to the use of CWI Software:

• CWI software shall be used only for authorized purposes, which are limited to educational-related coursework, academic research, and work-related departmental activities.
• Users may not knowingly use Software for which the organization lacks the appropriate license. If you become aware of the use or distribution of unauthorized Software at CWI, you must notify your supervisor.
• Users shall only use CWI-approved copyrighted Software installed by designated CWI personnel and in compliance with vendor license requirements. Peripheral devices must be approved and installed by designated CWI personnel.
• Users shall not use programs to decode passwords or otherwise gain unauthorized access to control of information.
• Users shall not use Software for commercial, religious, or political purposes, including but not limited to, using electronic mail to circulate advertising for products or for political candidates or issues.
• Users shall not make or use illegal copies of copyrighted Software, store such copies on ETRs, or transmit them over ETRs.
• Users may not loan or give to anyone any Software licensed to CWI. 
• Users may not install CWI Software on a personal system unless the software license agreement so allows (i.e. Office365).
• No user may use or distribute personally owned Software on CWI’s ETRs. Such Software threatens the integrity and security of CWI’s computers and networks.
• A variety of Software is available on the Internet. Some of the Software, called “freeware” or “shareware,” is available free of charge for limited use and may be used within the organization with approval and testing by IT to ensure the suitability of the Software for use within CWI. No member of CWI should download such Software to his/her ETR prior to approval and testing for suitability.

Enforcement And Reporting 

CWI’s Chief Information Officer is responsible for enforcement of this policy. All Users of Software are required to report any violations of this policy to the Chief Information Officer.

Limitation Of Liability

CWI makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, that the functions of the Software will be error free or without defect. CWI is not responsible for any damage Users may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. CWI is also not responsible for the accuracy or the quality of the information obtained through or stored on the system. CWI is not responsible for any financial obligations arising from the unauthorized use of Software.

Violation Of Policy

Any violation of this policy may result in corrective action up to and including termination of employment and/or suspension or expulsion in the case of a student. Additionally, Users are subject to loss of Software privileges and, in appropriate cases, civil and/or criminal prosecution.