Policies governing the use of the Bennington technology resources are developed by the Information Technology department and approved by the relevant senior staff member. The purpose of these policies is to help ensure that students, faculty, staff, and other members of the College community have maximum access to computers and network services and are aware of the rights and responsibilities associated with computer usage.
Information Technology Policy for Students
The College makes certain computing and network resources available to its students. Currently, these resources include but are not limited to wired and wireless network connections, shared computer labs and devices, software for educational use, and services for email, printing, storage, and information access. This policy for the College computing and network resources also applies to the information held on any computers and storage devices provided by the College or connected to its network. These resources and information are to be used in a manner consistent with College policy and the law.
You may only use information resources for which you have authorization. You may not use another individual’s account or attempt to acquire other user’s passwords. You may not attempt to access, alter, deface, destroy, or remove restricted portions of the network, computing equipment, an operating system, security software, applications, or databases without authorization. You may not scan or monitor network transmissions.
You may only connect devices (e.g., desktop and laptop computers, printers) to the network at approved points. Equipment that extends or modifies the network, such as routers, switches, or hubs, must not be connected unless specifically approved by the IT Department. You must not use hardware, software, or processes that disrupt the College system or other computer or network users, or that degrade performance of any part of a system.
You must abide by all applicable federal, state, and local laws including but not limited to those concerning copyright, the protection of
intellectual property, and illegal pornography. You may not use, copy or distribute copyrighted works, including but not limited to music, videos,
games, images, or software unless you have the legal right to do so. You are required to comply with all contractual and licensing agreements that apply to resources the College has purchased and made available for your use.
You may not use the computing and network resources for any activity that would jeopardize the tax-exempt status of the College, political purposes, or for personal economic gain. You may not use computing and network resources to libel, slander, harass, or threaten any other person.
You are expected to respect the privacy of others, and you are prohibited from accessing another user’s email, data, or programs without explicit permission.
The College reserves the right to access and review information transmitted on the network or stored in its systems without prior notice.
Students found in violation of any part of the Information Technology Policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
Legal Online Sources for Copyrighted Materials
There are many legal sources for copyrighted material such as music and movies. The sites below provide a range of alternative sources ranging from those that have no cost to others requiring payment.