The Manchester Metropolitan University invests significant resources in the provision of computing resources for students, and wishes to encourage appropriate use by students and staff. In order to ensure maximum access, computing resources must be used in a responsible way. The university is responsible for ensuring that they are used in an appropriate manner.
Students are often registered on courses involving more than one faculty, and can access their network accounts from IT Zones which could be located in a different faculty. In future, they will be able to access facilities from outside the university entirely.
It is appropriate, therefore, to introduce these University regulations, which may be supplemented by additions specific to each faculty.
These regulations are phrased in as general a manner as possible, to limit their length and avoid the need for frequent updates as technology and the University context change.
Any variation of these regulations specifically required by your programme of study must have the prior written approval of your course tutor.
The computing resources at the Manchester Metropolitan University are provided for use by staff and students in support of teaching, learning, research, consultancy and administrative activities.
Their use for any other purpose which interferes with these primary aims, or which otherwise acts against the interests of the University, is prohibited.
The University reserves its right to withdraw access to computing facilities for non-approved purposes at any time. Use of University computing facilities for students' commercial gain is prohibited.
You are bound by the Law of England and Wales when using computing facilities. Many specific items of legislation apply, but the ones of prime importance are:
It is your responsibility to ensure that your activities do not contravene these or any other laws. Your supervisor may be able to assist if you are in doubt.
If you are accessing computers abroad, remember that you may also be bound by the laws of that country.
You must not use the computing facilities to access, create, store or transmit offensive, indecent or obscene material. You must not send threatening, abusive, obscene or otherwise offensive E-mail.
In using the computing facilities you must not cause annoyance or needless anxiety to anyone else, nor prevent them making proper use of the facilities, for example by:
You will be issued with a username and password to allow access to University computing facilities.
You must not reveal the password to anyone else under any circumstances. You must not allow anyone else to use a computer logged in under your name without your immediate supervision.
Where your access services are provided by other organisations, you must abide by their regulations. Any breach of such regulations will be regarded as a breach of these Manchester Metropolitan University regulations.
In particular, you must abide by the acceptable use policy for JANET, the Joint Academic Network, with which you should familiarise yourself. This policy is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ja.net/documents/publications/policy/aup.pdf.
You must not jeopardise the computing hardware in any way, for example by:
You must not jeopardise the computing software in any way, for example by:
The university reserves the right to charge students for the cost of rectification of damage which they cause and/or take further disciplinary action.
Students shall not copy software from, nor introduce software to University computing facilities without the express permission of a member of staff responsible for those facilities.
Students must not copy datasets to or from University computing facilities unless they have established that they are acting within any copyright conditions applying to the material.
Students must comply with any reasonable request or instruction issued by any IT Services staff with respect to the use of University computing facilities. Improper behaviour towards IT Services staff may result in formal disciplinary action.
Whilst the University endeavours to provide a high level of service, failure of any element of the computing service will not be accepted as valid excuse of failure to reach an acceptable standard in assignments or examinations unless no other reasonable method of carrying out the work was available.
In the event of a breach of these regulations, your access to some or all or the computing facilities may be withdrawn pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings. This may seriously affect your ability to complete your course of study satisfactorily.
If at all in doubt, ask your tutor for guidance.
November 2011