Policy and Agreement
University of Toronto Mississauga GeoComputation Laboratory
COMPUTING POLICY & ACCOUNT AGREEMENT
PREAMBLE
In an effort to achieve excellence in undergraduate and graduate education the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto Mississauga provides specialized computing facilities to registered students who are active in its courses and programs. Computer accounts for UNIX and Linux based operating environments are provided to allow students to further their academic careers. Top priority is given to those individuals completing their course work.
AUTHORIZATION
For the academic year computing accounts can be authorized through a Geography course instructor, a Geography thesis supervisor or involvement with Environmental Internship.
ACCOUNT RESTRICTIONS
Personal web pages are not supported and usage of the Internet must not interfere with course related computing processing. The Department of Geography adopts, and modifies where appropriate, and applies all rules and regulations set forth by the UTM Computing Centre for the maximum benefit of all Geography students. The Geography Department reserves the right to require individuals to pay for computer laser printing facilities over and above course requirements at a rate comparable to the UTM Computing Centre. The Department requires students to administer their account usage to within specified limits.
Copying, transferring, compiling or de-compiling proprietary software is not permitted on any computer system due to licensing restrictions which set forth civil and criminal remedies established by International, Provincial and Federal laws.
Account sharing is forbidden. You must not use anyone else’s account, and must not allow anyone else to use your account. This type of activity will be considered sufficient grounds for immediate suspension of your accounts and where appropriate the application of the University of Toronto’s Code of Ethics and applicable law. Computer accounts are valid for the academic year only and will expire the week after a course's final examination. Re-application may be made in the next academic session.
You are responsible to ensure permissions on your files are set correctly to ensure your own data privacy.
Nutritional items, food and drinks are restricted from the computing facilities.
APPROPRIATE ACCOUNT USAGE
Use of computer accounts must not interfere with the rights of others, threaten neither local security of the computer networks nor that of any other computer connected to the Internet. Permanent removal of your account and copies of your files can be used as digital evidence in these circumstances. Lab users acknowledge that such behavior is not representative of a University of Toronto student and therefore acknowledge that immediate and appropriate action taken by the Systems Administrator may affect the student’s course work and status as a student and thus access to computing facilities within the Department of Geography, University of Toronto.
The University of Toronto is committed to ensuring a working and learning environment in which all persons treat others with humanity and respect. University information technology facilities include computing devices and associated peripherals, communications infrastructure and related equipment, facsimile machines, scanners, copiers, telephones, video and other multimedia devices and all forms of software. Such resources and tools are made available to employees in support of their teaching, research, and administrative activities and to students in support of their respective academic objectives and requirements. Their use is circumscribed by codes such as the Code of Student Conduct, the Code of Behaviour for Academic Matters, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Criminal Code of Canada in concert with the Department of Geography’s specific rules and guidelines.
Everyone bears the primary responsibility for the material he or she chooses to access, send, or display. The facilities may not be used in any manner to create, send or display material, which contravenes the relevant policies or statutes. Where devices, such as portable computers, are the property of the user, the appropriate use expectations still apply when such devices are used to access University information technology facilities. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in the suspension of access privileges as well as action deemed appropriate by the Department of Geography and/or the University of Toronto.
APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
• Confidentiality in use of passwords;
• Consideration of other persons using shared systems, equipment, and facilities;
• Respect for the rights and property of others;
• Respect for the right to privacy of others;
• Use of programs for the purpose for which they are intended within a academic course; and
• Adherence to the rules governing the use of accounts, equipment, networks, or other facilities that are established by the University of Toronto and endorsed in Academic Calendars.
INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
• Unauthorized access, alteration, destruction, removal, and/or disclosure of data, information, equipment, software, or systems;
• Deliberate over-extension of the resources of a system or interference with the processing of a system;
• Disclosure of confidential passwords and/or access devices or information for accounts, equipment, and telephone voice mail;
• Use of university facilities and resources for commercial purposes;
• Propagation of hate literature;
• Harassment, including sexual harassment;
• Theft of resources;
• Malicious or unethical use; and
• Use that violates provincial or federal laws.
Your use of the Department of Geography's GeoComputational Laboratory forces that you have read and understand the appropriate and inappropriate computer account usage policy and agree to adhere by such policies.
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