3 ring binder with Policy and checkmark

In support of its mission and vision, Richland Community College provides access to information technology resources for students, faculty, and staff within institutional priorities and financial capabilities.

The Policy for Responsible Use of Information Technology at Richland Community College shall be adhered to by all College units as well as all individuals who operate or use the information technology resources of the College. In addition, this policy applies to use of information technology resources that are entrusted to the institution by other organizations. In case of conflict, local, state, or federal laws supersede this policy.

Access to the College's information technology facilities is a privilege, not a right, granted to College students, faculty, and staff. The College reserves the rights to extend, limit, restrict, or deny privileges and access to its information resources. Individuals other than College faculty, staff, and students may be permitted access to information technology in a manner consistent with the College’s mission and vision, policy, and guidelines.

All users of the technology systems are bound by applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations including but not limited to Red Flag Regulations, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. All people must act ethically, appropriately, and responsibly while using the College’s information technology resources. All users of College information systems must respect the rights of other users, maintain the integrity of the resources, and comply with all pertinent licenses and contractual agreements.

Information technology provides important means of communication, both public and private. Users will respect the privacy of person-to-person communication in all forms including, but not limited to, voice (telephone), text (electronic mail, documents, and file transfer), image (graphics), and video (recorded and streaming). Authorized personnel are permitted to view and/or modify any electronic files, including electronic mail messages, as required by law, for any legitimate business reasons, or in the course of diagnosing and resolving system problems and maintaining information integrity.

College facilities and accounts are to be used for the activities or purposes for which they are assigned. College computing resources are not to be used for commercial purposes without written authorization from the College.

This policy provides general guidance and may be supplemented by additional regulations governing particular sub-systems of the College information technology resources. The Board charges the administration with the responsibility, and the Board delegates the administration the authority to develop appropriate guidelines, regulations, and procedures to implement the policy. The College makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, for the technology services it is providing. The College will not be responsible for any actual or perceived damages suffered from the use of its information technology.

Violations of this policy shall be cause for discipline. Alleged violations of this policy shall be subject to the College’s disciplinary procedures. Illegal activities by users of the College technology including but not limited to illegal downloading and file sharing are prohibited.

In accordance with Illinois law, any depiction of child pornography discovered by members of the College's information technology staff will be immediately reported to law enforcement authorities.