Policy 5:190

Personnel

Use of District Computer Facilities

The District will utilize computer facilities, equipment and computer programs as a resource to advance the educational mission of schools and maximize cost savings associated with the rapid transmission of electronic data.  District computer facilities (i.e., computers, computer programs, printers, electronic mail, software and any device capable of accepting, sending and processing data) are provided for use by authorized employees solely for work related purposes.  Employees shall not utilize District computer facilities for commercial or personal use, gain or electronic advantage absent written authorization first obtained from the Board of Education.  (105 ILCS 5/10-23/10)

Computer account codes (log-ins) providing access to computer facilities are made available to authorized personnel to assist them in accomplishing specific instructional and administrative goals of the District.  It is prohibited for employees to access or attempt to access another employee’s computer account or other database without prior authorization.  Authorized employees operating District computer facilities shall also refrain from the following prohibited practices:

1. intentionally providing computer access to unauthorized individuals (i.e., loaning account codes to another person, disclosing someone else’s password to a third party, using another’s account, etc.);
2. disrupting access to a computer system, network, or file (by crashing a system, releasing viruses, altering or attempting to learn other’s passwords, tying up terminals, printers or operating systems, using computer facilities for illegal activities, etc.);
3. accessing or changing other individual’s or department’s files without permission;
4. sending or distributing harassing messages;
5. purposefully wasting resources or damaging District computer facilities or equipment;
6. sending receiving or storing obscene, immoral or threatening material of any kind.

The employees shall have no proprietary interest or expectation of privacy with respect to information, data, or messages sent through or stored in District computer facilities or electronic data processing devices.  The District expressly reserves the right to view or scan any file or software stored on District computer equipment and will do so periodically to verify that software and hardware are working correctly, check for viruses or to audit District resources and business operations as required.

Adopted: November 10, 1997