Media and Information Technology Policy

The MIT department exists to empower others: students, faculty and staff in their individual and collective missions to positively impact the world through better medical education.  Noorda-COM utilizes the MIT department to provide access, support, security, and management of all technology and media production resources.   The department also facilitates ongoing innovation through project management, consulting services, and collaboration with students, faculty and other campus stakeholders in exploring and adopting new technologies and media to enhance student experience, learning outcomes, and drive administrative excellence.

Access to technology Resources (including, but not limited to, Noorda-issued technology devices, servers, networks, storage devices and systems (including cloud storage), data, applications, installed software, and system credentials) is granted subject to Noorda-COM policies and local, state, and federal laws. Acceptable use is always ethical, reflects academic honesty, integrity, and shows restraint in the consumption of shared Resources.

It demonstrates respect for intellectual property, protection of sensitive information, ownership of data/information, copyright laws, system security mechanisms, and an individual’s rights to privacy and to freedom from intimidation and harassment.  Activities inconsistent with these objectives are inappropriate and may jeopardize continued use of the Resources.  Noorda-COM may take any action it deems necessary to protect the Resources from systems and events that threaten or degrade operations, or that otherwise violate any Noorda-COM policy, including the review of a user’s actions or use of Resources.

There is no expectation of privacy in connection with the use of Noorda-COM and/or college owned systems, including the use of software, email accounts, and/or hardware/devices (including servers). The College may review, store, and/or transmit any information, files, and/or emails stored on its system and/or devices at its discretion.

In consideration of being allowed to use the Resources, each user acknowledges and agrees to the following statements:

• I will not use the Resources for any illegal activity or for any activity prohibited by Noorda-COM policy or the other policies or strictures referenced herein.
• I will not use the Resources to infringe upon any copyright or other intellectual property rights of another. This pertains to all copyrighted material, including, but not limited to, written works, recorded music, photographs, video and software. I understand that I may be held personally liable for copyright infringement.
• I understand that I am responsible for my own misuse of the Resources, and misuse by others that I knowingly permit or enable to use the Resources (for example, by sharing my password or sharing my access). I agree to be responsible for all claims arising from my misuse of the Resources and shall indemnify and hold harmless Noorda-COM from any costs, expenses and liabilities that might be asserted or imposed upon it or any of its officers, agents or affiliates as a result of such misuse.
• I will avoid any action that interferes with the efficient operation of the Resources or impedes the flow of information necessary for academic or administrative operations of Noorda-COM and will immediately discontinue such activities once I become aware of its effects.
• I will protect the Resources from unauthorized use and acknowledge that I am responsible for reasonably securing the Resources that have been assigned to me, including implementing such measures as outlined within Noorda-COM’s policies and any related procedures and guidelines, as well as in federal and state regulations that may apply (such as FERPA and HIPAA). This also includes applying, in a timely manner, operating system and software patches, and implementing malware scanning that protects my computing devices from unauthorized access.
• Suspicious and/or unauthorized activity on a user’s account must be reported to MIT immediately.
• I will only use the Resources for their intended purposes. I will only access Resources that have been authorized for my use, or which are publicly available.
• I understand that Noorda-COM retains ownership rights to all its collective data. I acknowledge that, unless specifically authorized by an Institutional official, copying Noorda-COM data to a personal device, storage location or any other media, network or resource which is outside Noorda-COM’s direct oversight is prohibited.
• I understand that incidental personal use of Resources (such as email, Internet access, printers, and copiers, etc.) is permitted only when it conforms to this policy. ”Incidental use” is use that is infrequent, does not interfere with the normal performance of my duties or the duties of another, does not unduly delay others’ use, and does not cause Noorda-COM to incur additional costs. Such use is restricted to approved Users only and does not include family members or others not affiliated with Noorda-COM.
• Storage of personal email messages, voice messages, files and documents on Noorda-COM’s Resources must be nominal so as not to burden the Noorda-COM’s storage services and infrastructure.

Examples of Inappropriate Conduct. Including, but not limited to:

• Accessing another person’s computer, computer account, files, or data without permission.
• Giving your username and password to someone else, or allowing another to access services authorized to you, even temporarily.
• Using the Resources to gain unauthorized access to any computer system or service.
• Using any means to decode or otherwise obtain restricted passwords or access- controlled information.
• Attempting to circumvent or subvert system or network security measures. Examples include creating or running programs that are designed to identify security loopholes, to decrypt intentionally secured data, or to gain unauthorized access to any system.
• Engaging in any activity that might be purposefully harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses or malware, disrupting services, damaging files or making unauthorized modifications to Noorda-COM data.
• Performing any act, intentionally or otherwise, that will interfere with the normal operation of computers, peripherals, or networks.
• Making or using illegal copies of copyrighted software, storing such copies on Noorda-COM systems, or transmitting them over Institutional networks.
• Harassing or intimidating others via email, social media, news groups or Web pages or any other of the Resources.
• Initiating or propagating electronic chain letters.
• Initiating or facilitating in any way mass unsolicited or unofficial electronic mailing (e.g., “spamming”, “flooding”, or “bombing”).
• Forging the identity of a User or Resource.
• Saturating a Resource to the exclusion of another’s use, for example, overloading the network with traffic such as emails, legitimate activities such as file backups, or malicious (denial of service attack) activities.
• Using Noorda-COM’s systems or networks for personal gain; for example, by selling access to your electronic identity or to Noorda-COM systems or networks, or by performing work for profit with Noorda-COM resources in a manner not authorized by Noorda-COM.
• Engaging in any other activity that does not comply with the general principles presented above or are a violation of any other Noorda-COM policies.

Compliance
Noorda-COM considers violations of acceptable use principles or guidelines provided here to be serious offenses. Noorda-COM will take such action it deems necessary to access and examine any files or information resident on Noorda-COM systems allegedly related to unacceptable use, and to protect its network and resources from systems and events which threaten or degrade operations. Violations may be referred to the appropriate entity for disciplinary action.

In the case of major infractions, for example those that impair others’ ability to use networking and computing resources, those that are a safety concern, or whenever necessary to protect Resources, Noorda-COM may immediately restrict systems or network access as it deems necessary to mitigate such activities.

This policy was reviewed and revised in March 2024. For assistance with policies and procedures, please contact Alexa Levine (adlevine@noordacom.org).