SwVCC

Web Resource Policy & Procedure

Access & Publication Guidelines

Go to the Information Technology Services Website for information on how to establish an account for SwVCC Network Services.

Created 9/3/97

WEB SERVER and EMAIL

Creation and Maintenance

A web server is any computer containing software and connections enabling the serving of files on the Internet. While SwVCC actively promotes and encourages the freedom of communication and positive results available through publication on the World Wide Web, guidelines must be followed so that the college's interests and policies are best served. The following are organizational policies to manage the growth and maintenance of SwVCC's Web presence based on the following statements of purpose.

1. All World Wide Web publications created and served using SwVCC resources:

• are to promote SwVCC in general and its program offerings and services.

• will provide service to SwVCC employees, students and community members.

2. WWW publications will not be created to promote individual purposes, such as placement of personal pages or promotion of private business or enterprise on the web.

3. SwVCC Employees or Students may not create and maintain a personal web server using state equipment. Any creation of web server capabilities must be under the direct approval and supervision of the appropriate department head, division dean and/or V.P.

SwVCC Primary web server(s):

Approval:

All content is to be maintained by the Webmaster with the supervision and approval of the Office of the President and the Vice President of Administration.

Identification and Purpose:

This is the server(s) physically located in the Information Technology Server Room maintained by the Webmaster, and is SwVCC's official World Wide Web server. These server(s) will carry the domain designation of sw.edu.

Content and Responsibility:

These server(s) will contain pages related to College policy and procedure and other documentation specific to SwVCC operations. These pages will be served and administered through the College's Intranet. SwVCC's home page, general information about the college and surrounding counties, course offerings and schedules, handbooks and other publications, and upper level divisional information for the Administrative, Instructional and Student Support areas will be served through the Internet.

SwVCC Division/Departmental server(s):

Approval:

The creation of this type of server must be approved by the Division Dean, the respective Vice President and the Office of the President.  The SwVCC Network Manager will provide DNS entry for the server once approvals have been made. The server(s) will be physically located in SwVCC's server room so that all precautions for the physical security of the servers can be maintained unless specific approval and responsibility is taken by the appropriate Division Dean.

Identification and Purpose:

A division/department server(s) will carry the designation of the individual area (i.e. humanities (server for the Humanities Division) or DDL (server for Distance Learning pages in support of Internet course offerings , [ex. desweb.sw.edu.]). The SwVCC Network Manager maintains on file a listing of all Division/Department Web Servers to include the DNS entries, IP addresses and server configuration.

Links to SwVCC Primary Server:

Each department/division will provide the Webmaster with the URL for the default home page of their server to provide a link from the primary server, whenever materials published are to be generally available to the public.

Content and Responsibility:

Divisional/department servers may contain departmental pages for publications such as highlighting of specific curricula, detailed information of departmental activities and on-line course instruction and materials. Publications placed on departmental server(s) initiated by the instructor of a course in support of course content do not require the approval process prior to publication.

Any information published from these departmental/division servers is the direct responsibility of the department vice president/division dean and/or his or her designate. A server listing will be maintained by the Webmaster providing:

a) location of the server

b) the person responsible for approval of web page content

c) person responsible for configuration and maintenance of the server hardware and operating software capabilities

d) and the person responsible for the creation and ongoing maintenance of the information contained in the web page(s).

The Webmaster will provide assistance in server setup, page creation and troubleshooting when needed. Content development and design of departmental/division pages is the responsibility of the respective department/division. This content should not be a duplication or a revision of information provided through SwVCC's primary server. Content must be reviewed regularly and outdated, unnecessary information should be updated and/or removed.

WEB PUBLISHING

Web publishers at SwVCC are responsible for the content of the pages they create and are expected to abide by the highest standards of quality and responsibility. These responsibilities apply to all publishers, whether they represent divisions/departments, or student organizations. Publishers are also required to comply with all VCCS and SwVCC System rules and policies, and state and federal laws concerning appropriate use of computers.

Web Page Creation

Authoring tools for creation of web pages are widely available. The SwVCC Webmaster will assist any departmental/divisional or student organization contacts in obtaining the necessary software and skills to create web pages.

Those who want to publish on the web but do not want to maintain their own server or learn to create html documents, submit publications in word processing format for review by the appropriate dean/division chair. Once approved, these documents will be maintained on SwVCC's primary web server by the Webmaster with input from the page creator.

Student Club/Organization pages (pages developed by student organizations which are not class related) must be approved by the Student Advisor. While these pages may be created by the students, physical location and serving of this type of page must be through the SwVCC Webmaster and physically located and served from the SwVCC Primary web server. Assistance will be provided by the SwVCC Webmaster in development of web authoring skills.

Access to the site will be provided to the respective student advisor or club sponsor. Student webmaster accounts must be requested by the club sponsor each term per the procedure located at http://www.sw.edu/itservices/itservices.htm . Club webmasters are given accounts after completion of the SwVCC MOAT certification.

Maintenance Of Established Web Pages

Every effort must be made to prevent the degeneration of page content published on the SwVCC web site. If page links are no longer valid or are replaced, the old URL must be removed and the new URL provided. If the information content of a page or group of pages changes after publication on the web, it is the responsibility of the person or group who requested publication and provided the original information to provide updates either directly or through a request to the Webmaster or person responsible for that page(s). The continued accuracy and validity of published web pages is the responsibility of the original author or his/her designate.

E -MAIL (Electronic Mail) Policy

Electronic mail accounts are provided for SwVCC Faculty and Staff with both on-campus mail and Internet mail privileges. Employees are encouraged to use electronic mail, or e-mail, for college related activities and to facilitate the efficient exchange of useful information. The following regulations must be observed in the responsible use of electronic mail. These regulations are in support of and in addition to the VCCS Information Technology Employee Ethics Agreement.

If you send electronic mail you need to know that:

a) the messages you send are NOT private

b) these messages contain information that may be used as evidence in court

c) when you delete a message from the e-mail system, it may still be possible to retrieve and read that message.

As a responsible member of the SwVCC community, you are expected to act in accord with the following general guidelines based on common sense, common decency, and civility applied to the networked computing environment.

• Messages sent as electronic mail should meet the same standards for distribution or display as if they were tangible documents or instruments. Identify yourself clearly and accurately in all electronic communications. Concealing or misrepresenting your name or affiliation to dissociate yourself from responsibility for your actions is never appropriate. Alteration of the source of electronic mail, message or posting is unethical and possibly illegal.

• All electronic mail files belong to somebody. They should be assumed to be private and confidential unless the owner has explicitly made them available to others. However, be aware that glitches do happen and that determined computer hackers can generally access most any site. Messages put on e-mail must be written with the thought that most anyone may have access. Don't write something you would not want seen by others.

• Be sensitive to the inherent limitations of shared network resources. No computer security system can absolutely prevent a determined person from accessing stored information that they are not authorized to access. While SwVCC has no interest in regulating the content of electronic mail, it cannot guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of electronic documents. Good judgment dictates the creation only of electronic documents that may become available to the public.

• Respect the rights of others. Do not send abusive, threatening, or harassing materials. Civil discourse is at the heart of a college community free of intimidation and harassment and based upon a respect for individuals as well as a desire to learn from others. While debate on controversial issues is inevitable and essential, bear in mind that it is your responsibility to do so in a way that actually advances the cause of learning and mutual understanding.

• You are expected to promote efficient use of network resources consistent with the instructional, research, public service and administrative goals of SwVCC. Show consideration for others and refrain from engaging in any use that would interfere with their work or disrupt the intended use of network resources. You should especially avoid wasteful and disruptive practices, such as sending chain letters, broadcast messages or unwanted material. Specifically, the distribution account called "Public" is to be used for college business only. This address should not be used as a public forum for personal gain, expression of opinion, or sharing of data for any purpose other than to promote college business.

• E-mail and other network resources may not be used for commercial purposes or for personal financial gain. This does not preclude the use of e-mail to assist in the investigation and support of vendors' products, such as the discussion of a product's relative advantages and disadvantages by users of the product, the distribution of information or technical support material by request or vendor responses to questions about their products, as long as the responses are not in the nature of a solicitation.

The same standards of conduct expected of students, faculty and staff regarding the use of telephones, libraries, and other institutional resources apply to the use of e-mail. You will be held no less accountable for your actions in situations involving e-mail than you would be in dealing with other media. You are expected to abide by the security restrictions on all systems and information to which you have access. You should avoid any communication where the meaning of the message, or its transmission or distribution, would be illegal, unethical or irresponsible. Conduct which involves the use of information resources to violate a college policy or regulation, or to violate another's rights, is a serious abuse subject to limitation of your privileges and appropriate disciplinary action.

PROCEDURE

Establish a WEB Server

1. Document the purpose, location, content and responsibility of the proposed server.

2. Obtain approvals.

3. Once approved, SwVCC's Network Administrator will assign a domain entry to the server.

Publish on an existing WEB Server

1.Provide a description of proposed content of web publication.

2. Obtain approvals where required.

3. Coordinate with person responsible for web server maintenance in the publication of documents.

l
 

• Catalog & Handbook