Computer Services | Acceptable Use Policy

Overview

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through liberal arts, professions, and theological education. Our vision is the constant pursuit and achievement of excellence as American’s premier urban university in the broad evangelical Christian tradition.

In keeping with the mission statement, it is important that guidelines are developed which pertain specifically to technology. As users, we must be good stewards of our technological resources. Students, faculty, and staff of North Park are encouraged to take full advantage of the resources available to them. This document outlines the guidelines that all consumers of North Park's technology must abide by.

Guiding Principles

The network provides the ability to connect to millions of people and resources. It is very important for each user to recognize his or her responsibility when using this connection. Each user is directly responsible for his or her actions while accessing the network. Users must always remember that just because something can be done, does not mean that it should be done.

The North Park University computing resources and network are for the use of current North Park faculty, students, and staff, and are to be used primarily for the academic, administrative, educational, and research purposes of the institution. Occasional non-institutional  use is permitted if (i) the use is not excessive, (ii) does not interfere with the performance of any faculty, staff member, or student's duties, (iii) does not interfere with the efficient operation of the North Park network or its computing resources, and (iv) is not otherwise prohibited by this policy or any other North Park policy or directive.

Understand that North Park is a Christian community. Your activities must reflect that when utilizing our resources.

Specific prohibitions (not meant to be all inclusive):

• Sending confidential information without encryption. Un-encrypted information can be easily read and re-transmitted.
• Downloading, keeping, sending, publishing, posting  anything that could be considered offensive, vulgar or harassing by North Park Standards.
• Sending of unsolicited email messages to groups of people .
• Tampering with any electronic or computer system that you do not own.
• Actions likely to result in the loss or disruption of another’s work.
• Accessing or attempting to access information which does not belong to you or to which you do not have legitimate permission to access. 
• Sharing your password with anyone.
• Using our resources for any illegal, immoral, or unethical activity.
• Storing of information deemed protected by government regulations on non North Park owned computers.
• Sharing of information deemed protected by government regulations to unauthorized parties.

Choose passwords that cannot be easily guessed.  They protect your personal information, and that of others.

North Park expressly reserves the right to inspect and examine any North Park owned or operated computer system, computing resource, and/or file(s) or information contained therein at any time. This includes email communications stored on our servers, and information traveling over our networks.

If you encounter problems with North Park’s computers, please report them to by opening a helpdesk ticket, or calling Computer Services.

Disciplinary Actions

The use of North Park’s technology is a privilege, not a right. Abuse of any of the equipment or violation of any of the above stated rules may result in a loss of computing privileges or campus disciplinary procedures through the office of the Dean of Students, or Director of Human Resources.