The purpose of this policy is to ensure the protection of College information resources from accidental or intentional access or damage while also preserving and nurturing the open, information-sharing requirements of its academic culture.

This policy is applicable to all students, faculty, and staff and to all others granted use of College information resources. Every user of  College’s information resources has a general responsibility to protect those assets, while some offices and individuals have specific responsibilities.

This policy refers to all college information resources whether individually controlled or shared, stand-alone or networked. It applies to all computer and communication facilities owned, leased, operated, or contracted by the college. This includes all networked devices, including but not limited to personal digital assistants, cell phones, personal computers, workstations, minicomputers, other wireless devices such as iPads, and any associated peripherals and software, regardless of whether used for administration, research, teaching or other purposes.

Today, information technology (IT) permeates all aspects of teaching, learning, research, outreach and the business and facilities functions of the college. Safeguarding information and information systems is essential to preserving the ability of the college to perform its mission and meet its responsibilities to students, faculty, staff, and the citizens whom it serves. State and federal statutes, rules, and regulations, college policies and other explicit agreements also mandate the security of information and information systems. Failure to protect the college’s information technology assets could have financial, legal, and ethical ramifications.

 College acknowledges its obligation to ensure appropriate security for information systems in its domain of ownership and control. Furthermore, the college recognizes its responsibility to promote security awareness among the members of the College community. This policy establishes the general principles of information security that will be applied throughout the college.