Computing Guidelines for Students

( Click here to download Arabic version )

Introduction

As a student at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), you will have many opportunities to become competent in the use of information technology. If you are set on a career in the sciences, engineering, or management you will already be aware of the importance of computing to your success.

The Information Technology Center (ITC) can help you be more productive as a student: to register for classes, to use the library catalog, to send messages to your teachers and friends, to browse the Internet for collecting useful information and to conduct the general business of student life. The University makes information technology available to you in many and varied ways:

Ø Everyone at the University has access to information servers for electronic mail (e-mail) and Internet services.

Ø The KFUPM web page is an electronic, campus-wide information system that contains information to help you register for classes, add/drop courses and keep up with campus events, and more.

Ø You can publish and exchange information on the Internet by using newsgroups and the World Wide Web.

Ø PC’s are available for general use at locations across campus.

Ø Students can download class notes and materials.

Ø Classrooms are equipped with video and data outlets for network access.

Ø A dial-in service is available to faculty, staff and students who live off-campus.

Who Owns What?

You do NOT own your computer account, but you do have exclusive access to this account. The University owns the account and gives you, and only you, the privilege of using it.

We use the possessive word "your" a lot, but this does not always mean "ownership." In some cases, it means "exclusive use."

You may own a personal computer or workstation. You will make the decisions about how that equipment will be used, unless it is connected to the campus network. The University owns the network and there are policies that may affect the way you configure your PC.

You may own a software license. Your license usually allows you to possess ONE copy of this software for your own use. It is a violation of your software license agreement to make copies of the software you purchase without permission. You should read and abide by your software license agreement. You also may NOT make a copy of software a friend has purchased. .

You own any electronic messages you receive and any electronic files you create. You must not let anyone else use your access code and password to see your files.

The University owns the central computers, departmental computer labs, the general-purpose PC labs, the computers it places on its employees' desks and all the software it has installed on them. The University determines who may use these resources and how they may use them.

The University owns the University network - The University determines who is authorized to use its network. This means that students living on campus who connect their PCs to the campus network may NOT run their computers as multi-user machines, giving others login access to the network.

The Internet Community

What is the Internet?

The Internet isn't a thing; it isn't an entity; it isn't an organization.... no one owns it; no one runs it. It is simply everyone's computers, connected...a world controlled by no one...like a newspaper without editors - or rather, with millions of editors.

What does all this have to do with you and computer competence?

The University extends to students the privilege of using its computers and networks to exchange messages with your friends and teachers on campus, your friends at other schools, even your parents. You can search through our library catalog. You can share in the exchange of ideas through electronic news groups on thousands of subjects, reading what others post, and posting your own thoughts and information. You can use web browsers and other Internet tools to search and find needed information and to publish information about yourself.

And we call THIS a community?

Yes! We must make it a community. On any venture to a frontier that you might join, you would need to follow a code of behavior that would enable you to survive in the wilderness.

The University extends the privileges of the Internet to its faculty, students and staff, with the stipulation that they be good citizens. You may have heard the term "network" used to mean getting to know people and providing support to others who need it. Think of the Internet as this kind of network - an emerging community - something you want to get into, rather than on to. The Internet has its own stern code - responsibility and rational self-government. Those who are responsible users of the University's computing resources are members of a community of scholars; those who are not responsible don't get in.

How Can I Be a Good Internet Citizen?

You must be able to choose for yourself to do what is right and not to do what is wrong.

KNOW what it means to be responsible. You must be trustworthy.

BE AWARE of the thousands of others who rely on the University's computers to do their work. Consider how your computer behavior will affect them and choose what you know is right.

UNDERSTAND that University policies that address academic dishonesty, including theft, plagiarism, disruptive conduct, and misuse of materials and property, must guide your computing activities, just as they guide your activities in the classroom or elsewhere on campus.

DON'T send electronic messages to people you don't know or who don't need to get your message. This is a nuisance.

DON'T use University computing resources to send chain mail. This is a waste of computing resources and a nuisance. It offends members of the community.

DON'T let other students, relatives or any other person gain access to the University's computing resources through the access code given to you. This corrupts the integrity of computing resources by destroying accountability.

DON'T use access codes that belong to someone else.

DON'T play games. You are not authorized to use your account to play games.

UNDERSTAND what you are authorized to do. Know what the University's purpose is in making these computing resources available to you.

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND. Your access to computing resources is a privilege, not a right. It is a privilege that the University extends to students who are trusted to make responsible use of computing resources.

The E-Mail Etiquette

You can expect that e-mail messages you exchange in doing your job are confidential because the University does not monitor student use of e-mail. You should be aware, however, that e-mail messages are written records that could be subject to review with just cause.

University policies prohibit certain kinds of e-mail messages. Policies prohibit harassment, campaigning and soliciting, for instance. Chain mail is an irresponsible use of resources and, therefore, a violation of policy. These policies pertain to e-mail just as they do to any other University resource and are enforced when brought to the attention of the administration.

In spite of policy, e-mail messages are vulnerable to hackers when they know the owner's password.

Ø Remember, the e-mail messages you send become the possession of the receiver. They can easily be re-distributed by recipients.

Ø Delete messages that should not be preserved.

Ø Resist the temptation to send chain mail, even when it promises you fame and fortune.

Ø Realize that University policy and good passwords provide good but not complete assurance of the privacy of your e-mail messages. When the confidentiality of a message is of the utmost importance, only a person-to-person conversation may be sufficiently secure.

Ø Don't use University computing resources for campaigning or soliciting.

Misuse of Computing Facilities

The Internet community is under siege from outlaws. Very often the outlaws are newcomers to the Internet, not yet aware of its tradition of rational self-government. For fun, out of meanness, seeking notoriety or because they fall into bad company, some people attack computing systems. They:

Ø steal other people's passwords;

Ø disrupt computer systems and networks;

Ø send forged electronic messages;

Ø post messages that vilify and threaten other people;

Ø invade the privacy of others.

Students who do these things at KFUPM will lose computing privileges and be subject to suspension or expulsion from the University.

A user should choose a password that combines letters, numbers and special characters. Whether you use your access code and password, or not, it is your responsibility to keep them secure. Do not let anyone talk you into "sharing". Don't write down your password. Don't tell your friends - or anyone - what your password is.

Hackers make the system stop working or perform poorly. You should realize that it is not a sign of genius to find out how to be disruptive.

Many students and teachers do not want others seeing their messages or coursework or research. On computers, you can control who can see your files by protection codes. Use these codes as you would use locks to keep your files private.

Misuse of E-mail

Ø Students are expected to be courteous and respectful in their e-mail communications in accordance with established codes of ethics and the common rules that have evolved regarding e-mail, sometimes referred to as Netiquette.

Ø Students must not send chain letters or “spam”. These types of messages are an irresponsible waste of computing resources and an inconsiderate nuisance.

Ø Students must not send offensive, demeaning, insulting or intimidating e-mail messages, or anything that harasses or disparages others. Sending such messages can result in disciplinary action.

Ø Students must not violate copyright laws, trademark laws, or other laws in sending e-mail messages, publishing web pages or posting to newsgroups and discussion lists.

Ø Students may use the University’s institutional mail lists only with appropriate authorization.

Approved Disciplinary Sanctions for Abuse of IT Privileges

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals provides state-of-the-art facilities in information and communication technologies. In addition to advanced computers deployed in academic buildings, the provision of e-mail and Internet access to students is intended to promote knowledge and skills. Students are expected to ensure high ethical standards in utilizing these services with genuine commitment to practices that commensurate with the values of the Islamic society, and the excellence desired by this university. To promote the optimum use of these educational resources and to benefit from the services provided, it is essential to outline policies and procedures with appropriate disciplinary actions in the event of violations.

A student who violates these policies will be subject to disciplinary action by the ITC Disciplinary Action Committee and/or the Student Affairs Committee, which may include loss of computing privileges, suspension and/or expulsion.

The disciplinary actions listed below will be the general framework used for handling all violations and will be reviewed annually to ensure better compliance.

Approved Penalties

Violations

Penalties

1. Access to internet sites contravene ethical values (pornographic sites)

1.1 Repeated entry into pornographic sites to obtain pictures or films and dissemination of such material through the university either via e-mail or placed on the shared/public files.

(1) Discontinue computer ID for computing facilities or Internet services of the university for at least one month and not more than one semester.

(2) Written undertaking not to commit such offence in the future. ITC will take a written undertaking and a copy of the undertaking will be kept in the student's file in Student Affairs.

(3) The publication of the violation in KFUPM News without mentioning names.

(4) Based on the extent of violation the possibility of transferring the case to the Student Affairs Committee, that will identify his accountability or transfer the case to competent bodies outside the university.

2. Violation of the rights and privacy of others (personal or moral)

2.1 Inappropriately acquires user accounts and passwords of others.

2.2 Sends electronic messages that can be generalized as false propaganda, harm, demean, threaten others or incite others to do so.

2.3 Circulation and transmission of articles containing materials not commensurate with the values of the Kingdom or the university.

2.4 To use university computing facilities for promotions or advertising, or business.

2.5 Violations of copyright and intellectual property, and abuse of trademarks.

(1) Discontinue computer ID for computing facilities or Internet services of the university for at least one month and not more than one semester.

(2) Written undertaking not to commit such offence in the future. ITC will take a written undertaking and a copy of the undertaking will be kept in the student's file in Student Affairs.

(3) The publication of the violation in KFUPM News without mentioning names.

(4) Based on the extent of violation the possibility of transferring the case to the Student Affairs Committee that will identify his accountability or transfer the case to competent bodies outside the university.

Note that the violations of intellectual property rights, including copyright, are governed by a special law.

3. Theft of computer equipment and accessories

3.1 Theft devices, equipment and accessories from computing facilities, or participating in, or inciting such activity, or hiding equipment.

(1) When a student abuses computing resources, all of his computing privileges will be suspended immediately to protect the computing resources and to assure reliable service to the rest of the community. This will continue until the issuance of the recommendations of the Student Affairs Committee.

(2) Based on the extent of violation the possibility of transferring the case to the Student Affairs Committee that will identify his accountability or transfer the case to competent bodies outside the university.

4. Destroy computer systems, devices and networks, or degrade the efficiency of their performance

4.1 Deliberate damage or tampering with the devices, equipment and accessories installed in computing facilities.

4.2 Deliberately sending destructive computer Viruses/Trojans/Worms to systems, networks and devices.

4.3 Deliberate influence on the performance of computers and networks of the university or affect the speed or decrease the efficiency of transport loads across the networks.

(1) Discontinue computer ID for computing facilities or Internet services of the university for at least one semester and not more than one academic year.

(2) Written undertaking not to commit such offence in the future. ITC will take a written undertaking and a copy of the undertaking will be kept in the student's file in Student Affairs.

(3) The publication of the violation in KFUPM News without mentioning names.

5. Violations affecting the national integrity of the university community

5.1 Design and publish Web pages, including links to sites or materials or information inconsistent with the proper use of the network, university regulations and values of higher education.

5.2 Participation or hosting or supervision of sites or forums affecting the national integrity of the university community.

5.3 Disseminating wrong or inaccurate or distorted information about the university through the use of university computer network.

Remarks:

(1) In case of repeated violation by the student after being warned, more severe punishment will follow including stopping access to all computing resources and possible recommendation to the Student Affairs Committee to suspend the student from the university for a specified period.

(2) The supervisor of Information and communications technology (ICT) will form ITC Disciplinary Action Committee to study violations.

(3) ITC will form a monitoring unit to ensure the proper use of the computer, network and IT facilities. The unit will be charged with continuous follow-up to detect and report violations, and proactively prevent the circulation and proliferation of prohibited material using university IT resources.