Virginia's PEN Acceptable Use Policy Date: 13 Apr 92 The following policies and guidelines have been established for the network by a committee of node administrators, university personnel, and Department of Education representatives. Members of this committee also included K-12 classroom teachers, student, and school administrators. Acceptance of the policies are automatic upon use of the network. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Virginia's Public Education Network * * Acceptable Use Policy * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * VIRGINIA'S PEN Purpose The purpose of the Virginia's Public Education Network, VIRGINIA'S PEN, is to advance and promote a world class public education in Virginia. VIRGINIA'S PEN is intended to assist in the collaboration and exchange of information between and among schools, school offices, the Virginia Department of Education, and other State and educational entities. VIRGINIA'S PEN Goal The goal of VIRGINIA'S PEN is to promote innovation and educational excellence in Virginia's public schools. To achieve this, the network must provide quality, equitable, and cost-effective information and communication resources to the public education community. VIRGINIA'S PEN Mission Statements & Priority Listing 1. To provide electronic mail service and electronic conferencing capabilities to public school professional employees; 2. To provide basic services at no cost to public education end users; 3. To provide an intuitive user interface which includes an easy to use text editor; 4. To provide accessibility for the user via multi-vendor microcomputers; 5. After first providing basic services, to provide opportunities for wider networking (interstate and international) by promoting the addition of full Internet services where economically feasible; 6. To provide for both administrative and instructional file transfer capabilities where feasible. VIRGINIA'S PEN Use All use of VIRGINIA'S PEN shall be consistent with the purpose, goal, mission, and priorities of the network. Successful operation of the network requires that its users regard VIRGINIA'S PEN as a shared resource, and cooperate to form a community of diverse interests with the common purpose of advancing a world class public education in Virginia. It is therefore imperative that members conduct themselves in a responsible, decent, ethical, and polite manner while using the network. The intent of the VIRGINIA'S PEN acceptable use policy is to ensure that all uses of VIRGINIA'S PEN are consistent with its stated purpose, mission, and goal. The policy does not attempt to articulate all required or proscribed behavior by its members. VIRGINIA'S PEN is an open network in both implementation and spirit. Each individual's judgment of appropriate conduct must be relied upon. To assist in such judgment, the following general guidelines are offered: I. Any use of VIRGINIA'S PEN for illegal, inappropriate, or obscene purposes, or in support of such activities, is prohibited. Illegal activities shall be defined as a violation of local, state, and/or federal laws. Inappropriate use shall be defined as a violation of the intended use of the network, and/or purpose and goal. Obscene activities shall be defined as a violation of generally accepted social standards for use of a publicly-owned and operated communication vehicle; II. All use of VIRGINIA'S PEN must be in support of a world class public education and educational research in Virginia and consistent with the purposes of the network. Private school professionals may secure accounts under the guidelines for Non- Public School Accounts. Private school students are not permitted accounts at this time. Use by private school professionals is permitted recognizing the finite resources of the network; III. Any use of VIRGINIA'S PEN for commercial purposes is prohibited; IV. Any use of VIRGINIA'S PEN for product advertisement or political lobbying is prohibited; V. No use of VIRGINIA'S PEN shall serve to disrupt the use of the network by other users; VI. VIRGINIA'S PEN accounts shall be used only by the authorized owner of the account for the authorized purpose. Account owners are ultimately responsible for all activity under their account; VII. Unbridled and open-ended use of the network in terms of access time can not be accommodated inasmuch as supportive financial resources remain finite. Users are cautioned to exercise prudence in the shared use of this resource; VIII. All communications and information accessible via VIRGINIA'S PEN should be assumed to be private property. Great care is taken by the VIRGINIA'S PEN administrators to ensure the right of privacy of users; IX. Any VIRGINIA'S PEN user's traffic that traverses another network may be subject to that network's acceptable use policy; X. * Under prescribed circumstances public school student use may be permitted, provided proper supervision is maintained by schools and parents; XI. * Under prescribed circumstances non-educator use may be permitted, provided such individuals provide evidence that their use furthers the purpose and goal of the network and public education in general; XII. From time to time, the Virginia Department of Education will make decisions on whether specific uses of VIRGINIA'S PEN are consistent with this policy. The Virginia Department of Education shall remain the final authority on use of the network and the issuance of user accounts. * Such prescribed circumstances and uses shall be defined in writing by the Virginia Department of Education, and from time to time be subject to change. ************************************************************* Guidelines for Non-Public School Accounts on Virginia's Public Education Network 1. The primary purpose of the VIRGINIA'S PEN Network is for use by the public school professional staff. The use of an individual non-public school account is considered to be a privilege. 2. Accounts for non-public school persons may be granted for up to one academic year at a time, provided they read and agree to follow the Acceptable Use Policy. This agreement is formalized through their signature on the application form. 3. This provision applies only to adults who can demonstrate a close tie to public school education. Furthermore, the applicant must demonstrate how his/her use of the network will further the goals of world class education for students in the public schools of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 4. Only the director of the network (or designee) may issue accounts for special situations which he/she feels appropriate, but which may not fall under existing guidelines. 5. Accounts for all non-public school persons will be issued by the local node administrators and will receive final approval by the Department of Education which will maintain a list of approved applications. No persons in this category shall be permitted to use the network without Department of Education approval. 6. The above-mentioned use is subject to revision in policy. In all cases, use by professional public education staff shall take precedence. The Virginia Department of Education reserves its right as final authority on use of the network. ********************************************************** Non-Public School Application for VIRGINIA'S PEN Account Applicant's Name __________________________________________________________ (Title) (Last) (First) (Middle) Place of Employment _________________________________ Job Title _________________________________ Business Addresss _________________________________ _________________________________ Home Address ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Telephone ( ) - ( ) - HOME BUSINESS Purpose(s) for which you wish to use Virginia's PEN (Be sure you state how your use will further the goals of public education in Virginia): I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and Non-Public School Account Guidelines, and agree to abide by those provisions. I understand that violation of the use provisions stated in the policy may constitute suspension or revocation of network privileges. ______________________________________________________ Applicant's Signature Date *This application must be renewed each academic year. Approval by Va. Dept of Education representative ______________________________________________________ Name Title Date ********************************************************** Guidelines for Student Accounts on Virginia's Public Education Network 1. The primary purpose of the VIRGINIA'S PEN Network is for the use of the public school professional staff. The use of an individual student account is considered to be a privilege and is permitted to the extent that available resources allow. 2. Students in grades 6-12 may be granted an account for up to one academic year at a time provided they: a. Read and agree to follow the Acceptable Use Policy. This agreement is formalized through their signature on the application form; b. Have at least one teacher sign the application form as a sponsor; c. Obtain the signature of a parent on the application form. 3. Students in grade five and below are not allowed individual accounts. Teachers of these grades, however, may apply for a class account, but are obligated to directly supervise these students with its use according to the Acceptable Use Policy. The teacher holding this account is ultimately responsible for use of the account and is required to maintain confidentiality with the password (not giving it to students) and is advised to change the password frequently. 4. Students may not maintain accounts upon graduation unless they otherwise qualify under one of the other acceptable use provisions. 5. Generally, students are not permitted to enter professional Virginia's PEN or Usenet discussion groups. Under certain conditions, posting privileges to specific newsgroups may be granted. 6. All public school student accounts will be issued by the local node administrators and will receive final approval by the Department of Education which will maintain a list of approved applications. No students shall be permitted to use the network without Department of Education approval. 7. The above-mentioned use is subject to revision in policy. In all cases, use by professional public education staff shall take precedence. The Virginia Department of Education reserves its right as final authority on use of the network. ********************************************************* Public School Student Application for VIRGINIA'S PEN Account STUDENT SECTION Student Name ________________________________ Grade ____ (Last) (First) (Middle) School ______________________ School System ______________ School Address _________________ School Phone No. __________ Purpose(s) for which you wish to use Virginia's PEN: I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and Student Guidelines, and agree to abide by their provisions. I understand that violation of the use provisions stated in the policy may constitute suspension or revocation of network privileges. Student's Signature _____________________ Date ________ ----------------------------------------------------------- SPONSORING TEACHER(S) (Required) I agree to sponsor the above student and to supervise his/her responsible use of the network as defined by the Acceptable Use Policy and Student Guidelines while in my classes. ______________________________________________________ Teacher's(s) Signature(s) Date(s) ----------------------------------------------------------- SPONSORING PARENT or GUARDIAN (Required) I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and Student Guidelines for VIRGINIA'S PEN. I understand that although administrators of the VIRGINIA'S PEN network have taken reasonable precautions to ensure that controversial material is eliminated on Virginia's Public Education Network, I will monitor my child's daily use of the VIRGINIA'S PEN and his/her potential access to the world-wide Internet, and will accept full responsibility for supervision in that regard if and when my child's use is not in a school setting. I hereby give my permission to issue an account for my child and certify that the information contained on this form is correct. ______________________________________________________ Parent's Signature Date ______________________________________________________ Home Address (street,city,zip) Home Phone No. *Student application must be renewed each academic year. Approval by Va. Dept of Education representative ______________________________________________________ Name Title Date