EMPLOYEE TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
The purpose of this directive is to provide
Albuquerque Public Schools employees with guidance on the proper use of the
district’s information technology resources, including but not limited to the
Internet, the Intranet, email, and the district’s digital network and
supporting systems and the data transmitted on those systems.
The use of district technology resources is a
privilege grated to employees for the enhancement of job-related
functions. Employees may have limited
access to these resources for personal use, if they comply with the provisions
of this policy. Violations of this
policy may result in the revocation of this privilege. Employees may also face disciplinary action
up to and including termination, civil litigation, and/or criminal prosecution
for misuse of these resources.
Staff shall not upload or otherwise transfer out of
the district’s direct control any software licensed to the district or data
owned or licensed by the district without explicit written authorization. Staff shall not use IT resources to reveal
confidential or sensitive information, student data, or any other information
covered by existing state or federal privacy or confidentiality laws,
regulations, rules, policies, procedures, or contract terms. Staff who engage in the unauthorized release
of confidential information via the district’s IT resources will be subject to
sanctions in existing policies and procedures associated with unauthorized
release of such information.
Staff shall not download executable software,
including freeware and shareware, unless it is required to complete their job
responsibilities.
Staff shall not use district IT resources to
intentionally disable or overload any computer system or network, or to
circumvent any system intended to protect the privacy or security of the
district’s IT resources.
Unauthorized dial-up access to the Internet is
prohibited from any device that is attached to any part of the district’s
network.
Staff shall not access, store, display, distribute,
edit, or record sexually explicit or extremist material using district IT
resources. Violation of this policy may
result in immediate disciplinary action up to and including termination of
employment. The incidental and
unsolicited receipt of sexually explicit or extremist material, such as might
be received through email, shall not constitute a violation of this section,
provided that the material is promptly deleted and neither stored nor forwarded
to other parties.
Staff is prohibited from accessing or attempting to
access IT resources for which they do not have explicit authorization by means
of user accounts, valid passwords, file permissions or other legitimate access
and authentication methods. It is a
violation of district policy to grant another individual access to any district
accounts that have been authorized to you; or use another individual’s district
authorized accounts, user-ids and/or passwords.
PERSONAL USE OF THE
INTERNET
Occasional and incidental personal use of the
district’s IT resources and Internet access is allowed subject to limitations.
Personal use of the internet is prohibited
if:
1.
It materially
interferes with the use of IT resources by the district; or
2.
Such use burdens
the district with additional costs; or
3.
Such use interferes
with the staff member’s employment duties or other obligations to the district;
or
4.
Such personal use
includes any activity that is prohibited under any district policy.
The Albuquerque Public Schools may install
software and/or hardware to monitor and record all IT resources usage,
including email and Web site visits. The
district retains the right to record or inspect any and all files stored on
district systems.
Staff shall have no expectations of privacy
with respect to district IT resource usage.
Staff are advised that serious disciplinary action up to and including
termination of employment may result from evidence of prohibited activity
obtained through monitoring or inspection of electronic messages, files, or
electronic storage devices. Illegal
activity involving district IT resource usage may be referred to appropriate
authorities for prosecution.
All employees who have access to or may have
access to personally identifiable student records shall adhere to all standards
included in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other applicable laws
and regulations, as they related to the release of student information.
All departments and schools shall implement
this policy immediately upon its effective date. At the discretion of the district, a
department may adopt additional IT resources usage policies that are more
restrictive than this directive, but in no case shall a department adopt
policies that are less restrictive than this directive. Any conflicts found in a department policy
shall be corrected to be in accordance with this directive and Board Policy G.17.
Cross Ref.: Board Policy G.17 Technology Acceptable Use
NSBA/NEPN
Classification: GBEB
Approved: January 2000
Revised: January 2005