Back to IT Policy Task Force Home
Does UO have an existing policy in this area? (y/n)
No comprehensive campus-wide policy, but many other policies have implications for web publishers: Examples:
e-commerce policies
User Accounts (focuses more on getting an account, changing passwords, etc. for e-mail rather than web publishing)
Acceptable Use Policy
Accessibility
UO Grammar & Style Guidelines
UO Graphic Standards
Copyright/Intellectual Property
CC Documentation
Unix support
Microcomputer support
Some schools/colleges have developed their own policies. Examples::
College Of Education
Architecture and Allied Arts includes links to web-focused Privacy & Accessibility policies on their website.
UO Libraries has new web publishing guidelines under development. An older manual is archived on intranet & includes detailed guidelines for Content, Design, & Technical/Procedural. Policy-centric aspects include differentiation between public content, staff-only content (for intranet), and personal content (for UO user account).
Is this area addressed in October 2005 draft Computer Use Policy (from Randy Geller)? (y/n)
Yes, many sections have direct or implied relevance to the UO web publishing environment and to web authors (students, faculty, schools/colleges, campus-level). Examples:
2 Use of Accounts:
“Accounts are for the exclusive use of the individual to which they are assigned and users may not allow or facilitate access to university computer accounts, equipment, or restricted files or systems by others. Users may not set up a proxy or anonymous re-mailer for purposes of allowing access to others. The extent of access granted to a user is within the sole discretion of the university. The university need not provide access to all web pages, newsgroups, or services.”
8. Accuracy and Identification:
“All material prepared and utilized for purposes of university business and posted to or sent over university computing equipment, systems or networks should be accurate and must correctly identify the sender, unless a university administrator approves anonymity for a university business purpose. All material prepared for purposes of university business and posted to or sent over university computing equipment, systems, or networks should be limited to information needed for university business. Personal quotations or other personal statements in signature blocks are discouraged.”
9. Traffic on University Networks
“Any traffic on the university’s networks, stripped of information content, may be monitored for operational or research purposes.”
10. Use of uoregon.edu Domain:
“University computers must be registered with the university in the uoregon.edu domain. It is forbidden to register a non-uoregon.edu domain for any computer that is connected to the university network without approval of the Vice Provost for Information Services.”
11. Personal Use (note j., disclaimer):
Authorized users may access university computing equipment, systems and networks for personal uses if the following conditions are met:
a. The use does not consume an unreasonable amount of computing resources or otherwise have a negative impact on the performance of the university’s system.
b. The use is not commercial in nature and does not result in private profit, except as allowed under applicable law and OUS and university policy.
c. The use does not violate any university licensing agreements or any law or OUS or university policy, including but not limited to those governing use of university resources for political or advocacy purposes.
d. The use does not state or imply OUS or university sponsorship or endorsement.
e. The use does not violate laws or university policies against discrimination or harassment.
f. The use does not involve unauthorized passwords or identifying data that attempts to circumvent system security or in any way attempts to gain unauthorized access.
g. The use does not involve sending or soliciting chain letters, nor does it involve sending unsolicited bulk mail messages (e.g., “junk mail,” or “spam,” or “MLM.”).
h. The use does not result in any direct cost to the university.
i. The use does not interfere with the performance of job-related duties.
j. Any creation of a personal World Wide Web page or a personal collection of electronic material that is accessible to others must include a disclaimer that reads as follows:
“The material located at this site is not endorsed, sponsored or provided by or on behalf of the University of Oregon.”
[note: as an alternative, look at the disclaimer used at University of Georgia: http://www.eits.uga.edu/webhelp/wsdpolf.pdf which is part of general web policy at http://www.eits.uga.edu/webhelp/ ]
12. Use of Computing Facilities for Commercial, Advertising, and Broadcast Purposes:
“No paid advertising or indications of financial or other support will be allowed on official university websites. The President or designee may approve exceptions to these prohibitions.
An “official university website” is any world wide web address that is sponsored or endorsed or created on authority of a university department or administrative unit. Websites on university servers are either “university websites” or personal websites allowed by the university. “Paid advertising” means advertising or promotional information provided in exchange for legal consideration, including money or other valuable benefits.
Personal web pages that are maintained by university computer account holders may not contain paid advertising. This guideline is consistent with the university policy against use of university resources for private gain or commercial purposes.
University computer account holders may send advertisements to news groups dedicated to advertising, subject to the Computer Use Policy and other applicable laws and policies. The ads may not refer readers to a university telephone number. University computer account holders may not “broadcast” e-mail messages without prior approval from the Vice Provost for Information Services or designee. “Broadcast,” means transmission of an unsolicited message to a significant number of computer accounts on a university server or servers; the intent is to prevent mass mailings from tying up employee time and computer resources.
Registered marks of the university may not be used in the websites of university computer account holders, except as approved by the Vice Provost for Information Services and the Director of the Office of Trademark Management.
A third party organization’s primary web pages may not be served from a university web server, even if such pages are offered on a volunteer basis without remuneration and with no commercial content thereon. Exceptions to this policy may be approved by the Vice Provost for Information Services.”
Are we aware of other campus or OUS groups working on this policy? (indicate name of group)
Guidelines for official school/college/department websites are currently being drafted by Guy Maynard, Phil Weiler, Michael Redding, others(?)
note: James Bailey and Andrew Bonamici reviewed the draft Creative Publishing Web Identity Guideline. This is a good start but should eventually be one section of an overarching campus web policy that addresses issues beyond identity and accessibility.
Are we aware of “best practice” examples from other campuses? (link to websites):
University of Georgia
University of Minnesota
University of Utah
E-Berkeley Web Publishing Policy
ADDITIONAL AREAS FOR POLICY/PROCEDURAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Blog Policy, see examples from:
Willamette University
University of Saskatchewan
2. Articulation of campus web & related policies with contractual criteria for web-based services provided by vendors:
- turnkey/locally hosted systems (Blackboard)
- third-party hosted services (online course evaluation system)
- note: these issues aren’t limited to web services per se, as evidenced by the iTunesU situation.
3. Web servers: what is the review process when someone wants to put a new server on the network? Any justification required, or analysis of existing options such as a virtual host? (but see #4 below…)
4. Naming conventions for hosts: is there a review process for virtual host name requests, or for resolution of competing claims? For example, eportfolio.uoregon.edu suggests a campuswide eportfolio service, but is actually a pilot project in the AAA Arts & Administration department. What will happen to this AAD site if/when the campus adopts an e-portfolio system for all students?
5. Jurisdiction: what pages are subject to campus guidelines for identity, accessibility, etc.? Student pages? (probably not) Faculty personal pages? (probably not, but see “disclaimer” statement above). But what if the instructor uses the personal page for instruction? In that case more compliance would be warranted, esp in terms of accessibility.
NOTES:
(JES) Some additional resources to be aware of:
Send Comments on this policy review