On this page:

• Acceptable Use Policy
• Acknowledgment and Acceptance
• Do’s and Don’ts

Acceptable Use Policy

The Acceptable Use Policy is a collection of policies approved by our Board of Trustees on how students, staff, and faculty are able to legally, ethically, and fairly use Cascadia’s technology resources.

The policy defines the legal rights of Cascadia in reference to their computer systems, it defines the rights of the users and their data, it states that only legal, licensed copies of software are permitted to be installed on campus computers, and it holds all users responsible for using the computers in an ethical manner as defined by state law.

Also defined in the policy is Cascadia’s ability to monitor all systems to ensure that no one user is unfairly monopolizing network resources and creating a decline in the service provided to other users.

By adhering to the rules of the Acceptable Use Policy, you help ensure that Cascadia’s network and your accounts aren’t subject to unnecessary downtime or legal action. Here are the three most important parts of the policy:

• » Values Pursuant to Acceptable Use (AP1.4.10.01) [PDF]
• » Information Technology: Acceptable Use Policy Administration (AP1.4.10.01A) [PDF]
• » Connecting Non-College Owned Technology to the College Infrastructure (AP1.4.10.21) [PDF]

Acknowledgment and Acceptance

By logging into a Cascadia computer you are acknowledging and accepting the terms of use as set forth in the Acceptable Use Policy. We recommend that you read through the Acceptable Use Policy before utilizing any of Cascadia’s network resources. If you have a question or concern that you don’t feel is covered in the Acceptable Use Policy, please email it to the HelpDesk at helpdesk@cascadia.edu.

Do's and Don'ts

We understand that the legal wording of the Acceptable Use Policy can be confusing, so we’ve created a list of Do’s and Don’ts in response to the most frequently asked questions.

Do's

• Use Cascadia’s computer and network resources to enhance your learning, teaching, and overall campus experience. Currently, Cascadia’s computer network consists of 284 student computers and 241 staff and faculty computers. You’re bound to find one that’s open for use.
• Save your class exercises, tests, projects, and assignments on the network storage space allotted to you. Cascadia performs regular backups to ensure that data saved on our network remains recoverable.
• Take advantage of the broad spectrum of software we have installed on the computers to complete assignments and assist you in your learning and teaching outcomes.
• Use the internet to research your topics of study. Download documents, images, and materials for use in your assignments and projects. Just be sure to take note of where you got the material so you can cite it properly.

Don'ts

• Don’t share your Cascadia user ID or password with a friend. Your account is for your personal use only.
• Don’t test Cascadia’s system/network security measures. This sort of exploratory activity would be considered a serious infraction of the Acceptable Use Policy.
• Don’t host personal or commercial websites. The college systems cannot be used for commercial or political purposes. This is a state mandate to protect the taxpayers' investment.
• Don’t use Cascadia email accounts for mass mailing. This would fall under the restrictions set forth by the state mandate of not using the systems for commercial or political activity and it would monopolize network bandwidth.
• Don’t use peer-to-peer software on campus. Applications like Limewire, Bearshare, Wrapster, and Gnutella create peer-to-peer networks. These networks pose a serious security risk to the college and consume an incredible amount of bandwidth. The same applies for internet gaming.
• Don’t install personal software or free downloaded software onto Cascadia’s computers. Not only is this a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy, but it also has the potential for violating the End User License Agreement of the software. Loading new software can also cause the existing programs to run poorly. Some popular programs found on the Internet can also open up portals for hacking into Cascadia systems.
• Don’t copy or rip a friend’s music CDs. The music on the CD is copyrighted and this is an illegal activity.
• Don’t rip personal CDs. It’s no longer a copyright violation, but ripped music consumes large amounts of disk storage and the college would see this as a misuse of shared resources.