Trinity University Code of Ethics for Computing
Because we are an academic community, the faculty, students, and staff
of Trinity University honor intellectual property, respect the privacy of
data, and recognize the rights of others. Individuals who are given access
to University computing resources incur the responsibility to use those
resources in an ethical manner.
The code of ethics requires all computing activities performed on University
equipment to be legal and ethical. The code is based on adherence to the
Texas Computer Crime Statute, U.S. copyright laws, and respect for intellectual
labor and creativity as vital elements of the academic enterprise.
The following list of violations expresses the essence of the ethics code.
Those who commit any of these violations may be subject to disciplinary
action through existing structures for faculty, students, and staff. It
is a violation of the Trinity University Code of Ethics for Computing to:
1. Steal passwords or log onto someone else's account.
2. Attempt to gain access to computing resources for which you are not authorized
or via means not authorized.
3. Give others access [via password or other means] to computing resources
to which they are not entitled.
4. Read, execute, modify, or delete any file belonging to someone else without
explicit permission from the owner, even if the file is unprotected.
5. Gain privileges or resources beyond your authorized limits.
6. Use a system for unauthorized purposes, such as advertising for a commercial
organization or running a business [faculty consulting notwithstanding].
7. Introduce damaging software such as viruses.
8. Damage hardware, such as by pounding, kicking, or moving it to another
location.
9. Send mass electronic mailings. [This consumes large amounts of disk space.
There are alternatives far more efficient. Any distribution to more than
25 recipients must be cleared in advance with the Computing Center.]
10. Harass others by sending annoying, obscene, libelous, or threatening
messages.
11. Slow down any system by deliberately running wasteful jobs or playing
games other than at authorized times.
12. Attempt to crash a system or exploit weaknesses in security.
13. Make unauthorized copies of software that is copyrighted, unless you
have explicit instructions from the owner [see the following section for
more details.]
Using Software
A Guide to the Ethical and Legal Use of Software for Members of the
Academic Community
Software enables us to accomplish many different tasks with computers. Unfortunately,
in order to get their work done quickly and conveniently, some people justify
making and using unauthorized copies of software. They may not understand
the implications of their actions or the restrictions of the U. S. copyright
law.
Here are some relevant facts:
1. Unauthorized copying of software is illegal. Copyright law protects software
authors and publishers, just as patent law protects inventors.
2. Unauthorized copying of software by individuals can harm the entire academic
community. If unauthorized copying proliferates on a campus, the institution
may incur a legal liability. Also, the institution may find it more difficult
to negotiate agreements that would make software more widely and less expensively
available to members of the academic community.
3. Unauthorized copying of software can deprive developers of a fair return
for their work, increase prices, reduce the level of future support and
enhancement, and inhibit the development of new software products.
Respect for the intellectual work and property of others has traditionally
been essential to the missions of colleges and universities. As members
of the academic community, we value the free exchange of ideas. Just as
we do not tolerate plagiarism, we do not condone the unauthorized copying
of software, including programs, applications, data bases and code. The
following statement of principle about intellectual property and the legal
and ethical use of software was developed by the EDUCOM Software Initiative
for use by individual colleges and universities. Trinity subscribes to this
statement of principle.
Software and Intellectual Rights
Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse
and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers
in all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right
to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication
and distribution.
Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect
for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in
computer environments. Violations of the integrity of authorship, including
plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and
copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the
academic community.
Questions you may have about using software
What do I need to know about software and the U. S. copyright act?
Software is protected by copyright law unless it has been placed in the
public domain. The owner of a copyright holds exclusive right to the reproduction
and distribution of his or her work. Therefore, it is illegal to duplicate
or distribute software or its documentation without the permission of the
copyright owner. If you have purchased your copy, however, you may make
a backup for your own use in case the original is destroyed or fails to
work.
Can I loan software I have purchased myself?
If your software came with a clearly visible license agreement, or if you
signed a registration card, READ THE LICENSE CAREFULLY before you
use the software. Some licenses may restrict use to a specific computer.
Copyright law does not permit you to run your software on two or more computers
simultaneously unless the license agreement specifically allows it. It may,
however, be legal to loan your software to a friend temporarily as long
as you do not keep a copy to use concurrently.
If software is not copy-protected, do I have the right to copy it?
Lack of copy-protection does NOT constitute permission to copy software
in order to share or sell it. "Non-copy-protected" software enables
you to protect your investment by making a back-up copy. In offering non-copy-protected
software to you, the developer or publisher has demonstrated significant
trust in your integrity.
May I copy software that is available through facilities on campus, so I
can use it more conveniently in my own room or office?
Software acquired by colleges and universities is usually licensed. The
licenses restrict how and where the software may be legally used by members
of the community. This includes, but is not limited to, software installed
on all media hard disks, floppy disks, tapes, CDs], software distributed
by a campus lending library, and software available on a campus mainframe
or network. Some institutional licenses permit copying for certain purposes.
Consult your campus authorities if you are unsure about the use of a particular
software product.
Isn't it legally "fair use" to copy software if the purpose in
sharing it is purely educational?
No. It is illegal for a faculty member or student to copy software, for
distribution among the members of a class, without permission of the author
or publisher.
Alternatives to Explore
Site licensed and Bulk-Purchased Software
Trinity may negotiate agreements that make software available either to
use or to purchase at special prices. Software available through institutional
site licenses or bulk purchases is subject to copyright and license restrictions,
and you may not make or distribute copies without authorization.
Shareware
Shareware, or "user-supported" software, is copyrighted software
that the developer encourages you to copy and distribute to others. This
permission is explicitly stated in the documentation or displayed on the
computer screen. The developer of shareware generally asks for a small donation
or registration fee if you like the software and plan to use it. By registering,
you may receive further documentation, updates, and enhancements. You are
also supporting future software development.
Public Domain Software
Sometimes authors dedicate their software to the public domain, which means
that the software is not subject to any copyright restrictions. It can be
copied and shared freely. Software without copyright notice is often, but
not necessarily, in the public domain. Before you copy or distribute software
that is not explicitly in the public domain, check with your computing office.
A Final Note
Restrictions on the use of software are far from uniform. You should
check carefully each piece of software and the accompanying documentation
yourself. In general, you do not have the right to:
1. receive or use unauthorized copies of software, or,
2. make unauthorized copies of software for others.
If you have questions not answered by this brochure about the proper use
and distribution of a software product, seek help from the Computing Center,
the software developer, or the publisher.
Some of the information in this brochure was provided by EDUCOM, a non-profit
consortium of over 450 colleges and universities committed to the use and
management of information technology in higher education, and ADAPSO, the
computer software and services industry association.
Comments or Suggestions
Computer Science Department
Trinity University
715 Stadium Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78212-7200
voice: (210) 999-7480
fax: (210) 999-7477