THE COMPUTING SERVICE'S RULES OF COMPUTER USE
---------------------------------------------

These MUST be obeyed at all times

1. (a)  Electronic information systems administered by Lancaster University may 
	be used only by students and staff of the University and other persons 
	authorised in writing by the Director of Information Systems Services 
	(ISS) or the head of the department administering the relevant computer 
	facility, as appropriate.

   (b)  The information systems are used on the understanding that the 
   	University will not accept any liability whatsoever for loss, damage, 
   	or expense which may result from the computing facilities, except to 
   	the extent that such loss, damage, injury or expense are attributed to 
   	negligence or breach of statutory duty on the part of the University or 
   	any of its servants or agents acting in their capacity as such.

   (c)  Access gained through permitted use of the University's computers to 
	other computing centres and facilities linked to those at this 
	University is governed by these Rules, in addition to any rules in 
	force for use of the facilities at the remote site.

2. (a)  Usernames and other allocated resources shall be used only by the 
	registered holder. Users shall maintain a secure password to control 
	access to their usernames on multi-user systems. Sharing of usernames 
	will not be permitted save in exceptional circumstances by prior 
	agreement of the Director of ISS or the head of the department 
	administering the relevant computer facility, as appropriate.

   (b)  No person shall by any wilful or deliberate act or by failure to act 
   	with due and reasonable care jeopardise the integrity of the computing 
   	equipment, its operating systems, systems programs or other stored 
   	information, or the work of other users, whether within the University 
   	or in other computing locations to which the facilities at the 
   	University allow connection.

   (c)  Unauthorised access to computer material (i.e. a program or data) and 
   	unauthorised modification of computer material are forbidden by law 
   	(Computer Misuse Act 1990) and by these Rules, which endorse the 
   	Guidance on the Computer Misuse Act published by the Universities and 
   	Colleges Information Systems Association, copies of which may be 
   	obtained from ISS.

   (d)  Use shall not be made of facilities at other locations if a charge for 
   	such use will be incurred by the University unless such use has been 
   	authorised by the Director of ISS. Any charges incurred in 
   	contravention of this rule will be reimbursed by the user. 

3.      All work for which payment from outside the University (excluding 
	payment by Research Councils) is received is classified as chargeable 
	and no such work must be done on the University's information systems 
	unless prior written permission has been received from, and charges 
	have been agreed with, the Director of ISS or the head of the 
	department administering the relevant computer facility, as 
	appropriate.

4.      Computer facilities available for use within the University may be used 
	only for:

	(i)     Teaching and learning
	(ii)    Research
	(iii)   Personal educational development
	(iv)    Administration and management of University business
	(v)     Development work and communication associated with the above
	(vi)    Consultancy work contracted to the University

	Reasonable use of computer facilities for personal correspondence, 			
	where not connected with any commercial activity, is at present 
	regarded as acceptable.

        Prior permission from the Director of ISS or the head of the department 
        administering the relevant computer facility, as appropriate, must be 
        obtained in writing if use could possibly fall outside of the terms 
        defined above.

5.      No person shall use, copy or transmit any software from University 	
	equipment unless a licence from the copyright holder is in force. All 	
	persons to whom the University provides copies of software for personal 
	use must sign a declaration acknowledging copyright. (Copies of the 
	declaration, and a list of software licensed for use within the 
	University are available from ISS.)

6.      Any restrictions placed on the use of equipment administered by the 
	University must be observed.

7.      No person or persons shall use the University's information systems to 
	hold or process personal data except in accordance with the provisions 
	of the Data Protection Act 1984. Any person wishing to use the 
	facilities to hold or process personal data shall be required to inform 
	in advance the Director of ISS or the head of the department 
	administering the appropriate computer facility, to comply with any 
	restrictions the University may impose concerning the manner in which 
	the data may be held or the processing carried out, and to inform the 
	University's Data Protection Officer.

8.      All use of the facilities shall be lawful, honest and decent, and shall 
	have regard to the rights and sensitivities of other people. 

9.      Breaches of these Rules are offences under the rules of the University 	
	and are punishable under these rules. If after investigation it appears 
	prima facie that a member of the University has acted in breach of 
	these rules, he or she may be denied access to all computer facilities 
	pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him or her.

(November 1995)