Use of services

TAFE NSW internet and intranet services are provided for the advancement of the work of its staff and the education of its students. This webpage exists to ensure that TAFE NSW Internet and intranet services will function securely and appropriately for all users.

TAFE NSW reserves the right to monitor and record all usage of its computer networks, including its intranet and internet services, and to take disciplinary action when breaches of expected behaviour occur. Disciplinary action may include legal action. Illegal acts will be referred to the appropriate legal authority.

Staff are expected to comply with the Acceptable Use of Information, and Technology Policy and Code of Conduct.  Both can be found on the TAFE NSW policies and procedures webpage. Student breaches of expected user behaviour will be dealt with under the Student Conduct and Discipline Policy, also found on that webpage.

The information in this document applies to all internet and intranet services provided by TAFE NSW including email, email lists, web browsing, website publication, chat and newsgroups (forums). TAFE NSW reserves the right to limit access to internet and intranet services, including the filtering of websites.

This information applies to all users of TAFE NSW internet and intranet services including staff (full-time, part-time, temporary or contract); students (full-time or part-time, as well as participants in commercial courses); and users who may be authorised from time to time to use these services. This information applies wherever the services are being used—for example, at a college or campus, remotely from home, remotely from a place of work, or from remote tuition centres.

1. Using TAFE NSW computer resources to seek out, access, or send any material of an offensive, obscene, pornographic, threatening, abusive, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate nature is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action.
2. Users will make use of TAFE NSW internet and intranet services for educational, professional or career development activities, with allowance for reasonable personal use.
3. Users are responsible for all use of their user account(s) and must take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from using their account(s).
4. Users will adhere to any requirements for internet and intranet services usage and adhere to user behaviour addressed in TAFE NSW policies and government legislation.
5. Users will observe the User Responsibilities for appropriate use of TAFE NSW Internet and Intranet services detailed in Part B User Responsibilities (below).
6. Users will ensure that the language they use and information they publish through all TAFE NSW Internet and Intranet services are respectful of, and sensitive to all people.
7. Users can subscribe to email lists that are directly relevant to education in TAFE NSW or the professional or career development of staff. Email lists that focus on the user's personal interests are not to be subscribed to through the TAFE NSW network.
8. Users will respect the copyright of owners and authors of work on TAFE NSW and other websites. Copyright infringement occurs when an individual inappropriately reproduces a work that is protected by copyright. Many works can only be used with the prior written permission of the author.
9. Users will notify their designated Help Desk when they identify a security problem or their supervisor/manager in the case of illegal/inappropriate use of TAFE NSW websites.

Users of TAFE NSW intranet and internet services will fulfil their responsibilities as set out below. Confirmed violation of any of these responsibilities will result in the actions listed in the non-compliance section of Part A of these guidelines.

To protect the reputation of TAFE NSW, users must:

1. Ensure that there is no conflict between what is in a user's interest and what is in the best interest of TAFE NSW and its customers.
2. Create webpages on TAFE NSW websites only where they are directly related to the educational business of TAFE NSW.
3. Include a notice to inform readers that the opinions expressed on the webpage are those of the creator of the webpage and not those of TAFE NSW when a website is created by an individual user within TAFE NSW.

To respect copyright and avoid plagiarism, users must:

1. Acknowledge the work of the originator when referring to or presenting the ideas, writings, images, etc., of others.
2. Follow the expressed copyright requirements where a work specifies acceptable use of that work.
3. Request permission from the copyright owner unless it is clear that they can use a copyrighted work.
4. Use only computer software or versions of software that have been authorised and tested for use on TAFE NSW computer facilities.

To support the management of resources, users must:

1. Unsubscribe from email lists before a vacation or extended absence from TAFE NSW.
2. Download files greater than 2 MB in size only where necessary. Such downloads should occur when the network is not being heavily used—generally between 6:00pm and 8:00am.

To maintain system security, users must:

1. Immediately notify their Help Desk if a user identifies a security problem.
2. Not look for security problems (unless it is within their defined role as an employee with TAFE NSW)—this may be construed as an illegal attempt to gain access.
3. Avoid the spread of computer viruses by following the TAFE NSW virus protection procedures and report all faults and malfunctions of the computer system to the relevant Help Desk.

To protect user safety and privacy, users must:

1. Promptly disclose to their teacher/manager any material (for example, message, attachment) they receive that is inappropriate or causes offense.
2. Promptly exit an inappropriate website should a user inadvertently access such a site.

To avoid compromising system security, users must not:

1. Provide their password to another person. Where it is necessary to ensure continuity of communications while a member of staff is on leave, etc, arrangements for this should be made through a supervisor or manager.

To avoid risking user safety and privacy, users must not:

1. Publish personal contact information about themselves that is outside the business of TAFE NSW. This includes home address and telephone, mobile telephone, private email addresses, and similar. College or campus addresses and TAFE NSW email addresses may be used.
2. Publish personal contact information about other people or include reference to others including names and pictures without their permission.
3. Forward a message identified by the sender as private without the permission of the sender.

To avoid participation in inappropriate conduct, users must not:

1. Use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory or threatening language in public or private messages, in material published on webpages, or when using services such as chat.
2. Publish information that, if acted upon, could cause damage to property or persons, nor publish deliberately false or defamatory information about a person or organisation.
3. Engage in personal attacks including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks, nor harass (distress or annoy) another person. If a user is told by a person to stop sending messages to them, the user must stop.
4. Use TAFE NSW internet and intranet services to access gambling sites or material that is profane, obscene, pornographic or paedophilic, that promotes illegal acts, or that advocates violence or discrimination. Exceptions may be made where the purpose of such access is to conduct authorised research, and where written approval has been gained from an appropriate authorised person.
5. Email chain letters or send annoying or unnecessary messages to other people.

To avoid engaging in illegal or destructive activity, users must not:

1. Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the TAFE NSW computer network or go beyond their authorised access.
2. Make deliberate attempts to disrupt computer system performance nor harm or destroy hardware and data, including through the uploading or creation of computer viruses.
3. Use the TAFE NSW network to engage in any illegal act. Such activities will be reported to the appropriate legal authority.

To avoid plagiarism or infringement of copyright, users must not:

1. Plagiarise works that they find on the TAFE NSW and other websites. Plagiarism is taking the ideas or writings of others and presenting them as if they were original to the user.
2. Infringe the copyright of an individual through inappropriate reproduction of a work or any part of a work protected by copyright.
3. Make available or use illegal (pirated) copies of copyrighted software on TAFE NSW equipment.