To: dave
From: jewettrj@potsdam.edu (Bob Jewett)
Subject: "An important message about information technology available
to you as a student at SUNY Potsdam"
Greetings from Distributed Computing/Telemedia!
We're the department that supports the campus telephone system, the cable
TV system, audio-visual equipment, desktop computers and the campus
network. [...and we're part of a larger information technology group,
the Information Services Division, which includes the libraries, Central
Computing and Institutional Research].
With the start of a new school year, we wanted to provide you with
information that we think you will find useful as a student at SUNY
Potsdam. Below you will find announcements about workshops on
word-processing, electronic mail and more; tips on places to visit in
"cyberspace"; where to go for more help if you want it; and, opportunities
to work with technology as a volunteer or as a paid student assistant.
Finally, you will also find our current policies and guidelines for the use
of email and other information technologies on campus.
You should save this message for future reference--especially as you begin
to explore new information technologies such as the World-Wide Web.
Welcome to SUNY Potsdam and best wishes for the next year!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Contents of this message:
1. Technology Workshops and Presentations for '95 - 96.
2. Electronic Mail (Email) Policy at SUNY Potsdam
3. Confused? Lost? Complaints? Suggestions?
4. Interested in working with technology?
5. Creating your own personal "homepage" and publishing on Potsdam's Web
(WWW) server.
6. Useful campus Web (WWW) addresses; that is, addresses to use with
Netscape or Mosaic.
7. SUNY Potsdam Computing Code of Ethics
-------------------------------------------------------------
1. Technology Workshops and Presentations for '95 - 96:
We will again be offering weekly student workshops on word-processing (all
levels), electronic mail and other Internet applications, for Macintosh and
Windows/DOS users. The exact times and locations will be announced soon
(see #6 below for the WWW address). If you're interested in learning more about using computers and "The 'Net" out of personal interest or to help you in your
coursework, you should take advantage of these sessions that are provided
free of charge to SUNY Potsdam students.
We will also be offering weekly "brown-bag technology sharing"
presentations again this year. Because these sessions often present
late-breaking technology and/or developments, we find it difficult to meet
the deadline for including an announcement in the Potsdam Reporter or the
Racquette. Therefore, brown-bag sessions are only announced via email and
our Web server (again, refer to the WWW address under #6 below).
-------------------------------------------------------------
2. Electronic Mail (Email) Policy at SUNY Potsdam
First and foremost, you should know that *all* of our students are automatically
provided with an email account when they are registered for coursework as of
8/17/95) at SUNY Potsdam. Unless a student registered late (after 8/17) or
experiences problems accessing their email account, s/he should be able to use
email upon arrival on campus. Students should be directed to go to the *Levitt
Center in Crumb Library* for more information, to establish an email account if
necessary, and if there is a problem with their email account and/or password.
Returning students can simply use the same account/password they used before
they left campus for the summer.
Obtaining an Email Account (if you *do not* have one already):
In order to use electronic mail at SUNY Potsdam it is necessary to have an
email "account" or usercode which is unique for each user. This prevents
anonymous mail and establishes the electronic address for each email user
to which electronic mail can be received from other email users on- or
off-campus. Each email account is protected from unauthorized access, in
part, by requiring the use of a unique password to identify the legitimate
user.
Any student, faculty or staff member of SUNY Potsdam, who provides proper
college identification, may request an email account. While SUNY Potsdam
does not prohibit the use of email for personal reasons, users should
recognize that the primary intention of providing email service is to
support the educational mission of the college and the conduct of its daily
business.
Postmaster Responsibilities for Email:
It may be necessary at times for the local SUNY Potsdam Electronic Mail
Postmaster (David Brouwer -- email: postmaster) to read an electronic mail
message which has failed to reach its destination in order to determine, if
possible, the intended addressee and redirect the message to the correct
address. However, it is *not* otherwise the practice of the postmaster to
read nor to discuss the content of any message.
Privacy of Email:
It is impossible to ensure the confidentiality of any electronic messages
stored or communicated through our computing facilities. As pointed out by
other universities, "The privacy of electronic mail is somewhere between
that of a letter and a postcard." While confidentiality cannot be ensured,
all email is considered private and confidential. Except as noted under
Postmaster Responsibilities for Email above, email is not to be read by
SUNY Potsdam staff or any others with sufficient computer system privileges
to do so.
Hierarchy of Communication with Email :
Email is intended to be a person-to-person form of electronic
communication. It is addressed to a specific individual and does not
adhere to any chain of command in its delivery. Anyone may write to
anyone.
Ethics of Email:
The "SUNY Potsdam Computing Code of Ethics" applies to email (see #7 below).
-------------------------------------------------------------
3. Confused? Lost? Complaints? Suggestions? HELP!
If you are experiencing problems with your electronic mail (email) account
or other campus information technology, visit the Levitt Center in Crumb
Library or dial "HELP" (x4357).
Any of the other student computing areas (all residence hall computing centers,
Kellas Computer Classroom, Flagg Computer Classroom) have general information,
but the Levitt Center will be staffed during the day with individuals trained
to assist you if you encounter problems.
If you are having problems with your telephone or voice-mailbox, give our
campus telephone office a call at x3000, or stop by the office in Room 220
in Kellas Hall.
You will also find answers and information to the most common and
frequently asked questions (FAQs) about information technologies and
services on our Web server. (See #6 below for the WW address)
Totally confused? Call "HELP" (x4357). You'll be directed to a HELPDESK
that will work with you and attempt to answer your questions and resolve
any technical problems you may be encountering.
We want your feedback on ways we might improve our service to you. If you
have a suggestion, a complaint or just want to sound off about our technology
or services, please direct them to me, Bob Jewett, Director of Distributed
Computing/Telemedia (Email: jewettrj - Phone: x2699), or try using our
electronic "Suggestion Box" on our Web server (again, see #6 below).
-------------------------------------------------------------
4. Interested in working with technology?
We have some paid positions for students (most are Work-Study positions) and
will be looking for enthusiastic volunteers as well to assist us in providing
and supporting information technologies and services. Interested? Stop by
the Levitt Center in Crumb Library for more details and an application.
-------------------------------------------------------------
5. Creating your own personal "homepage" and publishing on Potsdam's Web (WWW)
server:
There seems to be a lot of interest in the World-Wide Web (WWW). There is
also a great deal of interest in learning about how to publish on "the
Web"--especially personal homepages that give you a chance to present
yourself and your interests to the campus, and even the international community
of Internet users if you choose to.
If you are interested in publishing on the Web--whether it is information
about a student organization, academic information or your own personal
"homepage"--you should attend one of the workshops offered this Fall on
HTML (hypertext mark-up language). The schedule for these workshops will
be announced soon through email, the Potsdam Reporter and, of course, right
here on our campus Web server (refer to WWW address under #6 below). We will
set up the means for you to create Web documents using an HTML editor (Mac or
Windows-based) and provide you with space on our Web server to store your
documents.
-------------------------------------------------------------
6. Useful campus WWW addresses (that is, addresses to use with Netscape or
Mosaic):
--Student personal homepages directory:
http://www.potsdam.edu/DIRECTORIES/Studentpages.html
--All about information technology and services at SUNY Potsdam:
http://www.potsdam.edu/ISD/IT_Intro.html
--Schedule of technology workshops and presentations:
http://www.potsdam.edu/dctm/Presentations/IntroTraining.html
--Suggestions? Complaints? Opinions? Kudos? ;) Try using our
electronic "Suggestion Box":
http://www.potsdam.edu/dctm/suggestionbox.html
--Information about SUNY Potsdam offices/departments and much more:
http://www.potsdam.edu/connections.html
--More guidance on "netiquette", the etiquette of cyberspace:
http://www.bookfair.com/Publishers/1887164/samNetiquette/0963702513sam1.html
-------------------------------------------------------------
7. SUNY Potsdam Computing Code of Ethics
Every user of SUNY Potsdam's computing facilities has the fundamental right
to privacy and is entitled to a fair share of resources. It is unethical
for any user to violate these principles.
Each usercode and associated password belongs to an individual. All use
should be in accordance with SUNY Potsdam policy on computer use set forth
in this document. Owners accept the burden for the responsible use of
their usercode.
Electronically-stored files are presumed to be private and confidential
unless the owner has explicitly made them available to the public.
Use of the network and/or electronic mail facilities for transmitting
anonymous, rude, abusive, harassing, or malicious messages is unethical.
The unauthorized copying of any software that is licensed or protected by
copyright is theft and unethical.
Although SUNY Potsdam's computing systems and network are not invulnerable
to deliberate abuse, knowledge of a special password or any weaknesses in
the established security systems should not be used to deliberately degrade
SUNY Potsdam's computing systems, its network, or personal computers, nor
deprive other users of the resources of any SUNY Potsdam- or
individually-owned computer.
When necessary for the maintenance of a system or network, SUNY Potsdam
personnel may restrict availability of shared resources. It may also be
necessary to look at a user's files to follow-up on reported problems.
Computer resources are a privilege, not a right, and they are granted with
restrictions and responsibilities for their use. Misuse of College
computer resources can result in their revocation.
Use of resources associated with College computer accounts for direct
financial gain (e.g. commercial consulting) is unethical.
Violation of the Computing Code of Ethics may subject a user to
disciplinary action.
Last modified: 8/15/95
Contact: R. Jewett (Email: jewettrj@potsdam.edu)