In the course of its business, Northeast Technology Center utilizes technology designed to facilitate the delivery of services to clients. Computers, Internet access, and electronic mail systems are designed for business, not personal, use.

Northeast Technology Center encourages the business use of electronic communications (notably the Internet, voice mail, electronic mail, and fax). Electronic mail, and all messages generated on or handled by electronic mail, including back-up copies, is considered to be the property of Northeast Technology Center.

Authorized Usage: Generally, electronic mail must be used only for business activities. Incidental personal use is permissible as long as it: (a) does not consume more than a trivial amount of resources. (b) does not interfere with employee productivity, and (c) does not preempt any business activity. Users are forbidden from using electronic mail for charitable endeavors, private business activity, or amusement/entertainment purposes. Employees are reminded that the use of Northeast Technology Center’s resources, including electronic mail, should never create the appearance of inappropriate use.

No Default Protection: Employees are reminded that electronic mail is not encrypted. If sensitive information must be sent by electronic mail, encryption or similar technologies to protect the data must be employed.

Privacy Issues: Employees are reminded that they do not have a right of privacy with respect to the use of electronic communications. The content of electronic mail may be monitored and the usage may be monitored to support operational, maintenance, auditing, security, investigative activities, and otherwise to ensure proper use of electronic communications. Employees should structure their communications in recognition of the fact that Northeast Technology Center will, from time to time, examine the content of electronic communications. No employee should have any expectation of privacy with respect to the use of Northeast Technology Center’s electronic communication systems.

Accountability: Regardless of the circumstances, individual passwords must never be shared or revealed to anyone else besides the authorized user. Identification or sharing of passwords exposes the authorized user to responsibility for actions another party takes with the password, which includes unauthorized use of electronic mail. Employees must not change the default settings related to electronic mail on the internet and must not delete temporary internet files unless directed to do so by the administration

Message content: Employees must not use profanity, obscenities, or derogatory remarks in electronic mail messages discussing employees, students, patrons, clients, competitors, or others. Such remarks should not even be made in jest.

Public Representations: No media advertisement, Internet home page, electronic bulletin board posting, electronic mail message, voicemail message, or any other public representation about Northeast Technology Center may be issued, unless it has been approved by the Superintendent.

Message forwarding: Some information is intended for specific individuals and may not be appropriate for general distribution. Accordingly, electronic mail users should exercise caution when forwarding messages. Sensitive information must not be forwarded to any party outside Northeast Technology Center and, even when forwarded internally, the forwarding of information should be related to the recipient’s need to know the information based upon his/her job responsibilities.

Harassing or Offensive Materials: Northeast Technology Center’s computer and communications systems are not intended to be used for, and must not be used for, the exercise of the employee’s right to free speech. Sexual, ethnic, and racial harassment, including unwanted telephone calls, electronic mail, and internal mail, is strictly prohibited and cause for disciplinary action. Northeast Technology Center employees are encouraged not to respond directly to the originator of offensive electronic mail messages, telephone calls, and/or other communications and to report such communications to their supervisor. If for any reason the recipient of harassing or offensive material is uncomfortable reporting the incident to his or her supervisor, or is (for any reason) precluded from doing so it should be promptly reported to the chief of human resources or the Superintendent. Northeast Technology Center retains the right to remove from its information systems any material it views as offensive or potentially illegal.

Approved by the Board of Education on March 13, 2003