Union College Web Guidelines
Revised by the Union College Web Policy Board June 28, 1999.
1. Union College World Wide Web policy
Union College recognizes the value and potential of publishing on the Internet and encourages students, staff, and faculty to use the College's web resources creatively, responsibly, and in accordance with the criteria included in this document.
Information on the Union College official web site is the responsibility of the Union College Web Policy Board. The Union College web site is maintained by the Office of Communications guided by Policy Board recommendations. Unless otherwise indicated, all text and photographs appearing on the Union College web site are copyrighted and should not be reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder.
Departments, offices, officially-recognized groups, and individuals at Union may create web pages linked to the Union College web site; creators of web pages must notify the Web Coordinator to set up an appropriate link. We request that each department web page point back to the Union College web site. The contents of such web pages must be consistent with Union College policies, including but not limited to these guidelines and the Union College Computing Guidelines, as well as local, state, and federal laws. A page may be considered in violation if it contains, or its direct links contain, material that violates a policy. The College's policies apply equally to electronic displays and communications as they do to more traditional means of display and communication.
2. Copyright and licensing
Any violation of copyright or any other law is the sole responsibility of the web page creator. Copyright laws that apply to printed material also apply to online publishing; for example, contributors may not scan or use images from electronic or printed publications without obtaining prior permission from the copyright holder(s). Publishing information on the World Wide Web may not be used in any manner prohibited by law or disallowed by licenses, contracts, copyrights, copyrighted material, or College policies. Groups or individuals are responsible for the information they publish. They are expected to read and adhere to these guidelines and the Union College Computing Guidelines.
3. Home pages
Failure to maintain information as described in this document may result in the revocation of privileges and/or removal of the web page(s). Web pages must contain the following information visible to viewers:
-- name and e-mail address of the information provider or group;
-- expiration date of material (if applicable);
-- any known problems with material or links.
Anyone placing a web page through the Union College network is required to review and agree to comply with these guidelines and the Union College Computing Guidelines.
Information providers are responsible for creating and maintaining information on the web page(s), answering questions, and acting as the Union and Internet contact. Examples of functions to be done by an information provider include:
-- coordinating the gathering of information for Internet publication;
-- deciding how the information will be organized;
-- preparing the information for display on the Internet by saving it in the appropriate file type;
-- updating the information;
-- complying with all federal and state laws governing telecommunications use and with the Union College Computing Guidelines.
4. Disclaimers
The College does not accept any responsibility or liability for information found on personal web pages. Personal web page authors are solely responsible for the content and organization of information they post, even if such information is accessed through Union College servers. All faculty, staff, organizational, and individual student personal web pages must visibly contain the following institutional disclaimer:
"The views expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author(s), not Union College or its Board of Trustees. The contents of this page have not been submitted for review or approval by Union College."
5. Inappropriate material
Inappropriate material shall be considered any material or information that violates College policies and/or applicable law(s) concerning printed or electronic displays. Examples of inappropriate material include:
-- advertisements for commercial services;
-- material in violation of the Union College Computing Guidelines;
-- private or confidential information (e.g., directory information without permission, student records or addresses, etc.).
6. Complaints or violations of policy
The College reserves the right to deny access to the Union College web to any personal web page author providing inappropriate material or information.
Complaints about the content of material on web pages should be directed to the College Web Coordinator (wwwstaff@union.edu), who will notify the contributor(s) of problems or policy violations. In cases where there is a violation of applicable policies, laws, or established codes of conduct, the Web Coordinator may direct the Executive Director for the Office of Computer Services to suspend individual access privileges and links to the Union College network. The matter will then be referred to the appropriate campus judicial body (e.g., Subcouncil on Student Conduct or Subcouncil on the Academic Standing of Students, etc.). The Executive Director for the Office of Computer Services will be notified whether to reinstate access privileges and links to the Union College network. The adjudicating body may also take further steps mandated by College policies.
The College also reserves the right to disable access to web pages that are causing a negative impact on server or network performance. In such an event, the Executive Director for the Office of Computer Services will make a reasonable attempt to notify the responsible contributor before disabling access.
7. Amendments
The College reserves the right to amend these policies and procedures.