Policies

The University has outlined policies for University computing resources. Items that are duplicated in the University Policies & Procedures site have been linked below.

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Password

Every authorized University computer account will be assigned a password for authenticating the user of the account and restricting access to the account resources. The password information is restricted to the user assigned the computer account and should not be given or shared with anyone else. Never use someone else's computer account to access SHSU computer resources. If additional access is required for your University activities, contact your supervisor. Some University systems will have an expiration time for passwords that will require you to change them on a regular basis. You may change your password online with your username, social security number, and personal identification number. You may also have it changed at the Computer Services Helpdesk in the AB1 building, room 208. A valid University ID will be required to obtain Helpdesk assistance. Please refer to the password portion of the Security Access Control Page for information on maintaining and using your password.

E-Mail

Microsoft Exchange is available upon request for faculty and staff. E-mail can be accessed through your locally-installed mail client or through the University web site at:

Exchange

Alumni Email

SHSU will provide you an e-mail service that can be accessed through your locally-installed mail client or through the University web site at: https://www.shsu.edu/exchange/

Code Of Student Conduct and Discipline

The University Code will be applied in matters of the use of the technology resources. Violations may be referred to the Dean of Judicial Affairs.

Key Policy

Student employees, faculty and staff may check out keys from Computer Services for opening and locking Computer Services general access laboratories and for accessing equipment and networking resources required by their University duties. A valid SHSU ID will be requested and kept by Computer Services while the key is being used. It is the responsibility of the individual who checked the key out to ensure that all areas are secure upon their exit. The keys may only be used while the student employee is on-duty with the Computer Services department or the faculty/staff member is in actual attendance of a class or meeting in the area. Keys may not be kept overnight. The key may not be loaned or shared. The key may not be used to access any area other than the area specified upon checkout of the key.

Employee Orientation

New employees may receive a University computer account for Nell, Storm, and UNX1. Training is provided in a one-on-one session upon creation of the computer accounts. Each new employee of the Computer Services Department with access to administrative systems or reports undergoes specific training on the confidentiality of University information.

Employee Termination

When the Computer Services Department receives notification of a University employee's termination, their computer accounts are disabled. A check-list for Computer Services employees is followed to ensure all accounts are disabled and access is denied.

SHSU Wireless Policy

As a result of the installation of a University wireless network new guidelines and regulations have been established to ensure continued and reliable operation of this University resource. The University wireless network will allow authorized staff, faculty and students to access SHSU computing resources from computing devices that are not physically connected to the University Local Area Network (LAN). To facilitate this wireless connection a portion of radio airspace on the University campus will serve as the transport medium for the campus network. Accordingly, some of the existing University computing policies now apply to that segment of the radio airspace. This document is intended to serve as a notice to University staff, faculty and students of the potential problems that could result from devices using the same radio frequency. Wireless systems use the FCC unlicensed 2.4 GHz Industrial/Scientific/Medical (ISM) band. Certain other "wireless" devices exist in the market place that also employ the same 2.4 GHz frequency band and can cause interference to users of the University wireless system. These devices include, but are not limited to other IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN devices, cordless telephones, cameras, and audio speakers. In an effort to assure the highest level of service to the users of the University wireless network, Computer Services is requesting help from all members of the campus community to minimize the potential interference from those devices. Computer Services requests that use of all other 2.4 GHz devices be discontinued in university-owned buildings and all outdoor spaces on the Sam Houston State University Campus. In cases where the device is being used for a specific teaching or research application, Computer Services will work with faculty to determine whether there are circumstances under which use of the device may still be accommodated without disruption to the University wireless network. Computer Services has been authorized by the University administration to administer the shared use of the 2.4 GHz radio frequency range in the same manner as the wired network services. While Computer Services may not actively monitor use of this airspace for potential interfering devices, we will seek out the user of a specific device if it is determined the device is interfering with or disrupting the campus network. In these cases, Computer Services reserves the right to restrict the use of all 2.4 GHz radio devices in university-owned buildings and all outdoor spaces on the Sam Houston State University Campus. If you feel you have an existing device that may use 2.4 GHz radio frequency for transmission or you are planning to purchase a wireless system and you are uncertain if it employs 2.4 GHz radios, please contact the Computer Services HelpDesk at (X41950) for further assistance.

Computer Accounts

Request for Restoral of Files for SHSU Faculty/Staff

If a file has been mistakenly deleted or if the current file is corrupt, the Computer Services staff will attempt to find and restore the needed files. A restoral may be possible if the file was stored overnight on a user's S: Drive, the departmental T: Common drive, a Unx1 drive, or Nell. Individual e-mails cannot be restored.

Include the following information in an e-mail, and forward it to your department chair. If your chair approves the need for the restoral effort, they can forward the request to the Helpdesk at helpdesk@shsu.edu .

LAST KNOWN DATE FILES WERE VALID : try to recall as close as possible the last time that you successfully used the file. This allows the search team to pinpoint much more quickly which tape to pull.
FILE NAME AND PATH : this part is naturally a critical element. Was it on the S:, T: unx1, or nell? What subdirectory? If you do not recall the precise name of the file, include that information in the request with a note indicating the parts of the name that you do know.
REASON FOR RESTORAL REQUEST : what happened to the file?
TIMELINE FOR WHEN YOU NEED FILE : is this mission-critical? Restoring files can be a time-consuming search effort. It helps to know what timeframe can be used to more efficiently manage our resources. The restoral process could take up to two weeks if new backups are being done which require the exclusive use of the drives.