Reporting misuse of CNS resources

Netiquette issues

That policy says, among other things, that all uses of university computer systems should show respect for individuals' right to freedom from "unwarranted annoyance".

Potentially identifiable abuses of computer privileges include

• Unsolicited, off-topic mass electronic mailings to newsgroups, mailing lists, individuals, and the like.

• Use of any K-State eID as the mail drop for responses to any such mass mailing.

• Use of any electronic medium to annoy or harass groups or individuals.

Electronically misrepresenting either yourself or the machine you are working at (e.g. e-mail address forgery) is also prohibited.

Sanctions

First-time offenders will receive a warning and may also have their eID suspended depending on the severity of the offense.

Subsequent offenses may result in the suspension of the offender's K-State eID, as determined by the director of K-State's Computing and Network Services or official designate determined by the Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology (VPAST).

Criminal offenses will be referred to the K-State Police. Offenses involving students may be referred to the Office of Student Life and/or the Student Governing Association.

Responses to abuses

Reports should normally be made within a few days of an incident. Always capture complete e-mail headers (i.e., include those normally hidden) with any annoying mail and logs or screen dumps from interactive exchange which will substantiate the abuse. Certain system logs are kept briefly for investigative use in case of a report of abuse.

If you observe or experience abusive use, capture a record of it. If the incident is purely electronic, notify the annoying party and, if the source is off-campus, complain to the Internet Service Provider (ISP, at root or postmaster or webmaster or abuse (e.g., the local address for such reports is abuse@ksu.edu).

Face-to-face encounters (presence of food and drink, displaying offensive screens, noisy game-playing, etc.) present a more problematic situation. These cases may be reported to CNS in as much detail as can be readily ascertained, but CNS does not ask K-Staters to engage in confrontation.