Consider yourselves warned.
In response to the increased number of University Internet users downloading and duplicating copyrighted software, the administration sent out an e-mail Monday reminding them of the Computing Center’s acceptable use policy.
The e-mail, sent by University Provost John Moseley, the senior vice president for academic affairs, also said that all students, staff and faculty should stop using peer-to-peer file sharing applications to download and distribute copyrighted materials.
“It is unacceptable to download and transfer copyrighted materials. For students caught up in this, it is their responsibility to keep it from happening by disabling the software,” Moseley said in an interview. “This is against the University’s policy, but it is also a violation of the law.”
The University’s Network Services has investigated 391 cases of violations of the federal copyright infringement law this school year. As a result, 136 students were disconnected from the network from Oct. 19 through 25. And Network Services then referred 73 cases of acceptable use violations to Student Judicial Affairs.
Sluggish network performance gave the network personnel reason to investigate the misuse of bandwidth. Network Services checked its database for the top 50 bandwidth users and reviewed those files for illegal material. When illegal material was found, those users were disconnected from the network, and staff informed them to contact the Office of Student Conduct on the status on their connection. Once the case was closed by the Office of Student Conduct, the connection was reactivated. Officials said this investigative process will continue in the future.
Moseley’s e-mail said the applications, such as Kazaa and Morpheus, are not illegal, but the uploading of files and sharing copyrighted material is illegal.
“These programs are not illegal themselves, but they may be misused in the illegal downloading and distribution of copyrighted music and other copyrighted material, such as movies, images or software,” the e-mail said.
Students have complained they were not officially warned before their network connections were turned off.
“Now the warning is out there,” said Norm Myers, Computing Services coordinator for the residence halls. “Students who are found in violation from now on will be severely dealt with and could lose their computer privileges indefinitely.”
However, Mike Eyster, director of University Housing, said his department is implementing a process so that students don’t have to wait as long for reactivation. Previously, students had to wait to regain service until their case with the Office of Student Conduct was resolved. Now, prior to closure of their case, students can regain service by signing a form affirming that they will not download copyrighted material on the University’s network and that they will remove any such material.