Computer Lab Information: Policies

I. General Policies and Guidelines

1. Only students that are currently enrolled in the current semester are permitted to utilize the MSCD computer labs. All exceptions are stated in The User Account Policy.
   The lab technicians at the front desks represent the school and are the first line of authority in the MSCD computer labs. Their judgments should be respected as school authority. The first level of appeal is the lab supervisors.
2. No food or drink is allowed in the labs. This includes all open and closed containers.
3. The Computer Lab Printers are only to be used with paper provided by the Computer Labs. Students are not allowed to use their own paper or transparencies.
   Students who need to print in color need to contact a lab technician in one of the designated labs with a color printer. The Lab Technician will verify the electronic content and determine if the content is for Academic purposes. Students can have there color documents printed in Science 124 and in South 103.
   
4. Hardware and software not working correctly should be reported to the Lab Attendant at the front desk immediately.
5. Computer stations equipped with special hardware like scanners must be made available to students who need to use this equipment.
6. Students are responsible for their own personal belongings and equipment. Do not leave anything in the Computer Lab unattended for any length of time. The Computer Labs are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
7. Be courteous to other students and refrain from talking on your cell phone in the Computer Labs.
8. Scan your disks and storage devices using Norton Anti-Virus software both before starting to use them to protect the Computer stations and afterwards to protect your data from computer viruses.
9. All Computer Labs are equipped with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant Computer stations which must be made available to students with special needs.
10. Lost and found items will be immediately taken to the Lost & Found in the Auraria Library (Front Desk).
11. Computer stations and printers in the Computer Labs are there to support schoolwork. Computer stations and printers are not for general entertainment and personal or commercial use.
12. Save your work frequently in order to prevent data loss.

II. IT Internal Policy: Printing Services

Purpose:
The student computer labs are provided as an important resource to MSCD students to access college software, college e-mail, and to complete course assignments and projects. Printing in student computer labs is provided for MSCD students in support of their academic coursework. Lab printers may not be used to print course materials such as textbooks, handbooks or large research articles (over 20 pages). The course-assigned faculty member and academic departments provide the appropriate course materials students require when taking their class.

Students are given an allowance of 500 pages per semester to use. This is reset every semester.

In order to maximize printing services in the labs for all students, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Each print job must be limited to 20 pages or less.
• To print a larger job, split the print job into multiple sessions of 20 pages or less, or copy the file onto a removable disk and take it to a copy center (Clicks or Kinko's).
• Printing of online/offline textbooks and handbooks is strictly prohibited (Authorization by instructor is not valid.).
• Do not print any flyers or advertisements unless they are part of your class assignment.
• All color print requests must be submitted to the lab technicians with access to the file or material for printing.
• Wireless printing, and printing from laptop stations is not supported.
• Only paper provided by MSCD Computer Labs is allowed in the lab printers

Lab techs have the authority to cancel any print jobs that do not comply with the above restrictions.

For questions, please see the lab technician on duty or a lab manager in WC 241

III. User Account Policy

1. Network accounts for the Academic domain will be managed by Information Technology of Metropolitan State College of Denver (IT). Accounts will be maintained as long as the student's status is "continuously enrolled" (as defined by the College), which also includes on-line students, except for those accounts that fall under the exception policy.
2. Exception Policy
   The exception policy will apply to those students, sponsors and other groups affiliated with the college. These accounts will be created at the beginning of each semester and will expire at the end of each semester.
   These accounts include:
   • Non-MSCD students enrolled in pooled courses
   • Emeritus students
   • Sponsored accounts
   • Local user accounts
3. User Password Policy
   Only the individual accountowner can change her/his passwords. If an IT employee must reset a user's password, the user will be forced to change her/his password at the next logon. Students will be assisted by IT.
4. If IT staff observes compromised passwords (for example, default passwords, a cracker's sniffer log, routine network monitoring, or the user has shared the password) the user's account password will be disabled and the user will be required to change their password.
5. An audit of account usage may be performed at any time in order to check appropriate usage.

IV. Computer Cart

1. Computer Carts equipped with projectors can be checked-out from Computer Labs for use in classrooms.
2. Faculty can either make a reservation or just drop-in to pick up a Computer Cart. Reservation is recommended in order to assure the availability of a Computer Cart.
3. The Faculty member has to be present and present a faculty ID/ photo ID when checking-out the Computer Cart.

V. Lab Reservation

1. Priority departments have priority for lab reservations during priority week which will be determined by the Computer Lab Management.
2. After priority week, lab reservations are open to all other departments.
3. Each department is responsible for ensuring that priority lab reservations are entered in a timely manner and before the priority period expires.
4. Faculty can reserve a Computer Lab for two class periods per week per course (CRN). If a reservation for a third class period is needed, please contact the Lab Reservation Coordinator.
5. To be courteous to students who need to use the computer stations, we ask faculty to inform the Lab Attendant in the Computer Lab for which the reservation was made, if the Computer Lab won't be needed.
6. A reserved Computer Lab will be opened up to the general student public after 15 minutes if the class has not shown up.