DAU’s Electronic Resources Policy is intended to help enhance the use of DAU’s Internet/Intranet services by preventing unacceptable use.  All users of DAU’s Internet/Intranet services must comply with the policy.

We support the free flow of information and ideas over the i-net but we will periodically monitor the use of the service.  Similarly, we do not exercise editorial control over the content of any electronic mail transmission, newsgroup or other material created or accessible over or through the service. DAU may cooperate with legal authorities and/or third parties in the investigation of any suspected or alleged crime or civil wrong.  The user’s violation of this policy may result in the suspension or termination of access and other actions, depending on the nature and extent of the violation.

The policies stated here shall not be regarded as all-inclusive or conclusive. The absence of a specific statement prohibiting a certain activity does not mean that that activity is acceptable.  Any activity or use not specified in these statements determined to be detrimental to DAU’s computer systems is prohibited.  All users must consult with the Information Technology Centre prior to making use of the system or of any account in a manner that might be considered “out of the ordinary.”  Failure to gain prior approval could result in citement for a violation.

Violations of DAU’s Electronic-Resources-Use Policy

The following constitute violations of this policy:

• Network Accounts: Using a network account, ID or password issued to another individual or allowing another individual to use your network account, ID or password.  An account is intended for the sole use of the individual for whom it was created.  That user is responsible for safeguarding his/her ID and passwords, and is responsible for any and all usage on his/her assigned account.
• Illegal Use: To transmit any material (by email, uploading, posting or otherwise) which intentionally or unintentionally violates any applicable laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or any rules or regulations promulgated hereunder.
• Harm to Minors: Using the Services to harm, or attempt to harm, minors in any way.
• Threats: Using the Services to transmit any material (by email, uploading, posting or otherwise) which threatens or encourages bodily harm or destruction of property.
• Harassment: Using the Services to transmit any material (by email, uploading, posting or otherwise) that harasses another party.
• Fraudulent Activity: Using the services to make fraudulent offers to sell or buy products, items or services.
• Forgery or Impersonation: Adding, removing or modifying identifying network header information in an effort to deceive or mislead is prohibited. Attempting to impersonate any person by using forged headers or other identifying information is prohibited.
• Unsolicited Commercial Email/ Unsolicited Bulk Email: Using the services to transmit any unsolicited commercial email or unsolicited bulk email. Activities which have the effect of facilitating unsolicited commercial email or unsolicited bulk email, whether or not that email is commercial in nature, are prohibited.
• Unauthorized Access: Using the services for creating Web Servers, ICQ servers, MP3 servers, chat servers, etc. or any program that others can access on your machine.  This includes using the services to access, or to attempt to access, the accounts of others, or to penetrate, or attempt to penetrate, security measures of DAU’s or another entity’s computer software or hardware, electronic communications system, or telecommunications system, whether or not the intrusion results in the corruption or loss of data.
• Copyright or Trademark Infringement: Using the services to transmit any material (by email, uploading, posting or otherwise) that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary rights of any third party, including, but not limited to, the unauthorized copying of copyrighted material, the digitization and distribution of photographs from magazines, books, or other copyrighted sources, and the unauthorized transmittal of copyrighted software.
• Collection of Personal Data: Using the services to collect, or attempt to collect, personal information about third parties without their knowledge or consent.
• Reselling the Services: Reselling services without DAU’s authorization.
• Network Disruptions and Unfriendly Activity: Using the services for any activity which adversely affects the ability of other people or systems to use DAU’s services or networks. This includes “denial of service” (DoS) attacks against another network host or individual user. Interference with or disruption of other network users, network services, or network equipment is prohibited. It is the responsibility of members to ensure that their network is configured in a secure manner. A student or member of faculty or staff may not, through action or inaction, allow others to use his/her network for illegal or inappropriate actions. A member of personnel may not permit his/her network, through action or inaction, to be configured in such a way as to give a third party the capability to use that network in an illegal or inappropriate manner.
• Long Connections and Multiple Logins: Using a personal account for high volume or commercial use is prohibited. The services are intended for periodic, active use of email, newsgroups, and browsing the World Wide Web. Students and members of faculty and staff may stay connected as long as they are actively using that connection for the above purposes. Students and personnel members may not use the services on a standby or inactive basis in order to maintain a connection. Pinging is expressly prohibited. Accordingly, DAU maintains the right to terminate any connection following any extended period of inactivity as determined by DAU.

Special Provisions Regarding Email Use and Privacy

Email addresses used by DAU, its departments and/or agents or subsidiaries are designed specifically for the purpose of communicating DAU-related information, either to external parties, or between departments and/or individuals within the university.

• Ownership of Email Addresses:  All email addresses in the domain ‘ …@dau.edu.sa ‘, or other such email addresses as may be acquired and/or used by DAU for the purpose of communicating between the university and other parties, or communicating within the university, and which specifically contain a clear reference to DAU or to any departments within the university, shall remain the exclusive property of DAU.
• Use of Email Addresses & Accounts:  Each member of DAU personnel is entitled to the exclusive use of one email account.  Email accounts and addresses are provided solely for the purpose of enabling and facilitating the performance of requisite functions within the DAU organization.  Therefore, email folders stored on the DAU email system, including those protected by an employee password, are not to be considered as the personal property of any individual, but as an inherent part of the myDAU electronic environment, owned and managed by the university in accordance with these provisions.
• Personal Correspondence:  Email accounts are intended for DAU-related business only, and therefore should not be used for any purposes of personal correspondence or for correspondence not concerning university matters; in this light, users are strongly advised to use their own personal email accounts for the purposes of sending and receiving all personal and non-DAU-related correspondence and communications.  Where accounts are used for personal purposes, the privacy of such communications cannot be guaranteed by DAU.
• Creation of Email Accounts:  On joining DAU, each member of DAU personnel shall be provided with his/her own exclusive email account, to which these provisions shall apply.
• Termination of Email Accounts:  The email account of an employee shall be kept open for a period of seven days after he/she leaves the service of DAU; after that time, all incoming messages to that address will be forwarded to the employee’s new address, provided that such address is notified to the university, for a period of one month (30 days) after which time it shall be terminated in total.
• Access to Email Accounts & Privacy of Information:  While DAU endeavours at all times to respect the privacy of email accounts and all correspondence contained therein, it reserves the right to access email accounts in situations where such intervention is required by the interests of the university, and there shall be no legal consequences arising from such intervention.

We may alter the provisions of this policy from time to time, and reserve the right to do so without notice.  For questions regarding this policy, please contactinfo@dau.edu.sa

Reporting Violations of DAU’S Electronic Resources Use Policy

DAU requests that anyone who believes that there is a violation of this Policy directs the information to the Information Technology Centre. If possible, please provide the following information:

• The IP address used to commit the alleged violation
• The date and time of the alleged violation, including the time zone or offset from GMT
• Evidence of the alleged violation

Dealing with Violations

DAU may take any one or more of the following actions in response to complaints:

• Issue of written or oral warnings
• Account suspension
• Termination of account
• Expulsion from DAU
• Instigation of legal action to enjoin violations and/or to recover damages arising from any such violations

Revisions to DAU’s Electronic Resources Use Policy

DAU reserves the right to revise, amend or modify its computer-use policy and other policies and agreements at any time and in any manner.