internet & computer policy

Stirling makes internet access available to all students for academic purposes. This is achieved either by use of the library computers or by use of your own wireless-equipped computer. Use of this service is governed by the following principles:

• The service is intended primarily as an aid to study and research. You may use it for other appropriate purposes such as obtaining software security updates, instant messaging and email, but these are considered to be secondary purposes. Out of courtesy to other students and to staff, such secondary access to the internet may only be made when not in class.
• The service may not be used for any commercial purposes, the sending of unsolicited emails ('spam'), nor for sending or accessing illegal content (including copyright-limited content such as pirated commercial music), nor for sending or accessing material that might reasonably be considered demeaning or offensive by any other student, staff member or visitor (such as pornographic or racist material). You should also refrain from sending or accessing large files of little academic benefit (such as musical slideshows of animals or landscapes).
• Content filtering is used to govern access to some types of undesirable material, because it is unacceptable under the previous principle, or it is disruptive to others by nature, or because it causes a degradation in service for other users through excessive traffic generated, or for other reasons such as computer virus threat. In particular, WMA, and WMV file downloads are presently banned. Notwithstanding this, the user is responsible for all material accessed.
• The service is not guaranteed to be available at any particular time, and its unavailability may not be used as a reason in support of requests for due date extensions for academic work or for grade revision.
• Access to the wireless service requires the use of a wireless encryption key (a string of letters and numbers), which must not be passed on to any party outside Stirling. The key may be obtained in the library. This key may be changed at any time by Stirling, and if circumstances require it, the level of wireless security may be raised without warning, such that some computers with older wireless network cards may no longer be able to connect.
• While limited help will be offered to those requesting assistance in connecting their computers to the wireless network, users are responsible for obtaining technical assistance elsewhere if their own computers cannot be made to connect by simply adding the correct wireless key.