Account Activation
You are at the beginning of the account activation process. Reading and accepting the following
policies are required to activate your account.
COMPUTER AND NETWORK USE POLICY
Columbia University maintains certain policies with regard to the use and security of its computer
systems, including the network. All users of these facilities are expected to be familiar with the
policies and the consequences of violation as listed below.
Columbia University Network Security and Privacy Policies
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Unauthorized attempts to gain privileged access or access to any account or system not
belonging to you on any University system are not permitted.
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Creation of any program, Web form, or other mechanism that asks for a Columbia user identity
and password, e.g. UNI, CUNIX ID, is prohibited except by using the methods documented for
the Columbia secure server at
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/webdev/password.html
or with the permission of the Deputy Vice President for Academic Information Systems or the
Deputy Vice President for Administrative Information Services.
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Computer and network accounts provide access to personal, confidential data. Therefore,
individual accounts cannot be transferred to or used by another individual. Sharing accounts
or passwords is not permitted.
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Each user is responsible for the proper use of his or her account and any activity conducted
with it. This includes choosing safe passwords, protecting them, and ensuring that file
protections are set correctly.
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Each system owner is responsible for the security of any system he/she connects to the
network. A system seen to be attacking other systems, e.g. having fallen victim to
viruses/worms, will be taken off the network, generally without notice, until it has been
made secure. Security information is available at:
http://www.columbia.edu/acis/security/
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No University system or network may be used as a vehicle to gain unauthorized access to
other systems.
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Any user who finds a possible security lapse on any University system or network must report
it to the system administrators. To protect your files and the system, don't attempt to use
a system under these conditions until the system administrator has investigated the problem.
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All users should be aware that the system administrators conduct periodic security checks of
University systems and networks, including password checks. Any user found to have an easily
guessed password will be required to choose a secure password during his or her next login
process.
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User files on central University systems are kept as private as possible. Attempts to read
another person's protected files will be treated with the utmost seriousness. The system
administrators will not override file protections unless necessary in the course of their
duties, and will treat the contents of those files as private information at all times.
Columbia University Network and Computing Usage Policies
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No University system or network may be used for any purpose or in a manner that violates
University statutes or regulations or federal, state or local law.
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Please keep in mind that many people use University systems and networks for daily work.
Obstructing this work by consuming gratuitously large amounts of system resources (disk
space, CPU time, print quotas, network bandwidth) or by deliberately crashing the machine(s)
will not be tolerated. Please cooperate by running large jobs on shared systems at off-peak
hours and by using the "nice" command to lower the priority of CPU-intensive processes.
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Use of any University system by outside individuals or organizations requires special
permission from the system's administrator and payment of fees to the University and to the
appropriate software vendors where applicable.
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Use of University systems or networks for commercial purposes, except where explicitly
approved, is strictly prohibited. Such prohibited uses include, but are not limited to,
development of programs, data processing or computations for commercial use and preparation
and presentation of advertising material.
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Frivolous, disruptive, or inconsiderate conduct in computer labs or terminal areas is not
permitted.
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No University computing facility may be used for playing computer games.
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Copying, storing, displaying, or distributing copyrighted material using University systems
or networks without the express permission of the copyright owner, except as otherwise
allowed under the copyright law, is prohibited. Under the Federal Digital Millennium
Copyright Act of 1998, repeat infringements of copyright by a user can result in termination
of the user's access to University systems and networks. See information on copyright at:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/help/copyright-info.html
E-mail Usage Policies
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No e-mail may be sent or forwarded through a University system or network for purposes that
violate University statutes or regulations or for an illegal or criminal purpose.
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Electronic mail, like user files, is kept as private as possible. Attempts to read another
person's electronic mail will be treated with the utmost seriousness. The University and its
administrators of central e-mail systems will not read mail unless necessary in the course
of their duties. Also, there may be inadvertent inspection in the ordinary course of
managing and maintaining the computer network and in carrying out other day-to-day
activities. On central systems e-mail that cannot be delivered to one or more addressees is
directed to the system administrators for purposes of assuring reliable e-mail service, in
most cases as "headers-only".
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Users should be aware that their "deletion" of electronic information will often not erase
such information from the system's storage until it is overwritten with other data and it
may, in any case, still reside in the University's network either on various back-up systems
or other forms, and even if erased, may still exist in the form of print-outs.
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Nuisance e-mail or other online messages such as chain letters, obscene, harassing, or other
unwelcome messages are prohibited.
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Unsolicited e-mail messages to multiple users are prohibited unless explicitly approved by
the appropriate University authority. See:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/policy/mass-email-procedure.html
All messages must show accurately from where and from whom the message originated, except in
the rare, specific cases where anonymous messages are invited.
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The University reserves the right to refuse mail and other connections from outside hosts
that send unsolicited, mass or commercial messages, or messages that appear to contain
viruses to University or other users, and to filter, refuse or discard such messages.
Violations of these policies may result in the immediate suspension of computer account and network
access pending investigation of circumstances and may lead to their eventual revocation. Serious
violations of the policy will be referred directly to the appropriate University or outside
authorities; unauthorized use of University computing facilities can be a criminal offense. The
penalties may be as severe as suspension or dismissal from the University and/or criminal
prosecution.
Rev 1.3.3 2003.01.08
THE EDUCOM CODE
Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This
principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in all media. It encompasses respect for the
right to acknowledgment, the right to privacy, and the right to determine the form, manner, and terms of
publication and distribution.
Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal
expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity,
including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secrets and copyright
violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community.
1999.01.11
To continue you must accept the policy as outlined above.