menu

Procedures and Guidelines

The Information Technology Services department offers the following procedures and guidelines to ensure that campus standards are enforced as well as to better serve the IT needs of the campus. This list addresses the everyday issues and practices of the department but is not intended to provide a complete list of all possible scenarios.

Shawnee State University has a Campus Computer and Network Use Policy that applies to all users who are granted access to the University's computing resources. This is an official University board approved policy that all users must abide by which identifies conditions for use of University Computing Resources as well as sanctions that will be taken in the event of violations.

Procedures and Guidelines

General ITS Information:

Account Related Information:

Hardware Related Information:

Software Related Information:

University Network Related Information:

Email Related Information:

Telephone Services Related Information:

Student Housing Related Information:

Information Related to Purchase and Return of Equipment:

ITS Departmental Procedures and Guidelines

General ITS Information:

Requests for service

All requests for service should be submitted through an email to Help Desk in order to allow for the most expedient service. ITS utilizes a help desk software package (HEAT) to track and assign jobs within the department. This software will also notify the user with a return email when the request has been resolved. Requesting assistance from ITS outside of HEAT with either a direct email, a telephone call, or a personal visit increases the chance that a request may be overlooked since daily assignments are distributed and completed through the scheduled workflow of the Help Desk HEAT system. Therefore, it is necessary that jobs be submitted in this way.

A lead-time of two weeks is required for most requests for software installations to ensure time for adequate testing and to ensure license compliance. In some instances, items may need to be ordered and/or incompatibilities can occur causing unexpected delays. Therefore, although ITS will make every attempt to service all requests submitted with less than two-week time frame, we will not guarantee them.

Requests for action on university owned equipment, on user accounts, or to telephone services must be made by the appropriate responsible party. Requests from third parties will not be accepted without consent from the supervisor of the department responsible for the equipment.

Back to Top

Contacting ITS after hours

The ITS Department is fully staffed from 8:00am until 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

During the first two weeks of each new Semester, a technician is available in the office until 7:00pm Monday through Thursday.

Users needing to report an urgent technology problem after hours should do so by calling Campus Security at x3243. Campus Security will contact ITS to relay the problem. Please be sure to provide Security with a detailed description of the problem, your name, your location, and a contact number if possible. Non-urgent problems should be reported by submitting an email to

Help Desk

Back to Top

Service and Support of University Owned Equipment

ITS provides service and support of all university owned equipment that meets or exceeds the minimum hardware standards. All university owned equipment that meets or exceeds the minimum hardware standards must go through the ITS Department for service unless prior arrangements have been made with the ITS Department. ITS reserves the right to not service equipment that has previously been serviced by an unauthorized individual or vendor.

Equipment under manufacturer's warranty will be serviced in accordance with the warranty and all parts will be acquired through warranty procedures. There will be no charge to the individual department for service and parts covered under warranty. The cost of parts needed for equipment no longer under manufacturer's warranty are the responsibility of the individual department. ITS will provide price quotes and ordering information to the individual department, who must order and pay for the necessary parts.

Printers needing maintenance kits will be serviced by ITS. ITS will provide price quotes and ordering information for the specific maintenance kit necessary for servicing the specific printer to the individual department, who must order and pay for the maintenance kit.

ITS may recommend to the individual department the need to replace a specific piece of equipment based on service record, severity of problem, cost of parts or repair, or other similar reasons. Equipment recommended for replacement by ITS and not replaced by the department may be deemed unserviceable by ITS, in which case future service will not be provided on the equipment.

Back to Top

Service and Support of Non-University Property

Service and support of non-university property is the responsibility of the individual owner. This includes but is not limited to home computers, laptops, pocket PCs, PDAs, iPods, and cellular phone combination devices regardless of whether the equipment is being used for university purposes or not.

ITS does provide supporting documentation for university related services such as dial-up modem access, wireless access, University housing connectivity, and accessing email from off campus. This documentation can be obtained in hardcopy from the ITS front desk or on the ITS Web Page. ITS will be more than happy to answer questions pertaining specifically to these instructions.

Back to Top

Physical Security of Computer Equipment

ITS will not be held responsible for the physical security of assets that do not belong to the ITS Department. Individual departments must take the security measures they believe necessary to assure the physical security of their assets such as regulating key allocation and locking doors appropriately. Departments which choose to implement special security equipment for their computer labs, will need to ensure that ITS has appropriate access to maintain computers when necessary. Therefore, departments who choose to place physical locks on equipment must provide copies of the keys to all locks so that ITS can obtain access to the systems at any time.

Any physical asset that is in the possession of ITS for setup or service will be properly secured by the ITS staff at all times. Items in the possession of ITS are the temporary responsibility of ITS, but only while an active HEAT Ticket exists

Back to Top

Shawnee State University Web Guidelines

SSU WEB LEADER GUIDELINES

The following is an abbreviated version of the guidelines. For more information on SSU Web Leader Guidelines, see the page entitled Standardization of WWW Content for Shawnee State University.

* All web pages should utilize a white background. If a table is used, it should not be so large as to change the basic look and color of the background/page.

* Standard headers and footers should be used on all SSU web pages. Graphics should not be located above or beside the standard header and below or beside the footer.

* At this time individual or personal web pages are not permitted on university servers. Pages or portions of pages or links, which are person-specific, should not be included on any SSU web page. This includes links which advertise or endorse items for personal gain or services. The www.shawnee.edu web site does not officially endorse any commercial product or service.

* Any officially recognized student organization is permitted to have a web presence on the university web server. However, such organizations must have a faculty or administrative sponsor who is responsible for the content on the organization's web page(s). This content must be generalized, adhere to the Standardization Guidelines listed on the page, Standardization of WWW Content for Shawnee State University, and reflect the university's mission and strategic plan. The sponsor is responsible for reviewing the content and sending the email notification. Page content or links to external sites which are deemed to be of an offensive nature are subject to removal without notice.

* Hotlinks should be relevant to the topic of a given page.

* Minor modifications will be made to web pages, such as grammar, spelling, or obvious errors. If there are major errors in the page, the web leader will be notified so that he/she may correct the problem. Pages will be checked for technical accuracy and edited if necessary.

* Pages and/or links that do not adhere to the university standards for web pages, are not accurate, or are not current, are subject to removal.

* Music should not be used on any page.

* Photographs and graphics need be of a good quality. Photos should be resized in a photo editor, not in FrontPage.

* Site design is property of Shawnee State University, not of the individual web leader. A page should not state that it has been designed by an individual web leader. However, a web leader may indicate that he/she maintains the content of the page(s). All pages have a "Page maintained by XXX" in the footer section of the page. Web leaders should place their name (linked with their email address) in this section so that a user can contact them directly if needed.

* It is important to maintain the integrity of the SSU site, particularly the home page. The links placed on the home page reflect categories, not specific items. We receive many requests to link to pages directly from the homepage. However, in most cases it is not possible to place a link on the homepage. We do try to accommodate a web leaders request and place links to his/her page appropriately throughout the site.

Back to Top

Account Related Information:

Assistance with Accounts

Users needing assistance with network login or MySSU accounts can come to the ITS office (Commons 005) for assistance during regular business hours (8:00 - 5:00, Monday - Friday). Students may also come to the Reference Desk in the Clark Memorial Library for assistance with their network login account only. To have any account password reset, the user must come in person and present a valid University ID or other legal photo ID.

During the first two weeks of each new semester, ITS assists students in evening labs (after 6:00pm) with account setup and initial logging on to the campus network. The goal of this effort is to provide timely assistance to students with evening classes, after regular ITS business hours, the first two weeks of each semester.

Faculty teaching in labs with classes scheduled before 6:00pm who wish to have ITS staff assist with initial account login in the classroom can schedule this by submitting an email to Help Desk. Faculty who prefer to send only those students needing assistance to ITS for account assistance during class time are asked to notify ITS in advance so we can ensure adequate staff on hand to quickly support them and get them back to class as quickly as possible.

Basic instructions for logging into your campus network account can be found here.

Back to Top

Creation and Use of Temporary Accounts

Temporary login accounts will be used for special University sponsored events in which using individual logins for all participants is not feasible. Departments needing such accounts must request to have one established at least two weeks prior to the event by submitting an email to Help Desk.

An SSU employee must be responsible for the temporary account, including actions taken while this account is in use. The Campus Computer and Network Use Policy applies to all users of the campus network. Temporary accounts will be disabled upon completion of the event

Temporary accounts do not have the ability to save or store documents on the network or on the individual lab computers. Departments using these temporary accounts must provide for an external source of media, such as a disk or a flash drive.

Departments needing temporary individual accounts that need to be created and assigned for each separate user must submit a formal request to ITS.

Back to Top

Newly Hired Employees:

Network login and email accounts will be created for newly hired employees once ITS receives notice of the hire. The Department of Human Resources will contact ITS once all paperwork is complete.

It is the responsibility of the Departmental Supervisor to ensure that ITS is made aware of the hire if more timely access is required, by sending an email to Help Desk and requesting confirmation of hire be made by the Human Resources Department. An account will not be created until this confirmation from HR has been received even if a request has been made. It is the responsibility of the Departmental Supervisor to notify ITS if access is needed to the CARS Administrative Systems by submitting an email to Help Desk.

The telephone extension formally used by the employee’s predecessor will be reassigned to the new employee unless otherwise requested by the Departmental Supervisor through an email request to Help Desk. Access to a voice mailbox will be established by default as well.

Long-distance access codes and calling cards are available for University employees. The Departmental Supervisor must request access by sending an email to Help Desk. Long-distance access codes and/or long-distance calling cards will not be transferred from the previous employees to newly hired personnel.

Back to Top

Transfer of Employees Between Departments :

If an employee moves from one department on campus to another department, it is the responsibility of the Departmental Supervisor of the original department to cancel any long distance access code or calling card that may have been issued to the employee. It is the responsibility of the Departmental Supervisor of the new department to request any long distance access code or calling card that may be needed in the new position. To ensure proper departmental charging, ITS will not transfer calling cards or long distance access codes within or between departments.

If changes in the user rights on the Administrative Systems are needed, the appropriate Departmental Supervisor should submit a request for the addition or deletion of access rights. In most instances, ITS will need to work with both Departmental Supervisors to ensure that rights are adjusted appropriately.

The telephone extension will remain within the original department unless otherwise requested by the Departmental Supervisor of the original department. The employee will be issued a new telephone extension for use within the new department.

It is the responsibility of the Departmental Supervisors to notify ITS of the need for any of these changes. All requests should be submitted by sending an email to Help Desk.

Back to Top

Leaving the University

Students:

The network login and email accounts of students who graduate or who are not enrolled for two consecutive semesters will be deleted. All files in the email system and on any network storage location will be permanently deleted at this time.

Employees:

An employee’s network login, CARS login, and/or email accounts will all be disabled by ITS upon receiving notification of termination from either The Department of Human Resources or the Departmental Supervisor. The Immediate Supervisor of the former employee is responsible for ensuring the former employee’s computer is reviewed and evaluated for existing documents pertaining to official university business, and that ITS is notified via the help desk to assist with transition of the computer. All institutional documents should be evaluated by the department to determine if they need to be archived or transitioned to another university employee as governed under the Campus Computer and Network Use Policy. Once all institutional documents are identified, the employee’s accounts will be deleted, all files in the individual’s email account will be removed, all user-specific software will be uninstalled, and files not targeted for archive residing on local or network storage location will be permanently deleted at this time. ITS will not modify, update, or re-image the former employee’s computer without direct authorization of the immediate supervisor.

Any long-distance access code and/or long-distance calling card that may have been issued to the former employee will be disabled immediately upon receipt of notification of termination. Long-distance access codes and/or long-distance calling cards will not be transferred from employees leaving the University to newly hired or existing personnel.

The telephone extension used by the former employee will remain active and will continue to be the financial responsibility of the department. It is the responsibility of the department to forward the extension to an appropriate party who should receive any incoming calls that may be intended for the former employee. This extension will remain in the department to be reassigned to the replacement hire for the vacated position.

Departments wishing to completely relinquish a telephone extension must submit a formal request. To do this the Departmental Supervisor must send an email to Help Desk specifically stating they no longer need the extension and wish to return it to the campus pool. Once an extension is returned to the pool, it will be used elsewhere on campus and is not available for the department to re-use at a later date.

ITS will reset the voicemail password giving the department supervisor access to the former employee’s voice mailbox. It is the responsibility of the department to modify and/or delete the greeting on the mailbox.

Retiree Accounts:

For those faculty who meet the retirement criteria as identified in the faculty contract, and elect to utilize the privilege of Computer Access, ITS will create a new network/email account that offers the retiree this privilege. Retiree’s wishing to utilize this post retirement privilege and have an account created, can request this during the Exit Interview process with the Department of Human Resources. Retirees who do not request that an account be created during the Exit Interview will not be provided with an account.

The account will be created using the same username as their current faculty account however it will be a new account. Retiree accounts will have access to campus email and will also have the ability to use campus dialup from offsite using the same logon credentials.

The one-time password will be set to the formal retirement date of the individual as provided by the Department of Human Resources. The password will be entered in the format YYYYMMDD. The retiree will be required to change their password on first logon. All guidelines regarding Assistance With Accounts are applied to Retiree Accounts.

The employee’s current account and the post retirement account will not exist concurrently and data cannot be moved from one account to the other at the time the Retiree Account is created. Employees must save any items of a personal nature they wish to retain on some alternative form of external media before their Employee Account is replaced. Any documents not retrieved will be deleted at the time the Employee Account is replaced with the Retiree Account.

In compliance with Shawnee State University Policy 5.30, ITS will disable accounts for those who leave the University and then delete them after documents of an institutional nature have been identified (by the department supervisor). Employees who leave the University do not have the option to keep their existing Employee Account open unless they will continue to work in some capacity for the University. This requires VP approval to do so. Please refer to Leaving the University for information regarding the guidelines for normal account termination. Shawnee State University reserves the rights to terminate Retiree Accounts without notice due to lack of activity for 12 consecutive months.

Back to Top

Hardware Related Information:

Minimum Hardware Standards

Minimum hardware standards can be found here.

Standard Hardware and Software

ITS will make every effort to support the individual needs of the campus. Providing standardized hardware and software options affords the university the opportunity to invest its limited technology resources wisely. Standardization also reduces support costs and maintenance efforts.

For these reasons, ITS is charged with managing requests for custom installations as well as acquiring negotiated pricing for a standardized selection of computer hardware and software

ITS maintains a web page, which provides pricing and specifications for thesestandard hardware items and standard standard software. If departments need pricing for items other than those listed on this page, they should submit a request for pricing by email to Help Desk and ITS will assist in acquiring pricing and specifications.
ITS cannot ensure network compatibility or the level of support available for non-standard hardware and software, or for hardware and software not approved by ITS for purchase.

Back to Top

Installation of hardware:

All hardware installations will be completed by ITS. Once the Purchase Order is complete and all items ordered have been delivered to the ordering department, it is the department’s responsibility to contact ITS by an email to Help Desk. The request should indicate where the hardware is to be installed and who the primary user/users will be. ITS will schedule the installation of the hardware and any supporting software or drivers as quickly as possible.

Back to Topp

Ordering Non-Standard Hardware:

Users or Departments wishing to purchase a brand other than the standard Lenovo system must purchase systems that meet the following requirements:

ITS Hardware Requirements:

  1. Any system purchased MUST meet or exceed the specifications of the standard system SSU currently purchases from Lenovo in order to receive ITS authorization on the Purchase Order.
  2. Any system purchased MUST include a minimum of a 3 year parts and labor warranty in order to receive ITS authorization on the Purchase Order.
  3. ITS requires that any system purchased MUST be running Windows XP Professional in order to be permitted on the SSU Network. ITS must push out security updates, windows updates, anti-virus definition files, etc. across the network and we require the current standard to do so.

In addition, the User or Department must be aware of and agree to the following items:

  1. ITS is an authorized Lenovo support center. ITS is not a formally authorized support center for any other manufacturer. Most manufacturers’ warranties require that support covered under that warranty be conducted by an authorized support center. Therefore, any hardware support of systems of any brand other than Lenovo will most likely need to be done by an outside 3rd party. This may require the user or department to ship the system to an off site location or take it to an off site location for support. ITS will not assume the cost for shipping, transporting, or servicing such non-standard hardware items.
  2. ITS cannot ensure that the standard SSU software applications or any other departmental specific software package will perform appropriately on non standard hardware. We will provide installation services but if the software is not performing to the expected performance level, the user or department will need to work with either the hardware or software vendor to resolve the performance issues encountered.

Back to Top

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) Use and Purchase

Users or Departments may wish to purchase an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) for office computers. A proper UPS will provide both surge protection and short term battery backup during power outages. The UPS is not intended to keep the computer running for extended periods of time, but it will prevent the computer from shutting down abruptly during power outages. The battery will maintain power long enough to allow the user to gracefully shut down the computer once power is lost. This is intended to avoid loss of unsaved data and prevent electrical damage to the equipment.

A UPS must be scaled to meet the appropriate power requirements of the device or devices it will be supporting. ITS can provide a recommendation for a basic UPS model for the ITS recommended Standard Lenovo or Apple office computers. To request a UPS recommendation, Users or Departments should submit an email to Help_Desk@shawnee.edu and include the model number and ITS ID number for the computer they wish to support on the UPS. Since recommendations will be for specific equipment and their individual electrical power needs, users should not add other devices to an existing UPS without consultation with ITS. Placing a too many devices or a device that was not included in the recommendation of the UPS on an existing UPS can result in damage to the devices and/or the UPS.

Users or Departments wishing to purchase a UPS for equipment other than the Standard Lenovo or Apple office computers will need to contact the manufacturer directly for UPS recommendations. Each manufacturer or vendor will have specific requirements for each piece of equipment and therefore must be contacted directly before a UPS is purchased. Recommendation from the manufacturer or vendor should be attached to the order at the time it is placed. Adding specialized equipment to an existing UPS or simply ordering a standard UPS without consulting the manufacturer is discouraged and could result in damage to the equipment if not properly matched to the equipment’s power requirements and ratings.

The price of a UPS is not included in the cost of a standard machine and departments should expect to fund the cost of such devices.

Back to Top

Computer Replacement Schedule

Shawnee State University is on a Computer Replacement Schedule under which student use systems are replaced on a 3-year schedule and employee use systems are on a 4-year schedule. Student use systems are replaced during the Summer Break of each academic year and employee use systems are replaced during the Winter Break of each academic year. Systems needing replacement due to performance failures at times other than those scheduled will be addressed on an individual basis.

Back to Top

Cascading Computers :

Shawnee State University is now on a replacement schedule for student use and staff computers. Consequently, the use of cascaded machines within labs and offices is not necessary.

Departments who feel they need to utilize a cascaded computer within their office must submit a request in writing to ITS through an email to Help Desk. ITS will assess the condition of the computer and determine if it meets the needs of the department as well as the campus network standards. Any approved cascades must be coordinated through ITS prior to the installation of the new computer.

All machines that are replaced through the university replacement scheduled will go to auction. Machines targeted for auction will have the Operating System and all software removed. This process is not reversible. Any replaced system removed from the network but retained by an office for stand alone use will not be supported by ITS. The current minimum standard for a network computer can be found here.

Back to Top

Cascading Printers :

Departments wishing to cascade a printer must submit a request in writing to ITS through an email to Help Desk. ITS will assess the condition of the printer and determine if it meets the needs of the department as well as the campus network standards. Printers with showing a pattern of poor operation history maybe recommended for replacement by ITS.

Back to Top

Removal of Old Information Technology Equipment :

Information Technology Equipment is defined as any piece of equipment that has the ability to store, transmit, or create electronic data. Items that are considered Information Technology Equipment include, but are not limited to, computers, laptops, flash drives, cell phones, smart phones, PDAs, blackberries, iPod’s, and other such smart devices. All University owned Information Technology Equipment must follow this removal process.

Departments wishing to have old Information Technology Equipment removed must contact ITS to first have the electronic storage component removed from the device, this could be in the form of a hard drive, SD card, Memory chip, USB drive, or any other applicable form. In the event the electronic storage component cannot be removed from the device, the entire device will be taken by ITS and may require destruction of the entire device. In all other cases, once the electronic storage component is removed, the department must complete the Equipment Action Authorization Form and submit it to the Purchasing Department. The Equipment Action Authorization Form can be obtained in Accounts Payable. In order to allow for proper asset tracking, ITS does not remove the entire device. The remainder of the hardware components will be removed by Facilities upon receipt of the Equipment Action Authorization Form and then sold at auction.

It is the end-user’s responsibility to retrieve any necessary data files from the device before it is removed from the department. ITS will first purge all files, the Operating System, and any software applications from the computer. Once that has been completed, the electronic storage component of the device will be physically destroyed. This process is not reversible.

All equipment that does not meet minimum standards will be removed from the network and targeted for auction. Any system removed from the network will not be supported by ITS. For a list of the current minimum standard for a network computer, please click here.

Back to Top

Service of computer equipment used for hands on hardware, software or networking classes :

Service and support of computer equipment used in labs where the hardware is disassembled reassembled, and/or software is reconfigured for instructional purposes are the sole responsibility of the originating department.

Back to Top

Software Related Information:

Installation of standard software on campus:

All software installations will be completed by ITS. Any software considered to be SSU standard software packages will be installed by default on all new equipment as is appropriate to the intended function of the equipment or as was agreed upon between ITS and the primary user/users of the equipment.

Back to Top

Loading non-standard software in offices :

Users needing to have ITS install additional software packages other than those considered SSU standard software packages may submit a request by email to Help Desk . Requests for the installation of non-standard software should be made only for work related software. Applications that are not for the purpose of SSU official business will not be installed by ITS and should not be installed by the primary user of the equipment.

Users must possess the proper license, original software media, and original documentation for any software they wish to have installed. Proof of license must be stored in the user’s office, for as long as the software is installed on the user’s machine, in order to document license compliance in the event of a software audit. It is the user’s responsibility to store original copies of all software media.

Support for non-standard software is limited. If conflicts arise with standard SSU software packages, the additional software may need to be removed by ITS. Exceptions may be granted to users who can provide documentation supporting a specific job-related need for the non-standard software. Any software that, knowingly or unknowingly, creates a security risk to either the computer, the data, or the University Network, will be removed by ITS despite any specific job-related need. Any software that is determined to have no specific job-related need, may be removed by ITS if encountered on the system or detected on the network.

Back to Top

Loading non-standard software in academic labs :

Academic Departments needing to have ITS install additional software packages in labs other than those considered SSU standard software packages, must submit a request by email to Help Desk. Departments must possess the proper license, original software distribution, and original documentation for any software they wish to have installed. Requests should be made at least 2 weeks prior to beginning of the quarter to ensure availability for the first day of classes.

Installs should occur between quarters. It may not be feasible for additional software to be added to labs once the quarter has begun since this could interfere with software already being used in active classes.

Proof of license will be copied by ITS but the academic department must store originals in order to document license compliance in the event of a software audit. Software media will be copied by ITS (as permitted by manufacturer) for backup purposes. Original software media will be returned to the academic department for storage. It is the sole responsibility of the department to store all original software media and licenses.

Academic departments wishing to have such packages added to common areas, such as the Student Success Center, must present proof of adequate licensing for these units also.

Support for non-standard software is limited. If conflicts arise with standard SSU software packages, the additional software may need to be removed or reconfigured.

Back to Top

Installation of Demo Software or Temporary Software Installations :

ITS will only install demo software, or temporarily install software packages, in special instances. Such installations require proper advanced notice of a minimum of 2 weeks. Departments needing software installed must provide appropriate licenses and documentation for authorized usage and proper software media.

Software will only be temporarily installed during quarter breaks or in labs that are not being used for regular university courses. Any software installation that results in a conflict with other standard lab software will be removed by ITS.

Back to Top

Obtaining software under the Microsoft Agreement:

MS Office (PC and Mac) and Windows XP Professional products for students are available for purchase at the campus bookstore. Prior to purchasing any software under the Microsoft agreement, students must first complete the License Agreement form and deliver it to ITS, who will then provide the student with a voucher they can use for purchase. With this voucher, MS Visual Studio and OS software is also available for checkout from the library. For more information, please go to the following link: Microsoft License Agreement

Current SSU faculty/staff also have the ability to use software at home under the Microsoft Agreement. Any SSU employee who completes the License Agreement can receive a copy of Microsoft software for use at home, from the Help Desk. For more information, please go to the following link: Microsoft License Agreement

Back to Top

University Network Related Information:

Personal Laptops or PDAs on the Network (Hard- wired and Wireless)

Access to the campus network using personal laptops and other such portable devices, is currently disabled during network infrastructure upgrades. This includes the use of Hard-wired network ports as well as wireless network access. When access is reinstated, users wishing to access the campus network with personal devices must first register devices with the ITS department. Users found placing unauthorized equipment on the campus network will be considered to be in violation of the Campus Computer and Network Use Policy.

Back to Top

Attaching Networking Devices to the Campus Network

Access to the campus network is provided across campus by the ITS Department. Users should have no need to attach miscellaneous network devices such as routers, hubs, switches, or wireless access points to the campus network. Users who feel the network access provided to their area is not sufficient should contact ITS to discuss options. Users found placing unauthorized equipment on the campus network will be considered to be in violation of the Campus Computer and Network Use Policy and the unauthorized devices are subject to removal.

Back to Top

General Storage Space on Shawnee State University Network :

Valid accounts on the Shawnee State University Network have access to secure storage space on a centrally administered file server. Students receive 30 Meg of space for storage and Employee accounts receive 200 Meg of space. Files stored on this central server are backed-up nightly and are available to the owner from any networked location on campus. Management of this space is the sole responsibility of the user. Accounts that reach maximum capacity will not accept additional files until the account is cleaned out.

Back to Top

Addition of Physical Network Ports or Telephone Ports :

Users or departments needing network or telephone access installed in a location not currently networked to suit their needs must submit their request by email to Help Desk. ITS will identify the scope of each request and that will determine the next steps to be taken:

A standard wall plate consists of 3 data ports and 1 telephone port. All new wire pulls made will include this standard configuration of 3 data ports and 1 telephone port. All added wall plates will be created by the installation of new wire; old wire will not be taken from an existing wall plate and relocated to a new wall plate in the desired location.

ITS will complete the install with no charge for labor, however the department requesting the change will be charged for materials. ITS is not budgeted for infrastructure updates or changes, therefore material costs must be passed on to the department initiating the work. ITS will acquire a quote for the necessary materials and send it to the department for processing. Departments will need to order and pay for the materials directly from the equipment retailer exactly as quoted by ITS. ITS will insure that any excess materials remaining after the installation will be managed in accordance with the ITS equipment removal procedure.

If the additional port requires the use of or termination of Fiber Optic Cable, the project must be contracted out.

If the additional port is considered to be a part of a building renovation or building re-wiring, it must be included in the overall scope of the building renovation. This will be contracted out in most instances and the costs should be covered by the infrastructure funds of the building project as a whole. ITS will work with contractors to define the scope and ensure project is completed to meet SSU standards. If a department is being temporarily relocated due to a building renovation, costs for materials may be charged as outlined above if the temporary location does not contain sufficient connectivity. ITS will scope the proposed temporary location and provide a cost estimate if notified in advance of the move to allow the department to budget for these costs in the renovation plans.

If the additional port is to be located in an existing computer lab that is on the annual replacement schedule, in most instances the pull will be completed by ITS at no cost to the department. ITS reserves the right to contract such lab jobs out if the scope of the project requires it.

If the additional port is to be located in an office for university employee use, the scope of the pull will be determined by ITS. This scope will determine if the pull will be completed by ITS or if it will be contracted out. A variety of factors can impact this scope, i.e. distance of the pull, available ports on switch, physical building constraints etc. and each project must be evaluated independently. The department will be charged for any costs incurred by a required contractor or SSU Facilities. ITS can provide a cost estimate to the department based on the anticipated scope of work.

Back to Top

Campus Infrastructure Usage

ITS has many infrastructure paths established on the SSU campus and extending out to SSU housing. These paths are primarily in the form of underground conduit, manhole openings, and conduit run within campus buildings for the purpose of housing data and voice communications cable. These conduits were installed solely for use for ITS to satisfy current and future upgrades to campus infrastructure. Additional use of the conduit, manholes, and handholes already populated with fiber would most likely result in damage to the existing cable and therefore is not considered appropriate. Additional use of the conduit, manholes, and handholes already populated with voice cabling could likely result in damage to the existing cable or void existing warranty and therefore is not considered appropriate without prior ITS consent. No open conduit should be populated with fiber/telephone/video without prior consent of ITS. Departments utilizing these conduits without prior ITS consent will be held financially responsible for the repair of damaged fiber previously existing in the conduit. It is not the responsibility of ITS to prove any additions caused the damage, it will simply be assumed the damage was caused by the unauthorized additions. ITS cannot be held responsible for any damage to unauthorized fiber/telephone/video in the event that ITS needs to replace or repair the lines that were installed at the intended use to the conduit.

ITS references the ANSI 758 standard as one of its guides to acceptable cable placement on campus. Infrastructure upgrades should adhere to these standards and other ITS guidelines.

Back to Top

Email Related Information:

Spamming using the Shawnee State University Email System :

Spamming using the Shawnee State University Email system is prohibited under the Campus Computer and Network Use Policy.

Back to Top

Sending Campus Wide Emails

Official student groups wishing to send an email to the campus regarding a University sponsored event can do so by submitting a copy of the email to saforward@shawnee.edu. The email will then be forwarded to the campus . Emails not sent in this manor will be considered Spam and is prohibited under the Campus Computer and Network Use Policy.

Back to Top

Tracking Unsolicited or Undesired Emails :

Users of the Shawnee State University Email system who receive harassing or repetitive undesired emails that they wish to have investigated must submit an email to Help Desk.

Upon the advisement of general council, ITS will take appropriate actions to track and/or trace these harassing or repetitive undesired emails. In certain instances local authorities may be contacted as necessary.

Back to Top

Storage Space on Shawnee State University Email System :

Space is allocated to all users for storage of email messages. Student users can receive up to 31 Meg of mail storage. Students are issued a warning at 27 Meg of mail storage, a prohibit send at 28 Meg of mail storage, and a prohibit send and receive at 31 Meg of mail storage. University employees can receive up to 125 Meg of storage space for emails. Employees are issued a warning at 100 Meg of mail storage, a prohibit send at 115 Meg of mail storage, and a prohibit send and receive at 125 Meg of mail storage. Management of this space is the sole responsibility of the user. Accounts that reach maximum capacity will close to incoming messages and most Outlook functions, until the account is cleaned out.

Back to Top

Creation and Maintenance of Public Folders on the SSU Email system:

Public Folders for use on the Shawnee State University Email system can be requested by submitting an email to Help Desk. This request must include the name of the Public Folders Owner who will maintain the folder and all of its contents. ITS is available to assist you in determining if a Public Folder provides the appropriate solution for your needs

Back to Top

Creation and Maintenance of System Distribution Lists on the SSU Email system:

System Distribution Lists for use on the Shawnee State University Email system can be requested by submitting an email to Help Desk. This request must include the name of the Distribution List Owner who will be responsible for the maintenance of this list.

ITS will create the list and grant rights to the Distribution List Owner. Once the list has been created, the Owner can then add users to the list as well as maintain the list for all future adds, deletes, and modifications.

ITS is available to assist you in determining if a Distribution List provides the appropriate solution for your needs.

Back to Top

Telephone Services Related Information:

University Telephones :

Individual departments are responsible for the line fee, all long distance charges incurred, and cost of telephone hardware for each telephone or telephone line they have installed in their areas.

Currently, the cost per line is $13.00/month for the basic office phone line. All Verizon Business lines will be charged a monthly fee of $38.00. All long distance calls placed through Qwest Communications will be charged at a rate of $.03 per minute. All telecommunication charges are billed to ITS and then charged back to each department.

Replacement or additional phones must be ordered and paid for by the individual departments.

Service and support of all university owned telephones should be initiated through ITS. Requests for support must be submitted by email to Help Desk.

Departments wishing to have additional phone or fax lines run must submit a request by email to Help Desk. The Departmental Supervisor must initiate the request since an additional monthly line charge will be incurred once the line is activated.

Departments wishing to completely relinquish a telephone extension must submit a formal request. To do this the Departmental Supervisor must send an email to Help Desk specifically stating they no longer need this extension and wish to return it to the campus pool. Once an extension is returned to the pool, it will be used elsewhere on campus and is not available for the department to re-use at a later date.

Back to Top

Malicious Call Tracing on Calls Received into the University Telephone System :

Users of the Shawnee State University telephone system who experience malicious telephone calls that they wish to have investigated must submit a formal request for investigation to Campus Security at 351-3243. Residents of Student Housing should also notify the office of Student Housing.

Upon the advisement of general council, ITS will take appropriate actions to track and/or trace these harassing or malicious telephone calls. If an investigation is initiated, a report must be filed with the local authorities prior to any calls being traced. Subsequently, the Call Nuisance Bureau will be contacted and procedures will be implemented to successfully trace the unwanted call(s). Individuals wishing to have calls investigated must be prepared to file formal documentation with the authorities.

Back to Top

Student Housing Related Information:

Types of Phones for Use in Housing

Phones come in a variety of types including analog and digital. When you purchase a phone for your on-campus housing unit, be sure it states that it is an analog phone. If you purchase a phone using any other technology it will not function properly with the University’s phone switch. This includes digital phones and newer cordless phones with DSS technology. If you attempt to use a digital or DSS cordless phone with the University’s phone system your phone may not work at all or you may experience disconnections, dropped calls, interference, and other problems.

Back to Top

Information Related to Purchase and Return of Equipment:

Delivery of Equipment :

All equipment will be delivered directly to the location outlined on the Purchase Order. Once the Purchase Order is complete (all equipment has been received), the user should submit an email to Help Desk notifying us the equipment in your possession is now ready for installation. In the email to Help Desk, please include the following information:

  • Purchase Order Number

  • Location equipment is to be installed

  • Any special software or set up needed

  • The primary user of the equipment (Computer installs only)

  • As well as any other information you feel is needed to assist with the quick and accurate installation

Similar to current procedures, once the HEAT ticket is created and assigned, a ITS staff member will come to your area to pick the equipment up and ask you to initial a ITS Custody Equipment Form. This simply identifies the equipment the ITS staff member is removing. When the equipment is a computer system, the technician will only remove the computer and NOT the keyboard, monitor and mouse therefore you will still need to secure these items. Upon the return of the equipment to your area, the ITS staff member will ask you to once again sign the ITS Custody Equipment Form. This signature indicates that the equipment listed on the form has been returned to your department.

Back to Top

Returning Merchandise to Vendor :

If merchandise, either hardware or software, needs to be returned to the vendor for any reason the user will need to work with the Purchasing department to help facilitate the return and/or exchange.

All returns and/or exchanges are subject to policies of the vendor or manufacturer. See Printer/Equipment Shipping Box Retention policy for details regarding printer or non-standard computer returns. (see ITS web page for list of standard computers)

Back to Top

Printer Shipping Box Retention :

Departments purchasing new printers must retain the box and packing materials for a minimum of 30 days from receipt. If issues arise within the first 30 days that warrant a return of the printer for replacement, the manufacturer requires it be shipped in the original packaging. Departments not retaining the box will be subject to the manufacturer's policies, which in most cases results in a the return not being accepted.

If issues arise during the warranty period that require repairs, the warranty may require that the printer be repaired by an authorized service center. For proper handling, it is recommended that it be shipped in the original packaging. Individual departments will need to work directly with an authorized service center to coordinate repairs. ITS will examine the printer to determine the source of the problem prior to suggesting the printer be repaired by an authorized service center and can provide contact information. Individual departments are required to fund any expenses that may be incurred for parts, labor, etc..

Back to Top

Equipment Box Retention:

Departments purchasing non-standard computers (see ITS web page for list of standard computers) must retain the box and packing materials for a minimum of 30 days from receipt. The warranty on these items may require that items be shipped to an authorized service center in the original packaging if problems arise within this time frame.

Departments not retaining the boxes cannot be guaranteed prompt service by the service center and will be responsible for any costs incurred to service the component

Back to Top