Computer Science | Grinnell College

The Department of Computer Science supports the free expression and exchange of ideas and opinions and hopes that users of its computer systems will actively explore the possibilities of electronic publication on the World Wide Web. The Department encourages students, faculty, and staff to create and publish Web pages through its servers, believing that such creative work develops analytical and imaginative thinking, critical independence, and respect for intellectual and social diversity.

Since members of Grinnell College are free to express their views, even ones with which the Department officially disagrees or on which it takes no official position, the Department takes no responsibility for the contents of the pages published by individual users. The Department does not regularly monitor or censor users' pages.

However, the Department intends that its computing facilities be used towards the achievement of the educational goals mentioned above, and specifically disclaims any intention to annoy, abuse, libel, threaten, or harass anyone, individually or collectively, or to violate applicable state or federal laws. The Department advises authors of WWW pages distributed through College servers of the legal and moral responsibilities that accompany the exercise of the right to free speech and expects members of the Grinnell College community to recognize and accept these responsibilities.

The Department of Computer Science supports the free expression and exchange of ideas and opinions and hopes that users of its computer systems will actively explore the possibilities of electronic publication on the World Wide Web. The Department encourages students, faculty, and staff to create and publish Web pages through its servers, believing that such creative work develops analytical and imaginative thinking, critical independence, and respect for intellectual and social diversity.

Exercising one's right to free speech in an academic community, however, also entails some responsibilities that authors should be aware of:

• It is improper and inappropriate to use the Department's Web servers purposely to annoy, abuse, libel, threaten, or harass anyone, individually or collectively, or to violate state or federal laws.

• The author of a text or the creator of a graphic is protected by copyright law unless she specifically releases her work into the public domain. Other authors should not copy such texts or graphics onto their own Web pages without the original author's permission.

• In particular, authors should secure the permission of Grinnell College before using the College logo or reproducing parts of any College publication, and should not use the name of the College in any way that implies endorsement of the author's personal ideas and opinions.

• According to the Student Handbook, a Grinnell College student who wishes to start a business or to organize a fund-raising campaign must have prior approval and should apply to the Dean of Student Affairs.

• Authors should not use the Department's servers for any activity that violates the College's policies on academic honesty.

• The College's computing resources are finite. If one user's Web pages are so frequently accessed or involve the transmission of such large amounts of data that other uses of the equipment are impeded, the system administrators may remove the pages. (Normally, the user will first be given the opportunity to find a different Internet service provider better equipped to distribute those pages.)

• On each page, authors should provide either a mailto: link (in an HTML document) or an e-mail address, so that a reader can easily identify the author and send comments and criticism.

• Authors should ensure that their pages do not go out of date and should include the date of last revision on pages containing time-sensitive information.