College Policies

BP 8202 Proprietary and Copyrighted Digital Content

Statement of purpose

PCC provides many technology products and services to support the academic and administrative needs of the College. Individuals who use the College’s IT resources are expected to follow certain defined behaviors in order to minimize information security risk and protect the College and its constituents.

Protecting students, faculty, and staff from the risk of identity theft or unauthorized disclosure of personal information is the primary goal of adopting the best practices described in this policy.

PCC owns certain intellectual proprietary data that is independent from intellectual property owned by faculty, students, or other entities.

The purpose of this policy is:

  1. To protect PCC proprietary data.
  2. To ensure that use of PCC IT resources does not violate other entities’ rights to their proprietary data.

Scope statement

All Portland Community College (PCC) employees, students, and affiliates or other third parties that create, use, maintain, or handle PCC IT resources are subject to this policy. This policy applies to use of all PCC owned and managed IT resources, use of any computer or mobile device connected to a PCC network, all controlled sensitive data stored or transmitted using PCC IT resources and all users of such data.

Policy summary

PCC faculty, staff, and students shall observe all relevant Federal and State intellectual property laws and regulations, including copyright, trade secret, trademark, and any similar laws governing the use of intellectual property.

Rights of ownership to digital content created, transmitted, or stored using PCC IT resources follow PCC’s general legal standard for intellectual property and content ownership.

Policy

  1. PCC proprietary data stored on electronic and computing devices (whether the device is the property of PCC, an employee, student, or other third party) remains the sole property of PCC.
  2. Users shall protect, through legal or technical means, PCC proprietary information.
  3. Users shall access, use, or share PCC proprietary information only to the extent authorized for their specific usage as a student, employee, vendor, or community member.
  4. Users of PCC IT resources shall not violate the rights of any person or company protected by copyright, trade secret, patent, or other intellectual property, or similar laws or regulations including, but not limited to the installation or distribution of “pirated” or other software products that are not licensed for use by PCC.
  5. Users shall abide by the terms of any licenses, contracts, or agreements into which they or the College have entered regarding the use of intellectual property.
  6. Users shall not export PCC software, technical information, encryption software, or other technology beyond US borders in violation of international or regional export control laws.

Exemptions

  1. Users may use copyrighted or otherwise legally restricted materials as permissible under “fair use” and other essential exemptions from copyright law (e.g.: classroom exemption).
  2. It is the responsibility of the user to understand these exemptions and ensure their particular usage falls within legal parameters.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy must be pre-approved in writing by the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Policy violation

  1. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action in accordance with PCC People, Strategy, Equity and Culture and/or Student Conduct guidelines.
  2. PCC reserves the right to report security violations or compromises to the appropriate authorities. This may include reporting violations of Federal, State, and local laws and regulations governing computer and network use, or required accreditation reporting.
  3. Anyone who violates this policy may be held liable for damages to PCC assets, including but not limited to the loss of information, computer software and hardware, lost revenue due to disruption of normal business activities or system down time, and fines and judgments imposed as a direct result of the violation.
  4. PCC reserves the right to deactivate any user’s access rights (whether or not the user is suspected of any violation of this policy) when necessary to preserve the integrity of IT resources.

Complaint procedures

Report non-security-related violations (such as receipt of inappropriate content, other People, Strategy, Equity, and Culture policy violations, general college policy violations, or regulatory compliance violations) to a supervisor, PSEC, or EthicsPoint.

Report information security and general technical policy violations to the IT Service Desk at 971-722-4400 or servicedesk@pcc.edu, or contact the CIO or CISO.

Governing standards, policies, and guidelines

None.

Definitions

  • Affiliate
    Any person or entity that has been sponsored by a PCC manager to receive controlled temporary access to PCC services.

    • This is generally as a result of a contractual relationship with PCC. For example, an air conditioning vendor may require affiliate access to test the HVAC system. A consultant project manager may require affiliate access to access project plans on a PCC system.
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO)
    Senior manager of the Information Technology (IT) Department and a member of Cabinet.

    • At PCC, the CIO is responsible for all technology, with the exception of:
      • Online Learning (Academic Affairs)
      • Some specialized technology that supports CTE or other engineering programs (e.g. software that supports machine labs, specialized dental technology, etc.)
      • Some technology that supports auxiliary services (e.g. Point of Sale systems in the cafeterias and bookstores)
  • Encryption
    The process of converting data to an unrecognizable or “encrypted” form.

    • Encryption is commonly used to protect sensitive information so that only authorized parties can view it.
  • Hardware
    The collection of physical components that constitute a computer system (a desktop computer, a server in a datacenter, a network switch, a printer, etc.)
  • IT Resource
    (At PCC) All Information Technology (IT) resources that are the property of PCC and include, but are not limited to, all network-related systems; business applications; network and application accounts; administrative, academic and library computing facilities; college-wide data, video and voice networks; electronic mail; video and web conferencing systems; access to the Internet; voicemail, fax machines and photocopiers; classroom audio/video; computer equipment; software and operating systems; storage media; Intranet, VPN, and FTP.

    • IT Resources include resources administered by IT, as well as those administered by individual departments, college laboratories, and other college-based entities.
  • Network
    (In IT) The technology that carries messages between one computer and another.

    • A network is a primary component of technology infrastructure and consists of hardware (e.g. routers, switches) that control and direct traffic; transport technologies (e.g. cables, fibre, wireless radio waves) that transport messages from Point A to Point B; and standards (e.g. Internet Protocol, Ethernet) that facilitate a common understanding of the messages being sent and how they are to be processed.
    • End points (or nodes) on a network are the senders and receivers of the messages and are usually computers (e.g. servers, desktops, laptops) – but can also be technology such as machine controllers, audio/visual devices, etc.
    • The Internet of Things (IoT) largely replaces people interacting across a network with machines and other technology devices interacting across a network, often using artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Pirated
    Use or reproduction of another’s work for profit without permission, usually in contravention of patent or copyright. Common forms of pirated digital information are music and movies.
  • Proprietary
    Owned and/or produced by a specific entity. Relating to, or characteristic of, an owner or title holder proprietary rights.
  • Software
    A set of instructions that tells a computer what to do.

    • Computer software is generally constructed as programs (applications) written in a specific language designed to run on computer hardware. Most common softwares are applications for business and personal use. More specialized computer software runs the operating systems of computers, operates machinery, creates artificial intelligence in robots, controls scientific instruments, etc.
  • Third Party
    (In Information Technology [IT]) A vendor. Can be applied to any vendor (“third party provider”), but mostly used regarding “vendor software” to distinguish it from software developed “in house.”
  • User
    Any person who makes any use of any PCC IT resource from any location (whether authorized or not).

Responsible executive

Chief Information Officer

Responsible officer

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Responsible office

Information Technology Department

Last revision date

09-09-2024