[Webmaster Ben R-W has suggested we combine this with a copyright statement and web policy, like they have at University of Virginia.]
Every web server and web site at USU must have a Privacy Policy Statement accessible from the site's home page, login page, or common point of access by users, as well as from every page presenting a form that requests any personal information from the user. The policy statement should:
Management of the website must comply with the details included in the Privacy Policy Statement presented on the website.
A privacy statement should have most, if not all, of the following parts: (adapted, heck plagarized, from Virginia Tech. Thanks)
This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. Log file access is restricted to system administrators while stored on the server. Log files are rotated and overwritten according to an established timetable. User and password information, if requested, is encrypted before it is transmitted across the network.
Users should also consult USU's Appropriate Use of Computing, Networking and Information Resources Policy
USU complies with all statutory and legal requirements with respect to access to information.
(from U VA)
All text, images, logos and information contained on official Utah State University Web sites are the intellectual property of USU unless otherwise registered and are protected under the U.S. Copyright Act 17 U.S.C. 101-810. Copyright gives the owner exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, or license a given work. Whether or not a Web site includes a statement about copyright, the US copyright act provides protection for such works, and they may not be used or reproduced without permission. It is the responsibility of all parties storing materials on Web sites with Utah State University domain addresses (usu.edu) to ensure that such material does not violate other parties' proprietary rights and does not otherwise violate law or applicable University policy. USU reserves the right to delete or make inaccessible files that contain material that is in violation of law or of applicable USU policy. USU is not responsible for any errors in the material provided on the Web and shall not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of any material found on official USU Web sites or on any other sites with Utah State University domain addresses.
The design, pictures, and logos used on Web sites directly managed by the University Webmaster may not be copied and used or posted by any other person or entity, including other units/offices at Utah State University. This includes but is not limited to the University's home page, all Secondary Web Pages (?????? pages), news pages, and maps. Links may be directed to these pages, but images, logos, maps, may not be copied and/or posted for any reason.
Questions may be directed to Ben Renard-Wiart, University Webmaster.
Links to Other Sites
Provision of links from official Utah State University Web sites to sites located outside of the USU.EDU domain does not imply endorsement or credibility of the service, information, or product offered through the linked sites.
Respect for Copyrights Including Digital Materials and Software
It is the policy of the University to respect the copyright protections given by federal law to owners of intellectual property, including digital materials and software. It is against University policy for faculty, staff, or students to use University equipment or services to access, use, copy or otherwise reproduce, or make available to others any copyright-protected materials, including digital materials and software, except as permitted under copyright law (especially with respect to "fair use") or specific license.
The software provided through the University for use by faculty, staff, and students may be used only on computing equipment as specified in the various software licenses.
The University regards violation of this policy as a serious matter, and any such violation is without its consent and is subject to disciplinary action. Repeated violations will result in loss of computing privileges, among other sanctions.
Pursuant to Title 37: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights in the Code of Federal Regulations (37 CFR 201.38), the University has designated the following person to receive notification from copyright owners of claimed infringement of digital materials and software copyright:
(from U Va)
Consistent with University and state policy on the appropriate use of University-owned equipment, the University's Web page must not be used for commercial, non-mission-related purposes.
In practice, this means that advertising space cannot be sold at any level of the Web page. "Advertising" refers to any situation in which the University or one of its units receives payment or in-kind gifts in exchange for a link or brand placement on a University Web page. Please see definitions below.
While advertising cannot be sold at any level, links to commercial vendors may be made in the following specific situations:
Guidelines for Linking and Presentation
In all of these cases, a link should provide information for educational or other mission-related purposes and the University cannot have received consideration for incorporating that link.
Such links should in no way imply endorsement of products or services offered by the external entity. Any descriptive text accompanying the link should be value-neutral. Acceptable language might include: "For more information: [link]." Unacceptable language: "Check out this great Web site [link]."
Such links should go to the home page of the entity's Web site and, wherever possible, links should not go to pages on which products or commercial services are offered for sale. The logo, text, or graphic should not include any qualitative or comparative language or descriptions of the non-University party's products, services, facilities, or company, including but not limited to price information, inducement to purchase, endorsements, savings, or value.
Particularly in cases where a group of external hyperlinks is included, the following language is recommended for inclusion: Links to Web sites external to Utah State University should not be considered endorsement of those Web sites or any information contained therein.
In all cases, the design of departmental or unit pages that incorporate commercial links must be consistent with established graphic and placement standards for University Web pages. (See guidelines for Web design, http://www.usu.edu/webstandards.) For example, commercial or text logos or display material may not be placed in the "banner" area, roughly the top quarter of a page and pop-up notice of sponsorship will not be allowed under any circumstances.
Links to sponsors or other corporate recognition on a unit's home page (i.e., the third level off the University home page) will not be allowed except under special circumstances considered on a case-by-case basis by the University's Network-based Information Systems (N-BIS) editorial board. Such examples might be the University Bookstore or the University Press (selling merchandise).
The following definitions should be considered general and applicable to this policy only.
Utah State University Web page: A page created or maintained by or on behalf of Utah State University or an office, department, or division of Utah State University and located within Utah State University's information technology environment, i.e., signified by the address "usu.edu" or within the range of Internet protocol addresses assigned to Utah State University. [Note: Web page and Web site may be used interchangeably.]
Hyperlink or hypertext link: A logo, text, or other identifier incorporating a link to a Web site external to Utah State University, placed on a USU Web page without compensation.
Advertising: A logo, text, or other identifier incorporating a link to a Web site external to Utah State University, placed on a USU Web page in exchange for remuneration or gifts in kind, where that placement is intended to promote or market a service, facility or product offered by the entity's Web site for a commercial purpose. Advertising includes messages containing qualitative or comparative language, price information or other indications of savings or value, an endorsement, or an inducement to purchase, sell, or use any company, service, facility or product.
Qualified Sponsorship: A logo, text, or other identifier incorporating a link to a Web site external to Utah State University, placed on a USU Web page to acknowledge donation of services, products, or financial or research support to Utah State University or an office, unit, center, department, or division of Utah State University.
The IRS defines sponsorship as "a payment for which there is no expectation that the sponsor will receive a 'substantial return benefit,' the income received by the sponsored organization is not subject to tax as unrelated business income."
Banner ad: A typically rectangular advertisement placed on a Web site, above, below, or to the side of the site's main content area.
In addition to good policy examples, U Va has a great video about Responsible Computing (not particularly relevant to this page about website policy, but they did such a good job, and the video is so entertaining, that I think it deserves to be promoted. -RB)
