F/1.11 Acceptable use of information and communications technology resources
Policy Owner | Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer |
Approval Date | 13/10/2022 |
Approval Authority | Council |
Date of Next Review | 01/10/2025 |
1.11.1 Purpose
1.11.2 Application
1.11.3 Roles and responsibilities
1.11.4 Acceptable use of ICT resources
1.11.5 Unacceptable use of ICT resources
1.11.6 Inadvertant unacceptable use
1.11.7 QUT access account
1.11.8 Incidental personal use
1.11.9 Use of ICT resources for approved activities
1.11.10 Monitoring and detection
1.11.11 Failure to comply
1.11.12 Definitions
1.11.13 Delegations
Related Documents
Modification History
1.11.1 Purpose
QUT provides information and communications technology (ICT) resources to support its functions and activities and is committed to ensuring that these resources are used in a transparent and accountable manner. All members of the University community have a responsibility to use its ICT resources consistent with this commitment. Unacceptable use of the University's ICT resources may:
- be detrimental to other students, staff and workplace culture
- undermine the University's reputation
- be unlawful or illegal
- expose the University to vicarious liability for a person's actions
- have a negative effect on productivity
- be detrimental or pose a security threat to the University's systems.
This policy sets out the University's behavioural expectations for the use of its ICT resources. The use of all ICT resources is monitored and any unacceptable use will be investigated.
1.11.2 Application
This policy applies to any member of the University community utilising QUT's ICT resources, services and/or facilities both on and off campus, including:
- Students
- Staff, whether full-time, part-time, ongoing, fixed-term, casual or sessional
- Individuals associated with QUT including
- individuals who have been granted access to QUT property, services or infrastructure (for example, temporary staff engaged by QUT through an employment agency)
- consultants and independent contractors undertaking services for QUT
- members of QUT Council or other University committees whether they hold office by election, nomination or appointment
- visiting and adjunct academics, or other academic or research collaborators
- volunteers who contribute to or act on behalf of the University.
1.11.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar |
|
Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer |
|
| Vice-President (People) and Chief People Officer |
|
Users of Information and Communications Technology resources (ICT) |
|
1.11.4 Acceptable use of information and communications technology resources
QUT provides ICT resources to support its teaching and learning, research, administrative and business activities, and expects that these resources will only be utilised for the appropriate and legitimate performance of these activities. Acceptable use of the University's ICT resources will:
- be consistent with Commonwealth or State laws
- be consistent with the University's behavioural expectations as defined in the QUT Staff Code of Conduct and QUT Student Code of Conduct and compliant with other policies, and Schedule 1, Part 3, section 12 of the Queensland University of Technology Act 1998 (QUT Act)
- be within any quota or cost limit imposed by the University
- be in accordance with any lawful direction of a University officer or an authorised officer under the QUT Act
- maintain the security of the University's ICT resources and facilities.
1.11.5 Unacceptable use of information and communications technology resources
Any of the following activities constitute unacceptable use of the University's ICT resources:
- breaching any Queensland State or Commonwealth law
- breaching the University's behavioural expectations, including not complying with the QUT Staff Code of Conduct and the QUT Student Code of Conduct
- disobeying a lawful direction given by a University officer or an authorised officer under the QUT Act
- receiving, accessing, downloading, displaying, transmitting and/or making available unacceptable material via any media, including personal storage devices connected to a QUT network
- overloading or monopolising ICT resources in a manner which adversely affects other users including unauthorised sending of electronic messaging to a large number of recipients that may initiate an IT service disruption
- breaching the University's expectations regarding personal responsibility for a user's QUT access account (F/1.11.7)
- acting in a manner that compromises the security, confidentiality, integrity and availability of ICT resources
- excessive personal use (F/1.11.8).
Any user making unacceptable use of QUT's ICT resources will be subject to disciplinary proceedings in accordance with F/1.11.11 Failure to comply.
1.11.6 Inadvertent unacceptable use
Users who inadvertently receive or access unacceptable material must take immediate action to either delete such material or cease such access. Advice should be sought from the user's supervisor or from the HiQ Contact Centre if unacceptable material continues to be received.
1.11.7 QUT access account
A user is responsible for any activity, transaction or publication of information which originates from their QUT access account. A user must accept responsibility for the use of their QUT access account prior to being granted access, or if requested to do so by the University. A user must not do any act which prejudices the security of their QUT access account including disclosing their password to any other person or allowing any other person to use their account.
1.11.8 Incidental personal use
QUT recognises that ICT resources may be used for incidental personal use. Incidental personal use must be infrequent and minor, and must not breach this policy or interfere with University business operations or, in the case of staff users, with the performance of that staff member's duties. Incidental personal use of the University's ICT resources does not include any of the following:
- maintaining or supporting a personal private commercial or non-commercial enterprise
- recruitment of members to, or soliciting donations for, political parties, political campaigns, or religious groups
- the transmission, viewing or publication of unacceptable material
- publication of internet sites or pages unrelated to University activities
- personal observations using inappropriate or offensive language
- a malicious or unlawful purpose
- use of QUT resources for personal financial gain.
1.11.9 Use of information and communications technology resources for approved activities
QUT acknowledges that staff and students may use ICT resources to access unacceptable material as a result of approved activities arising out of their employment or studies. Students and staff must ensure approval for such activities is, in the first instance, given by their executive dean of faculty or head of division and subsequently registered with the Information Security Team via the Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only), prior to access or use occurring.
1.11.10 Monitoring and detection
QUT routinely logs network activity and scans QUT connected storage devices and may use this information to investigate faults, security breaches, unlawful or illegal activity and unacceptable use in accordance with this policy and other information resources policies (F/1.2.7).
Allegations that unacceptable use of the University's ICT resources has occurred may be reported to a staff member's supervisor, a supervisor of an IT area, Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer or the Associate Director, Information Security.
1.11.11 Failure to comply
QUT reserves the right to take disciplinary action against users who fail to comply with this policy.
Some breaches of this policy may also have consequences for users under criminal or civil provisions of the general law (for example, if the breach contravenes the Criminal Code (Qld), the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) or other laws). In certain situations, the University may be legally required to disclose information about unacceptable use of ICT resources to law enforcement agencies or other statutory authorities.
Breaches by staff
A breach of this policy by a staff member may be investigated and, depending on the nature of the alleged breach, may be referred, to be dealt with under the University's processes for the management of misconduct or serious misconduct (B/8.5; Enterprise Agreement (Academic Staff) Clause 45; Enterprise Agreement (Professional Staff) Clause 54) or unsatisfactory performance (B/9.5; Enterprise Agreement (Academic Staff) Clause 44; Enterprise Agreement (Professional Staff) Clause 53).
Breaches by students
A breach of this policy by a student may be investigated and, depending on the nature of the alleged breach, may be referred, to be dealt with under the Management of student misconduct policy (E/8.1)
Breaches by other users
Other members of the University community (honorary appointments, contractors and visitors) who do not comply with this policy may have their association with QUT terminated, or may have their rights of access to QUT's ICT resources, services, facilities or infrastructure revoked by the Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer.
1.11.12 Definitions
Information and communications technology (ICT) resources means any ICT resource or facility provided by the University to assist or support learning and teaching, research, administrative and business activities, and includes:
- infrastructure, equipment, software, and facilities including technologies such as computers, smart phones, the internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony
- all networks, hardware, software and communication services and devices owned, leased or used under licence by QUT including academic and administrative systems
- any web page hosted on QUT’s ICT resources
- any work area or physical space designated for teaching, study or research, including computer laboratories, technology-equipped classrooms and library study rooms
- technology or medium used to generate, capture, manage, preserve and access those records. Records may be in many formats, both physical/hardcopy or electronic, including unstructured data for example emails, or structured data (any data that resides within the fixed fields within a business system, the combination of which can constitute a record).
QUT Act means the Queensland University of Technology Act 1998
Special circumstances means circumstances that apply to a student that are beyond the student’s control; do not make their full impact until on or after the census date for the unit of study in question; and make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements of the unit during the relevant teaching period.
Unacceptable material includes material in any format that is one or more of the following:
- unlawful, including breaches of federal or state legislation
- copyright material that is not obtained and/or used under an applicable licence or permission from the copyright owner
- sexually explicit or pornographic
- violent, as judged against accepted community standards for material on public display in a workplace or learning environment
- defamatory, harassing or abusive, including personal observations using unacceptable or offensive language
- spreading or inciting hatred
- offensive, as judged against accepted community standards for material on public display in a workplace or learning environment.
Unacceptable use means any use of QUT’s ICT resources in a manner contrary to this policy including but not limited to the manner defined in F/1.11.5
User means any member of the University community utilising QUT's ICT resources, services and/or facilities.
1.11.13 Delegations
Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC038) (QUT staff access only).
Related Documents
MOPP B/8.1 QUT Staff Code of Conduct
MOPP B/8.5 Disciplinary action for misconduct and serious misconduct - senior staff
MOPP D/3.1 Intellectual property
MOPP E/2.1 QUT Student Code of Conduct
MOPP E/8.1 Management of student misconduct
MOPP F/1.1 Provision, acquisition and use of information and communications technology resources
MOPP F/1.2 Information security
MOPP F/1.5 Email policy
MOPP F/1.9 Corporate information asset management
QUT Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (Academic Staff) (QUT staff access only)
QUT Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (Professional Staff) (QUT staff access only)
Senior staff employment arrangements (QUT staff access only)
Modification History
|
Date |
Sections |
Source |
Details |
| 13.10.22 | All | Council | Periodic review - revised policy |
| 26.07.22 | All | Vice-Chancellor and President | Revised to update position title from Chief Information Officer to Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer |
| 05.09.18 | All | Vice President (Technology) and Chief Information Officer | Periodic review – minor editorial changes including terminology (information technology (IT) to information and communications technology (ICT)) and simplified template |
| 09.12.16 | F/1.11.4, F/1.11.11, F/1.11.12 | Enhancing the Student Experience REAL Difference Change Manager | Revised policy to include REAL Difference initiative, approved name change for position title, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support) to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Library Services) - effective 03.01.17 |
| 25.09.15 | F/1.11.4, F/1.11.12 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support) | Revised policy to reflect current procedure |
| 23.08.13 | All | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support) | Periodic review - minor editorial changes only |
| 10.09.12 | F/1.11.1, F/1.11.2, F/1.11.4 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support) | Revised to clarify application |
08.12.10 |
F/1.11.3, F/1.11.4 |
Council |
Policy revised in order to clarify definitions |
29.11.10 |
F/1.11.3 |
Governance Services |
Revised policy - minor editorial changes only |
25.08.10 |
All |
Council |
New policy |