This document outlines the Virus Protection Policy of Bates College Information and Library Services (ILS) for Bates College students, faculty, and staff for personally owned computers. Our policy is broken down into three sections:
Virus protection software within a networked environment provides individuals with computing safety and security. With the increased frequency and sophistication of computer viruses, computer users must engage in safe computing practices. Our policy is in keeping with the principles of responsible computing summarized in the Bates College Computer Use Policy (consult the ILS web site for the latest version of the Bates College Computer Use Policy).
ILS will follow good faith industry practices regarding computer virus protection of network computing resources, but can not guarantee 100% protection.
The ILS Help Desk will serve as the initial point of contact for all questions regarding computer virus protection at Bates College.
ILS Help Desk will provide basic virus protection software assistance. If problems occur that are beyond the scope of support for the ILS Help Desk, a higher level of technical assistance from the software vendor or ILS Sales and Service will be recommended.
ILS Sales and Service will provide troubleshooting assistance with the installation and operation of virus protection software above the assistance provided by the ILS Help Desk. There will be a fee associated with the assistance from ILS Sales and Service.
The announcement of particularly threatening computer viruses will be publicized via the following media:
Students, faculty, and staff of Bates College are expected to protect personally owned computers and the Bates College network by obtaining, installing and updating virus protection software.
It will be an individual’s responsibility to initiate and follow-through with the acquisition and installation process of virus protection software. It will also be an individual’s responsibility to
maintain the effectiveness of the software via timely software and virus protection definition upgrades, updates, and/or patches.
If ILS Network and Infrastructure Services staff determine that an individual’s computer is infecting and continues to re-infect the Bates College network with a computer virus, network access from the infected computer may be suspended until the computer is certified to be free of computer viruses. The individual’s network account will still be active, and an individual’s computing access at Bates College will still be available through the public computing labs.
Once ILS staff members have determined that an individual’s computer is free of computer viruses, virus protection software is active, and virus protection definition files are up-to-date, network connectivity will be reestablished.