As specified by Congress and the Department of Education, colleges and universities have a great deal of flexibility in determining how they will comply with the HEOA. Compliance strategies will also change as technology and business models evolve and as experience accrue. There is thus no one-size-fits-all approach, now or in the future. Instead, EDUCAUSE has identified a range of campuses to serve as role models and case studies, whose choices can help, inform peer institutions. Click here to see other leaders in this important work.
Part 1: The plan to effectively combat copyright infringement
1-1. Link to relevant Web page(s)
Columbus State University Copyright Infringement page
1-2. What technology-based deterrent(s) have you decided to use?
We are using our firewall's application content filtering capabilities to block peer-to-peer application activity. We are also using bandwidth shaping to throttle general HTTP traffic.
1-3. What mechanism(s) are you using to educate your community?
Beginning of each semester sending “Information Security Tip of the Week” e-mail to all students, faculty and staff with information and URL. Scheduling speaking engagements to “Freshman Experience” courses. Have included in Student Handbook beginning in 2011.
1-4. What procedures are you using for handling unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material (e.g., monitoring, sanctions, etc.)?
Investigate instances that we discover either by USG abuse tickets, DMCA notices, through network traffic discovery (high bandwidth) or student’s network storage drive (music/movie files) discovery. Notification of students by Resnet department via e-mail of infraction and the incident will be turned over to the Dean of Students Office for a judgment hearing.
1-5. How are you periodically reviewing the plan? What criteria are you using to determine if it is effectively combating copyright infringement?
By monitoring the amount of USG copyright infringement abuse tickets, DMCA notices received and internal incidents. Student feedback from information security communications.
Part 2: Offering Alternatives
2-1. Link to relevant Web page(s)
2-2. Are you carrying out your own survey of alternatives or linking to one or more lists maintained by others? If the latter, which list(s)?
See above.
2-3. Have you made any special arrangements with one or more content providers to obtain content through legal methods?
No; using the alternatives provided.
Part 3: Informing the Community
3-1. Link to relevant Web page(s)
Columbus State University Copyright Infringement page
3-2. Have you developed your own statement regarding copyright and copyright law in general or are you linking to such statement(s) maintained by others? If the latter, which statement(s)?
From CSU Student Handbook IV. Student Responsibilities Section A. Academic Misconduct
13. Computer Violations: Students will adhere to the Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act and all Federal laws and regulations with respect to criminal liability and penalties for the crimes of computer theft, trespass, invasion of privacy, forgery, copyright infringements, illegal downloads and password disclosure. In addition, using another person’s account, unauthorized copying of software, and tampering with/destruction of equipment is prohibited.
Also reference the U.S. Copyright Office.