Microsoft Campus Agreement/Home Use Policy
The College of Applied Human Sciences currently subscribes to the Microsoft Campus Agreement licensing program. This program provides faculty and staff with the option to use MS software on their home computers if the use of that software is for work-related activities. Microsoft has very specific rules regarding Home Use rights. You must sign the MS Home Use Agreement Form and return it the CAHS Helpdesk. The CD may then be checked out by the Faculty/Staff member for installation on their home computer. Please contact the CAHS Helpdesk at 970.491.3458 with questions. Answers to specific questions and the details about Work at Home Use can be found at Microsoft's Work at Home rights for academic volume licensing customers.
Student Account Management Policy
Student accounts are now created automatically for any student who enrolls in a course affiliated with the College of Applied Human Sciences. This process is monitored daily, so if a student adds a course, their account should be created and ready no later then the following day. Once the student is no longer affiliated with CAHS, either by graduation or by no applicable course enrollment, their account will remain active for 6 months. During that 6 month period, the student will receive various emails detailing their account status and will be warned to save any data they intend to keep. The email address used is the address they choose as their CSU default email address. This can be modified at the eIdentity and eServices website. Please contact the CAHS Helpdesk at 970.491.3458 with any questions.
CAHS Acceptable Technology Use Policy
Computing and data communications at Colorado State University are valuable and limited resources that serve a large number and variety of users. All users have the responsibility to make use of these resources in an efficient, ethical, and legal manner. For detailed information, download the CAHS Acceptable Technology Use Policy.
CAHS Student Share (S: Drive) Policy
All students, faculty, and staff in the College of Applied Human Sciences are provided with access to a common shared file space known as the Student Share, or S: Drive. This drive is intended to be used for sharing files between faculty, staff, and students and is accessible from any CAHS computer as well as remotely via the eCAHS system (available at http://www.cahs.colostate.edu/eCAHS). Because this information is accessed by a large number of individuals, the structure and security of the data are carefully managed. For detailed information on the management of the S: Drive, download the CAHS S: Drive Policy.
Server Downtime Policy
CAHS servers require ongoing, routine maintenance to insure secure, reliable performance. CAHS IT staff will perform this maintenance between the hours of 11 pm to 6 am unless the update is considered critical. If you ever have difficulty accessing services, or have any questions, please contact the CAHS Helpdesk at 970.491.3458.
University Information Technology Security Policy
The University, under the leadership of the Associate Vice President for Information and Instructional Technology, has worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive IT Security Policy. The policy was developed via the ITEC Advisory Committee and then approved by ITEC. The policy seeks to improve the overall security of IT at Colorado State University by promoting responsible security practices, reducing security risks, and establishing protocols to respond to security incidents. Access the University IT Security Policy here.
CAHS Information Security Policy
Colorado State University and the College of Applied Human Sciences collect information of a sensitive nature to facilitate and enable its business/academic functions. Unauthorized access to such information may have many severe negative consequences, including adversely affecting the reputation of the University and the College. For the complete CAHS Information Security Policy, click here.
CAHS Backup Retention Policy
The CAHS IT group performs daily backups of its file and mail servers. Due to cost, privacy, and security concerns, backup data cannot be stored indefinitely. Therefore, the CAHS IT group keeps backup copies of data stored on its file and mail servers for the following time periods:
- File servers (including m:, p:, s:, x:, and w: drives): 3 months
- Mail servers: 3 days
All backup media is stored in a physically secure location.
Guidelines for the Replacement of Computer Equipment
The College of Applied Human Sciences Information Technology group coordinates the identification, evaluation, and replacement of computers and computer-related equipment for faculty, staff, and students. Working collaboratively with each of the eight academic units as well as the CAHS Student Council, the College IT group identifies equipment that is no longer under manufacturer's warranty and/or is no longer compatible with the current software requirements of the College. The generally accepted lifespan of a computer, based upon industry standards and warranty limitations, is three years. Using this guideline, approximately one-third of computers are identified as candidates for replacement each year. This is a guideline and is not always achievable due to limited resources of the academic units, the College, or CAHS Charges for Technology. This approach to the replacement of computers and computer-related equipment seeks to reduce overall operating costs, improve stability and security, and provide access to the best possible Information and Instructional Technology resources.
IT-Related Purchasing in the College
The College of Applied Human Sciences Information Technology group manages the acquisition of all IT-related equipment (including, but not limited to, desktop computers, notebook computers, printers, PDAs, and removable storage devices). Each departmental Financial Officer should work with the CAHS IT group when ordering new IT-related equipment to ensure the security and compatibility of the new equipment as well as the data it will house and/or access.
Any computer equipment that will ultimately reside within and/or is owned by Colorado State University is subject to a host of policies related to information technology and security, regardless of the funding source. These policies are meant to protect the integrity of the information CSU's employees collect, manage, and access. As such, when individuals make purchases of this type of equipment without at least consultation from the CAHS IT group, they put themselves and their colleagues at risk for having information compromised. For more information, see the University Information Technology Security Policy (available here).
Currently, in order to provide the best possible experience to all of our faculty, staff, and students, and to ensure the lowest possible total cost of ownership for the department, the college, and the university, the CAHS IT group relies primarily on Dell for the majority of its IT-related purchasing. As always, the CAHS IT group will remain solution-oriented and will work with individuals when a specific business need is identified that requires technology outside of our current standard.
