Policies and Regulations

The policies and regulations included here are only a portion of the official policies and regulations of Middlesex Community College. MCC has regulations in place regarding alcoholic beverages, drugs and animals on campus, bomb threats, posting items on campus bulletin boards, false fire alarms, gambling, hazing, solicitation, trespassing and campus visitors.  

Consult the Student Handbook, available on the college website (www.middlesex.mass.edu/StudentHandbook), for complete listings of college policies and regulations. (For reader convenience, the subjects included here are listed in alphabetical order.) Due process is accorded to students in the event of any alleged violation of college regulations.

On Nov. 8, 1990, Congress enacted the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 under Public Law 101-542, Title II. This act requires that institutions of higher education receiving federal funding collect information with respect to crime statistics and campus security policies and, beginning September 1992, prepare, publish and distribute an annual security report.

Middlesex Community College, in accordance with legal mandates and its philosophy of establishing and maintaining an environment of learning and a supportive climate in which to conduct the business and mission of the college, provides policies and procedures which have been developed in accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act. The annual crime statistics, and safety and emergency policies and procedures as well as crime prevention and education information can be found at: https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/disclosurestatements/campsecrpt.aspx or by contacting the Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator, Alisa Chapman at chapmana@middlesex.mass.edu or 781-280-3620. Campus security procedures and crime awareness statistics are available at https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/disclosurestatements/campsecrpt.aspx or through the Director of Compliance, the Director of Public Safety, or the Public Safety office in Bedford and Lowell.

Policies, procedures and educational opportunities have been developed at the college to aid in the prevention and awareness of sexual violence. The procedures for resolution of sexual violence can be found in the Massachusetts Community College’s Affirmative Action Plan, which is available at:  https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/humanresources/downloads/paarn.pdf or by contacting the Director of Compliance & Title IX Coordinator, Alisa Chapman at chapmana@middlesex.mass.edu, 781-280-3620 or on the Bedford Campus, Cataldo Building, Room 210.

In accordance with Federal law, the college is required to advise the campus community where information concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained. Information concerning Level 2 and Level 3 offenders is available to the general public by contacting your local police department or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Sex Offender Registry Board, P.O. Box 4547, Salem, MA 01970-4547, 978-740-6400. Level 3 offender information is also available online at www.mass.gov/sorb. If you have any questions regarding access to sex offender information, please contact the Director of Public Safety, Daniel Martin at martind@middlesex.mass.edu or 781-589-0165.

In case of a campus emergency, phone calls to the following numbers can be dialed from any college common-area or office phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week:

• Police-Fire-Medical assistance dial 911
• For all other assistance:
  • In Lowell, dial; 781-589-1384
  • In Bedford, dial: 781-589-0234

For increased safety, it is recommended that you program the above numbers into your phone.

When you call in an emergency, please be sure to tell the operator the following:

1. Who you are
2. The nature of your call
3. The location of the emergency
4.  The telephone extension from which you are calling

The appropriate numbers are posted on all office telephones, all common-area telephones, in all elevator lobbies, and on bulletin boards.

Middlesex Community College’s audited financial information is included as part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Requests for financial information should be addressed to the Office of the Chief Fiscal Officer, Middlesex Community College, 33 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA 01852.

It is the policy of Middlesex Community College to prohibit the possession, display of, or attempt or threat to use unauthorized firearms, knives or other weapons on campus also including, but not limited to explosives, ammunition, replica or facsimile weapons, or objects not originally intended as a weapon, but used as such or to imitate a weapon.

This policy does not prohibit small quantity personal protection chemical spray devices (e.g., key-chain sprays) intended for defensive purposes, or tools possessed and used by employees in accordance with departmental policies, uniformed law-enforcement officials, armored-car couriers, or others specifically authorized by the College.

The Middlesex Community College Institutional Review Board (IRB) supports the research endeavors of students, faculty and staff. The IRB has responsibility to oversee procedures for carrying out MCC’s commitment to protect human subjects in research. The IRB is charged with evaluating each project’s compliance with ethical standards in regard to issues such as informed consent, confidentiality and risk to participants. Any research involving the use of human subjects requires review by the IRB. Those individuals seeking to conduct such research may not solicit subject participation or begin data collection until they have obtained clearance by the IRB.

The MCC IRB Policies and Procedures Manual, meeting dates and all application forms can be found on the IRB’s website at www.middlesex.mass.edu/IRB. If you have questions regarding the IRB or human subject research, contact irb@middlesex.mass.edu.

Community Colleges recognize the multitude of barriers that confront disabled persons in employment and in access to education. Consistent with state and federal statutes, which affirm and protect the equal opportunity rights of disabled persons, the Community Colleges adopted a policy to ensure nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for disabled persons. In all matters of employment, disabled persons will receive full and fair consideration.

The Community Colleges will take constructive measures to ensure equal opportunity in all areas of employment including recruitment, selection, upgrading, opportunities for training and development, rate of compensation, benefits and all other terms and conditions of employment. The establishment of goals and timetables is not required.

Necessary reasonable accommodations will be afforded to any disabled employee to enable such otherwise qualified disabled employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations will also be afforded to disabled applicants for available positions. Any reasonable accommodations provided by the Colleges will be provided to the extent that such accommodations do not impose any undue hardship on the Colleges in the conduct of their operations.

Specific efforts to be undertaken by the Colleges to ensure equal opportunity for disabled persons may be outlined in individual College Affirmative Action Plans. It is recognized that all facilities may not be available and accessible at a particular time.

The Community Colleges will also continuously examine all policies and programs of the institution regarding students to ensure that such policies and programs do not operate in a manner discriminatory to disabled persons. Where such policies or programs are determined to have an adverse impact on disabled persons, appropriate remedial action will be mandated by the President. In addition, the Colleges will conduct monitoring activities to ensure that all divisions or departments within the College are in compliance with the policy of providing reasonable accommodation to disabled students.

Inquiries and requests related to 504/ADA accommodations and services should be directed to Susan Woods, Associate Dean of Student Support Services, 781-280-3641, Bedford campus, Enrollment Center (Building 9), Room 204.

Students or employees who feel that they have been harassed or discriminated against on the basis of their disability, in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or other applicable law, may file a formal or informal complaint. Complaints should be directed to Alisa Chapman, Director of Compliance, 781-280-3620, Bedford campus, Cataldo Building (Building 10) or chapmana@middlesex.mass.edu.

Statement on Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity

Middlesex Community College is committed to a policy of Affirmative Action, equal opportunity, equal education,
non-discrimination, and diversity. The College is committed to providing a learning, working and living environment for its students, employees and other members of the College Community, which values the diverse backgrounds of all people. The
College is committed to assuring that the “College Experience” is one that challenges, empowers, supports, and prepares its
students to live in, work in, and value our increasingly global and diverse world. The College believes that the diversity of
socio-economic, racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability backgrounds of members of the College
Community enriches the institution and its various constituencies. The College will not tolerate behavior based on bigotry,
which has the effect of discriminating unlawfully against any member of its communities.
 
Middlesex Community College provides equal access to educational, co-curricular and employ­ment opportunities for all applicants,
students and employees in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies. All benefits, privileges and opportunities
offered by the College are available to all students, employees and other persons having dealings with the institution on a
non-discriminatory basis. The College is committed to taking a proactive Affirmative Action posture with respect to its
recruitment, selection, and promotion of students and employees.

Support of, and Commitment to, Diversity

Middlesex Community College is a contributing element to the emergence of our nation as one of the most technologically and economically advanced societies of the world. The important role that MCC can play is profoundly dependent upon the extent to which it may draw from the collective intellectual resources within its community of scholars, students and administrators. Any condition or force that impedes the fullest utilization of the human and intellectual resources available represents a force of destructive consequence for the development of our commonwealth and, ultimately, our nation.

Middlesex Community College students, faculty, staff and visitors must be free from conduct that has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s academic or professional performance and creating an intimidating, hostile or demeaning educational or employment environment. Middlesex Community College adheres to the Massachusetts’ Community Colleges Policy on Affirmative Action which unequivocally condemns all forms of ethnic, religious, cultural or racial intolerance.

This policy prohibits all conditions and all actions or omissions, including all acts of verbal harassment or abuse, which deny or have the effect of denying to an individual his/her rights to equality, dignity and security in violation of his/her rights guaranteed under the law. The policy reaffirms the doctrine of civility, appreciation for pluralism and the pre-eminence of individual human dignity as preconditions to the achievement of an academic community that recognizes and utilizes the resources of all persons while recognizing and reaffirming the tenets of academic freedom. Middlesex Community College recognizes its obligation to protect the rights of free inquiry and expression, and nothing herein shall be construed or applied so as to abridge the exercise of rights under the Constitution of the United States and other federal and state laws.

Middlesex Community College will vigorously strive to achieve diversity sufficiently reflective of our society. However, diversity alone will not suffice. There must be a unity and cohesion in the diversity which we seek to achieve, thereby creating an environment of pluralism.

Middlesex Community College bears a responsibility by edict and an obligation by social morality to promote understanding and acceptance of ethnic, cultural, religious and racial diversity as we strive to create an atmosphere of dignity for all individuals and groups within our system of public higher education. The President will take reasonable measures to prevent and discourage harassment and will act positively to investigate alleged harassment and to effect a remedy or resolution when an allegation is determined to be valid.

When students or employees believe their rights have been breached under this policy, the grievance process under the Affirmative Action Policy is a mechanism for resolution unless it is a student grade appeal (See Grievance Procedure section in the Student Handbook). The Affirmative Action Policy is available in Human Resources, on the college website (www.middlesex.mass.edu/DiversityAndEquityAffairs), from Reginald Nichols, Assistant Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer, at 781-280-3536, Bedford Campus, Enrollment Center Building, Room 107, nicholsr@middlesex.mass.edu, or Alisa Chapman, Director of Compliance/Title IX Coordinator, at 781-280-3620, chapmana@middlesex.mass.edu, Bedford Campus, Cataldo Administration Building. All inquiries and complaints concerning discrimination prohibited by the Affirmative Action Policy should be directed to Alisa Chapman or Reginald Nichols.

Affirmative Action

Middlesex Community College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer in compliance with Title IX and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, or handicap status, genetic information or gender identity in its education programs or in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs or activities as required by Title VI and Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act, MGL, Chapter 151B and Chapter 151C and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Middlesex Community College admits students without regard to age, sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, handicap status, genetic information or gender identity to all programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. It does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, handicap status, genetic information or gender identity, in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, and loan programs.

All inquiries and complaints related to affirmative action, nondiscrimination and diversity, including Title VI and Title IX, should be directed to Alisa Chapman, Director of Compliance/Title IX Coordinator, at 781-280-3620, chapmana@middlesex.mass.edu, Bedford Campus, Cataldo Administration Building or Reginald Nichols, Assistant Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Officer, 781-280-3536, Bedford Campus Enrollment Center, Room 107, nichoslr@middlesex.mass.edu.

For purposes of filing federal-level charges of discrimination under Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, or Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act or Americans with Disabilities Act, students may contact the Federal Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 8th Floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-3921, or call 617-289-0111 TDD: 877-521-2172.

a. Introduction

It is the goal of the Community Colleges to promote an educational environment and workplace that is free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment of students or employees occurring in the classroom or the workplace is unlawful and will not be tolerated by the Community College. Further, any retaliation against an individual who has complained about sexual harassment or retaliation against individuals for cooperating with an investigation of a sexual harassment complaint is similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated. To achieve our goal of providing a workplace free from sexual harassment, the conduct that is described in this policy will not be tolerated and we have provided a procedure by which inappropriate conduct will be dealt with, if encountered by students or employees.

Because the Community Colleges take allegations of sexual harassment seriously, we will respond promptly to complaints of sexual harassment and where it is determined that inappropriate conduct has occurred, we will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose such corrective measures, including disciplinary action where appropriate and consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreements.

b. Definition of Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment is defined under the “Definitions” section of this Policy.

The legal definition of sexual harassment is broad and applies to any individual of either gender who participates in the college community, including a student, faculty member, administrator or any other person having dealings with the college. In addition, other sexually oriented conduct, whether it is intended or not, that is unwelcome and has the effect of creating a hostile, offensive, intimidating, or humiliating workplace or academic environment to male or female workers or students may also constitute sexual harassment.

All employees and students should take special note that, as stated above, retaliation against an individual who has complained about sexual harassment, or retaliation against individuals who have cooperated with an investigation of sexual harassment is unlawful and will not be tolerated by the Community Colleges.

c. Complaints of Sexual Harassment

If any member of the College Community believes that he/she has been subjected to sexual harassment, he/she has a right to file a complaint under this policy, either in writing or orally.

All complaints of sexual harassment shall proceed under this Policy’s Complaint Procedure. To file a complaint a person may do so by contacting the College’s Title IX Coordinator, or designee. A report of an allegation of sexual harassment may also be presented to other “Responsible Employees” at the College. These persons are also available to discuss any concerns a person may have and to provide information about the Policy on Sexual Harassment and the complaint process.

d. Sexual Harassment Investigation

A complaint of sexual harassment will be promptly investigated in a fair and expeditious manner. The investigation will be conducted in such a way as to maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable under the circumstances. Our investigation will be conducted in accordance with this Policy’s Complaint Procedure and will include a private interview with the person filing the complaint and with witnesses. The person alleged to have committed sexual harassment will also be interviewed. Once the investigation is completed, the College will, to the extent appropriate, inform the parties of the results of that investigation.

If it is determined that a violation of this policy has occurred, the College will act promptly to eliminate the offending conduct, and where it is appropriate also impose disciplinary action.

e. Disciplinary Action

Discipline for violating this Policy may include, but is not limited to, mandatory counseling or training, verbal or written warnings, suspension, termination from employment, or expulsion from the College.

f. Consensual Relationships

Faculty/Administrator/Staff Member Relationships with Students

A romantic and/or sexual relationship, consensual or otherwise, between a faculty member, administrator or staff member and a student is looked upon with disfavor and is strongly discouraged. No faculty member shall have a romantic and/or sexual relationship, consensual or otherwise, with a student who is being taught or advised by the faculty member or whose academic work is being supervised or evaluated, directly or indirectly, by the faculty member. No administrator or staff member shall have a romantic and/or sexual relationship, consensual or otherwise, with a student who the administrator or staff member supervises, evaluates, advises, or provides other professional advice or services as part of a College program or activity.

Relationships Between Supervisors, Subordinates or Co-Workers

A consenting romantic and/or sexual relationship between a supervisor and subordinate or co-workers may interfere with or impair the performance of professional duties and responsibilities and/or create an appearance of bias or favoritism. Further, such relationships could implicate state ethics laws and/or result in claims of sexual harassment, discrimination or retaliation. Therefore, such workplace relationships are strongly discouraged.

g. State and Federal Remedies

In addition to the above, if you believe you have been subjected to sexual harassment, you may file a formal complaint with the governmental agencies set forth below. Filing a complaint under this Policy does not prohibit you from filing a complaint with these agencies. Each of the agencies has a short time period for filing a claim (EEOC - 300 days; MCAD - 300 days).

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”)
One Congress Street
10th Floor Boston, MA02114
(617) 565-3200

The Office For Civil Rights (“OCR”)
U.S. Department of Education
John W. McCormack Post
Office and Courthouse, Room 222
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 223-9662

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (“MCAD”)
Boston Office: Worcester Office:
One Ashburton Place Worcester City Hall
Rm. 601 484 Main St., Rm. 320
Boston, MA 02108 Worcester, MA 01608
(617) 994-6000 (508) 799-8010

Springfield Office: New Bedford Office:
436 Dwight St., Rm. 220 800 Purchase St., Rm. 501
Springfield, MA 01103 New Bedford, MA 02740
(413) 739-2145 (508) 990-2390

Further Information regarding this policy can be found in the Policy on Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity & Diversity: https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/humanresources/downloads/paarn.pdf.

Smoking is prohibited on all property owned or operated by Middlesex Community College. This consists of all buildings, all grounds, including exterior open spaces, parking lots, on-campus sidewalks, roadways and driveways, recreational spaces and facilities; and in all college-owned or leased vehicles. Smoking will only be allowed in private vehicles, lawfully parked on campus lots, in which the smoker is authorized to be.

For the purposes of this policy, smoking includes the burning of tobacco or any other material in any type of smoking equipment, including but not restricted to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or electronic vapor-cigarettes.

Educational opportunities about the benefits of smoking cessation and assistance with smoking cessation for smokers who are members of the MCC community will be made available through the LifeWorks Employee Assistance Program and MCC Center for Health & Wellness on both the Lowell and Bedford campuses.

Complaints concerning employees of the College should be brought to the attention of the employee’s immediate supervisor, or in the alternative to the Public Safety or Human Resources Office. Complaints concerning students should be brought to the attention of Public Safety. In the case of repeat offenses by students, complaints should be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students.

Any disciplinary measures will be reserved for repeat infractions or infractions that interfere with the College’s academic or workplace needs or responsibilities,
consistent with applicable collective bargaining agreement procedures or student Code of Conduct.

Visitors who fail to comply with the policy may be prohibited from remaining on or returning to campus.

 Middlesex Community  College is governed by the Massachusetts Trespass Act which states in part that whoever willfully trespasses upon land or premises belonging to the Commonwealth, or to any authority established by the general court for purposes incidental to higher education, or whoever after notice from an officer of any said institution to leave said land, remains thereon, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $50 or imprisonment for not more than three months.   

 Visitors and guests are expected to abide by the rules and regulations established by the college.   

Access to the College’s computer systems and networks, including email imposes certain responsibilities and obligations and is granted subject to College policies, and local, state and federal laws. Acceptable use always is ethical, reflects academic honesty, and shows restraint in the consumption of shared resources. It demonstrates respect for intellectual property, ownership of data, system security mechanisms, and individual rights to privacy.

Users include but are not limited to all students, faculty, staff and administrators, who have been granted access to college-owned or college-licensed computers, networks, software or any peripherals associated with the College’s computing facilities and/or equipment (“computer resources”). This policy applies to all Users.

The College’s computer resources are the property of the College.  Such equipment and resources, including email, shall be use for academic, educational, or professional purposes, which are related to official College business and in support of the College’s mission.

Users shall have no expectation of privacy when using College computer resources, including email.  Users should be aware that the President has authorized network administrators to monitor network traffic in order to ensure proper network operations.  The President may also authorize the network administrator to inspect any user’s computer, any data contained in it, and any data, including e-mail communications, sent or received by that computer, on a case-by-case basis.   

In making acceptable use of resources you MUST:

•  use resources only for College business, for purposes authorized by the College;

• be responsible for all activities on your user ID or that originate from your system that result from your negligent failure to protect your user ID or to protect against such unauthorized use; Users should not give a password to anyone except as authorized by IT;

• access only files and data that are your own, that are publicly available, or to which you have authorized access;

• use only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license requirements; and

• be considerate in your use of shared resources. Examples include not monopolizing systems, overloading networks with excessive data, or wasting computer time or resources, disk space, printer paper, manuals, or other resources

 In making acceptable use of resources you MUST NOT:

• use another person’s system, user ID, password, files, email address or data without permission;

• use computer programs to decode passwords or access control information;

• download, transmit or display obscene material;

• circumvent or subvert or attempt to circumvent or subvert system or network security measures;

• engage in activity that unreasonably interferes with the normal operation of the college;

• engage in any activity that might be harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, distributing chain letters or damaging files;

• use College systems for commercial or partisan political purposes, such as using electronic mail to circulate advertising for products, for political candidates or for any profit-making company or enterprise;

• make or use illegal copies of copyrighted software, store such copies on College systems, or transmit them over College Resources;

• engage in unauthorized use or distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing; or download any on-line software without appropriate authorization.

• use the network for purposes which place a heavy load on scarce resources;

• use the  College’s computers or networks to libel, slander, or harass any other person.  The following shall constitute Computer Harassment: (1) Intentionally using the computer to harass, intimidate, or threaten, another person by conveying obscene language, pictures, or other materials or threats of bodily harm to the recipient or the recipient’s immediate family; (2) Intentionally using the computer to contact another person repeatedly, whether or not any actual message is communicated, and/or where no purpose of legitimate communication exists and where the recipient has expressed a desire for the communication to cease; (3) Intentionally using the computer to contact another person repeatedly regarding a matter for which one does not have a legal right to communicate, once the recipient has provided reasonable notice that he or she desires such communication to cease (such as debt collection); (4) Intentionally using the computer to disrupt or damage the academic research, administrative, or related pursuits of another; (5)Intentionally using the computer to invade the privacy, academic or otherwise;  • use the College’s systems or networks for personal gain; for example, by selling access to your user ID or to College systems or networks, or by performing work for profit with College resources in a manner not authorized by the College;

• use the College’s systems or networks to transmit any material in violation of United States or Massachusetts laws or regulations;

• engage in any illegal or unethical act, including violation of any criminal or civil laws or regulations, whether state or federal;

• engage in any conduct that violates the College’s Affirmative Action Plan or Code of Student Conduct; and

• engage in any other activity that does not comply with the General Principles presented above.

   

The College provides Users with electronic mail communication.  Email communication is intended primarily for educational and College business-related communications and shall be used by all faculty, staff and administrators in a manner consistent with this policy.

Student email accounts will be created for each new student upon registration. Students are encouraged to use and check their College email account regularly.  Important College information will be communicated to students through the student email system.  The College will not allow students to update their e-mail addresses with private or other email addresses but they can forward their MCC email to another email account. Only the assigned College email address will be used by the College for email communications with students.

The use of all College computer resources for social media activities, including but not limited to, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogs or other form of social media, shall comply with this policy.  Use of the College’s computer resources by faculty and staff for personal social media activities is prohibited. Use of the College’s computer resources by students for educational and social activities consistent with the College’s mission shall comply with this policy.

The College encourages interaction from Facebook users but is not responsible for comments or wall postings made by visitors to the page.  Comments posted also do not in any way reflect the opinions or policies of the College.  The College is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the posting of any information on this page.  The College reserves the right, but assumes no obligation, to edit or remove any posts and to block or remove members from the group.  Posts promoting commercial or political activities or other non-College related ventures are prohibited. The College reserves the right to remove any content from the College’s Facebook Page that is not consistent with this policy or any other College policies.

In the course of performing their jobs, College employees often have access to confidential or proprietary information, such as personal data about identifiable individuals, student record information or commercial information about business organizations.  Under no circumstances may employees acquire access to confidential data unless such access is required by their jobs.  Under no circumstances may employees disseminate any confidential information that they have rightful access to, unless such dissemination is required by their jobs.  These restrictions are in addition to restrictions or prohibitions over the release of confidential information contained under state or federal law.

College officials will review alleged violations of acceptable use policies on a case-by-case basis. Violations of policy will result in appropriate actions, consideration of appropriate disciplinary measures and/or referral to appropriate authorities responsible for enforcing state and federal laws. Users who breach this policy may be denied access to the College’s computer and communications networks and may be subject to further disciplinary action. When discipline is imposed, it shall be consistent with the terms of any governing collective bargaining agreement as applicable. In order to prevent further possible unauthorized activity, the College reserves the right to disconnect that user from the network. If this is deemed necessary by College staff, where appropriate, reasonable effort will be made to inform the user prior to the disconnection.  Breaches of this Computer and Network Usage Policy will be referred to appropriate administrators for consideration of discipline in accordance with applicable College policies and procedures. The College considers any violation of acceptable use of principles or guidelines to be a serious offense and reserves the right to copy and examine any files or information resident on College systems allegedly relating to unacceptable use. Violators are subject to disciplinary action as prescribed in student and employee policies, handbooks, or contracts. Offenders also may be prosecuted under laws including (but not limited to) the Privacy Protection Act of 1974, The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986, The Computer Virus Eradication Act of 1989, Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1223g), Massachusetts Wiretap Statute (G.L. c.272, Section 99), Massachusetts Privacy Statute (G.L. c 214, Section 1B), Copyright Infringement laws (17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq.), the Communications Decency Act of 1996 [47 U.S.C. Section 223 (d) - (h)], and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (18 U.S.C. Sections 2510-21, 2701-10, 3121-27). Access to the text of these laws is available through the Reference Department of the Library of Middlesex Community College.

Revised April 2014