OU Web Communications

    Web Guide - Web Policy, Policy

    Computer Use Policy

    The Interim Policy on Acceptable Use of Computer Systems and Interim Policy on Information System Security govern campus computing and networking activities, including use of the World Wide Web.

    • Interim Policy on Acceptable Use of Computer Systems: www.ou.edu/committees/itc/policy/Acceptable_Use_of_Information_ Resources.html

    • Policy on Information System Security: www.ou.edu/committees/itc/ policy/Information_Systems_Security.html




    Web Copyrights

    All Web sites and electronic publications must follow University and legal standards regarding copyright. In general, Web publishers must secure permission from the owner of the copyright when including copyrighted or trademarked material, such as text, photographs, audio, video, graphics, maps, or logos, and include a permission statement or disclaimer as required
    by the owner of the copyright or trademark.

    Provisions of fair use can allow restricted use of copyrighted materials without permission of the copyright holder. The TEACH Act provides some extensions of fair use for distance education. For more information on copyright, see the U.S. Copyright Office Web site at www.copyright.gov.


    Student Information Disclosure

    The disclosure of information about students is governed by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): http://admissions. ou.edu/ferpa.htm. Faculty and staff are advised not to post student information on sites.


    Privacy

    Web sites that collect individually identifiable information including, but not limited to, photos must provide a link to OU’s privacy policy. Web sites that collect individually identifiable information and provide services to children 12 and under may also be required to comply with provisions of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Web sites conducting online research with human volunteers are required to follow the provisions of the University’s Institutional Review Board. Anyone who collects personal or financial information should consult with the IT Security team.

    • Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act: www.ftc.gov/privacy/privacyinitiatives/childrens.html

    • OU’s Institutional Review Board: www.ouhsc.edu/irb-norman/default.asp


    Links to and from Non-University Web Sites

    Links from a University of Oklahoma page to any non-University site must not imply University endorsement of the site’s products or services. A disclaimer must be included unless it is clear from the context that the University does not endorse the product or service. The disclaimer is: Links on these pages to non-University sites do not represent endorsement by the University of Oklahoma or its affiliates. The University welcomes links to its Web site for educational or informational purposes. However, the link must not imply affiliation with or endorsement by the University of Oklahoma.


    Personal Web Pages

    Personal Web pages created by faculty, staff, or students on University systems are the sole responsibility of their authors. Comments on the contents of those pages should be directed to the page author. As a service and for informational purposes only, the University may provide links to personal Web pages. The University does not routinely monitor the content of these pages. However, the University investigates complaints and may remove or limit access to Web pages that violate local, state, or federal law or University policy. Personal pages must not convey the impression that the author is representing, giving opinions, or otherwise making statements on behalf of the University or any unit of the University. This disclaimer will be included:

    • The opinions or statements expressed herein should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by the University of Oklahoma.



    Hosting

    Web sites covered by this policy are prohibited from hosting pages on behalf of individuals and organizations that are not affiliated with the University. Personal Web sites may not host pages for individuals other than the owner. Students’ personal sites may not host pages for organizations other than official registered OU student organizations. It is a violation of state law to run a private business on a University computer system.

    Exemptions to this policy may be considered when hosting a Web page will serve the University’s mission of teaching, research, creative work, and public service. These exemptions will be approved by a department or by Student Affairs. This policy is not meant to prohibit official units of the University from providing information on conferences and other professional and scholarly activities in which University members are engaged.

    Fundraising

    The OU Foundation and activities authorized by the President, such as the Campus Campaign, are the sole entities authorized to conduct fundraising via pledge forms or direct contributions on the University of Oklahoma Web site. Faculty, staff, and students may not conduct fundraising campaigns on their personal pages or link to a fundraising page other than that of the OU Foundation or a group authorized by the President.

    Fraternities, sororities, and other service organizations may describe philanthropic efforts on their Web sites and provide a street address and phone number for contributions.

    Enforcement

    Refer to the enforcement procedures in the Interim Policy on Acceptable Use of Computer Systems at www.ou.edu/committees/itc/policy/Acceptable_ Use_of_Information_Resources.html

    Advertising, Sponsorships, and Partnerships

    Advertising: To protect the educational nature of OU Web sites and to preserve their primary role in support of the mission of the University, commercial advertising is prohibited on the ou.edu domain or using OU internet protocol ranges.

    Co-branding, hyperlinked logos, link exchanges, and associate, affiliate, and referral programs are among the items that will be considered commercial advertising. Text links provided for informational purposes or as part of a comprehensive list of sources will not be considered commercial advertising unless the purpose is to promote a product or service. This policy is not
    meant to prohibit auxiliary-funded departments from providing appropriate information on their products and services.

    Sponsorships: Sponsors may be acknowledged on official University sites related to University-sponsored artistic or cultural programs, conferences, or special events. These acknowledgments must be supported by a written agreement between the sponsor and the University entity that specifies a limited term, typically concluding with the end of an event or series. Acknowledgements may include the sponsor’s linkable corporate name or logo but may not include a street address, telephone number, e-mail address, product name or service information, call to action, or comparison. The acknowledgement must include a disclosure such as, “The Artist Series acknowledges the support of these sponsors” and may not imply endorsement by the University. Sponsors are not entitled to display University marks on their Web sites without prior written consent from the OU Licensing Trademark Program.

    Partnerships: Official University sites covered by this policy may acknowledge business partnerships for services provided at no cost that assist the University in achieving its mission; for example, access to an online research service or a search engine. Otherwise, all the provisions for sponsorships apply to partnerships, except that logos may be hyperlinked to the service provided.

    Report Policy Violations

    Submit complaints regarding apparent violations of policy or law to policy-abuse@ou.edu.