As an employee at the University, you have many resources to help protect your privacy and the computer systems you own or manage at Penn State.
With the dangers from malicious software (malware) and network attacks growing more menacing each day, it is essential that we all work together to ensure a secure computing environment. You can help by increasing awareness of the online resources available at http://its.psu.edu/be-safe/, where students, faculty, and staff can learn how to protect themselves from malware, phishing scams, and other threats. You can also encourage the use of Penn State's Downloads site at http://downloads.its.psu.edu/, a resource that offers a variety of downloadable antivirus and other protective software.
In addition, I'd like to enlist your help in continuing to educate our community that copyright and intellectual property are important aspects of academic integrity. I’m writing to you as a matter of federal law. As you know, the unauthorized use of copyrighted material is against federal and state laws—and is a violation of University policy. Students, faculty, and staff who illegally download music, movies, and other materials are often not aware that they are violating laws or policies. It is important we increase awareness that dishonest behavior such as plagiarism or copyright violation can have serious implications for an individual's future employment opportunities, as well as his or her good standing at Penn State. The Legal Media website at http://legalmedia.psu.edu/ and the Copyright Perspectives website at http://copyright.psu.edu/ can help you in guiding your students and colleagues in understanding these concepts and in choosing legal alternatives. You should also review the University’s Computer and Network Security Administrative Policy (AD20) at http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD20.html.
In your role as teacher or mentor, please continue to convey the importance of these concepts by encouraging our students and community members to visit the sites mentioned above. Thank you for helping to ensure a safe and ethical computing environment at Penn State.
Sincerely,
Rob Pangborn
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost