As a student at Penn State you have many resources to help protect your privacy, your personal computer, and your good standing at the University.
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. Make sure to protect yourself and your computer by reading the information, watching the security videos, and following the steps outlined at http://its.psu.edu/be-safe/. Software available at http://downloads.its.psu.edu/ can add a layer of protection to your computer from malware and other threats.
I also want to remind you that respect for copyright and intellectual property is an important aspect of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty can have serious implications for your future employment opportunities. You can learn how to use other people's materials appropriately at http://copyright.psu.edu/.
Although it may seem easy to obtain music, movies, and other materials while surfing the net, you must be absolutely certain that the items you wish to download can be acquired legally. I’m writing to you as a matter of federal law. The unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material is against federal and state laws—and is a violation of University policy. Penn State is obligated to respond to reports of such violations. See our list of popular legal media sources at http://legalmedia.psu.edu/sources.html for options.
Learn more about your responsibilities by reviewing the University’s Computer and Network Security Administrative Policy (AD20) at http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD20.html, and browsing the information at http://legalmedia.psu.edu/. I urge you to stay safe—and stay legal.
Sincerely,
Rob Pangborn
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost