Welcome
to the start of Fall Semester 2007.
As a student at Penn State, you have numerous opportunities to use Penn State's network and computing resources. However, network abuses and viral dangers remain a fact of digital life, making it imperative that we proactively protect our personal computers and the University's network.
There are a number of resources that can help you protect your computer while enrolled at Penn State—for example anti-virus and anti-spyware software (which is available at no charge at http://downloads.its.psu.edu/). Be sure to visit this site to obtain the software you need to secure your computer against network threats and other dangers. Additional safety tips are available at Penn State's Take Control Web site at http://its.psu.edu/takecontrol/.
It is critical for you to be aware of the dangers of copyright infringement when using the University's network (or other networks). 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. The unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material is against federal and state laws—and is a violation of University policy.
Students found downloading or distributing illegal media may lose their network access privileges at Penn State, and could face the possibility of a lawsuit from agencies such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) or the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). For the most serious offenders, criminal charges can result as well. See RIAA copyright infringement allegations at http://legalmedia.psu.edu/provost/riaa.html. I urge you to think carefully about these risks and avoid downloading illegal media of any kind.
I also encourage you to take time to learn more about this issue. You can find copyright tips and resources at http://campusdownloading.psu.edu/. Other useful information is available under "Copyright Resources" at http://its.psu.edu/policies/.
You may have already heard about a new partnership Penn State has formed with Ruckus Network Inc., which makes it easy for Penn State students to access a wide range of legal digital media 24 hours a day. Ruckus will provide any student who has a valid Penn State e-mail address with free unlimited access to more than 3 million songs. In addition, students can connect to a variety of college-oriented social networks, and have the option to purchase unlimited video downloads. To get started with Ruckus, go to http://legalmedia.psu.edu/, or visit the registration page http://tinyurl.com/2mmg79 at Ruckus.com.
I wish you a great academic year, and urge you to resist illegal downloading or file sharing.
Sincerely,
Rodney A. Erickson
Executive Vice President and Provost of the University