Campus Ethics
This message was sent to all Faculty and Staff with approval of the Office of the Vice Provost.
University Community:
In this last year, the Washington State Executive Ethics Board has revised some of its rules governing State employee use of University communication systems for personal use. These changes have, in part, come about through the University's participation with the Board to help them recognize some of today's workplace realities. In response to these State rule changes, the University promulgated revised rules on the Personal Use of University Facilities, Computers, and Equipment by University Employees. (http://www.washington.edu/admin/adminpro/APS/47.02.html)
As in the past, the primary principle is that University facilities, computers, computer access systems, telephones, and equipment must only be used for University business-related purposes. But there are some allowable personal uses. University employees may periodically make local phone calls, send emails, or make cell phone calls on University-purchased cell phones to communicate with members of their family or others, so long as the use has no incremental cost to the University, is brief and infrequent, does not interfere with the performance of one's job, is not disruptive to the workforce, and does not compromise the security or integrity of University resources. So, calling or sending an email to see if your child got home from school is permissible, as is making a doctor's appointment, checking on the family when on a business trip on a University cell phone, and sending birthday greetings to a relative. Sending around personal messages to office colleagues such as birthday greetings, informing colleagues of arrangements of departmental gatherings, notices (not solicitations) of charitable activities or special events, and of course, information about the Combined Fund Drive are all permissible within the limited use exceptions. You should keep in mind, however, that your use of University computers and equipment should not be considered private in the strictest sense. All emails are generally considered public records and may be subject to disclosure under State public records laws.
These new rules are focused on recognizing that more and more frequently University employees are tied to their workstations for much of the day and that certain limited uses can promote organizational effectiveness. So, listening to music or news while working is permissible, so long as it does not interfere with computer access for business use, does not negatively impact other employees, and is approved by the supervisor. Playing computer games that are installed with the University software-an employee may not install his/her own games on a University computer-during breaks is permitted. However, surfing the internet for non-business purposes is not generally permissible, nor is participating in chat rooms unrelated to university business needs.
But just as the limitations on personal use of University systems have been made more realistic, certain prohibitions remain absolute. A faculty member, staff member, graduate student appointee, or any other employee may not use University computers, phones, facilities, or the internet for conducting a private business. Faculty cannot use their University addresses or phone numbers as their personal private outside business contact point, and certainly cannot carry on private consulting business meetings with clients in their University offices. They cannot advertise private consulting business on University web pages. Indeed, University employees must be extra careful to separate their use of their University affiliation from the operation their private consulting businesses. The rules also prohibit the use of University resources for product sales such as online book sales or referral links to book publishers or sales houses.
Other uses are equally prohibited by State law. Employees may not use University facilities, phones, computers, and computer systems such as email and the internet for supporting, protesting, or approving a ballot proposition or initiative, lobbying a State Legislator, or for assisting a candidate for election. There have been a number of examples of Community College and University employees being fined by the Washington State Executive Ethics Board for using campus email addresses to contact legislators asking them to vote a specific way on particular bills.
These policies are set forth on the Personal Use of University Facilities, Computers, and Equipment by University Employees page. Further detail is found at the Washington State Executive Ethics Board's website, (http://www.wa.gov/ethics/). The State ethics rules particularly apply to State employees, but students are reminded that while computer access is provided by the University for their educational exploration, many of these limitations are logical guidelines for general application.
Sincerely,
Steven G. Olswang
Vice Provost
If you have questions or concerns about this issue, please reply to provost@u.washington.edu.
