Prohibited Activity

Advertising

Large and/or animated advertisements on Web pages distract users from important information on the pages. Departments may show sponsorship only by using the other entity’s logo and link on a Web page. In addition, sites may not have animated graphic advertisements or advertisements for which the sole purpose is to generate revenue (e.g. pay-per-click ads, Google Ads, etc.). Exceptions will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Web Standards Committee.

Hosting Web Sites for External, Non-University Organizations

Hosting Web sites on SIU servers for organizations that are not affiliated with SIU is strictly prohibited. It is assumed that any Web site that contains “siu.edu” or “siuc.edu” in its URL is a Web site that is used to relay information, conduct business or conduct research on behalf of Southern Illinois University Carbondale or the SIU System. Non-affiliated Web sites on University servers will require immediate removal.

Using University Web Space for Personal Financial Gain

University Web servers are considered SIU property and as such, it is unethical and illegal for any employee of Southern Illinois University Carbondale to financially gain from any material, including advertising, placed on an SIU Web site. This includes sites that are hosted on or off campus but are paid for by University funds or have content provided by University employees as part of their normal business duties. For example, an SIU faculty member must obtain his or her own personal Web space and URL in order to sell any creative work, even if the creative work was developed as a component of their employment at SIU.

This policy does not prohibit advertising by individuals or groups who, through approved University policies and procedures, have leased space from the University for an event (example: Student Center Craft Fair, Arena Yard Sale, etc). Advertising on a university Web site, however, must be limited to the department that has authorization to lease the space for the event being advertised.

Inappropriate Content/Usage

Inappropriate content or usage of University Web sites is strictly prohibited. Violation of this rule can result in removal of the Web site in question if the problem is not remedied. The scope of inappropriate content and usage is wide. This can include, but is not limited to, plagiarism, violation of copyright laws, linking to inappropriate content such as pornography related Web sites and violations of the privacy of other individuals. In addition, any content is prohibited that violates the Student Conduct Code, policies of SIU, policies of the SIU Board of Trustees, or local, state or federal law. For more information please review the Electronic Information Privacy policy.

Sensitive Information

Displaying non-directory information on Web sites is strictly prohibited. Storage and collection of non-directory information can only be done on a secure server. For more information see the “Secure Transactions” section on the Privacy and Security page.

Use of Copyrighted Material

Please be aware that all state and federal copyright laws apply equally to Web pages. Specifically, it is unlawful to copy content and/or images from another Web site and use them without permission from the owner of the content and/or images.

It is not widely known that copyrighted material includes text, graphics, audio and video, even if found on the Web with no obvious ownership applied to the material. Copyright violation is a serious crime. When in doubt, create your own material or locate the owner of the material and obtain specific written permission for the use of the material.