Within this broad opportunity to use Northeastern's resources, there are extreme circumstances where freedom can be abused and the University forced to constrain the use of its computer systems. Restricting freedom of individuals is only permissible when the freedom of others is jeopardized. The following guidelines are provided to help members of this academic community understand, anticipate, and appreciate those limits and to protect their own computer files and privacy. Rather than presuming to prescribe acceptable behavior, these guidelines proscribe only those unique circumstances where computer systems might be considered as used inappropriately.
All users have a right to a fair share of the computing and network resources.
The Northeastern faculty, staff and student community needs to operate in an environment without fear of privacy being violated, access constrained, or freedom of expression suppressed. The University will use its best efforts to protect the integrity of individual user accounts and files from access and use by unauthorized persons. Note however, the University cannot not guarantee the privacy of user's files including email. These staff members will not provide access to users' files or email on active systems or archived backup media to anyone other than authorized university officials and law enforcement personnel with the appropriate legal authorization. Rights of Northeastern University The Northeastern University computer systems and networks are for the use of authorized users only and are extended as a privilege to members of the University community.