Most alarmingly they believe that professors and, to a lesser extent, administrators pirate software. These results, coupled with earlier studies, call out for colleges to act. Formal education concerning the illegitimacy of software piracy can take place during orientation and training sessions provided for the students and in regular classes at the university. Informal education can be of the form of posting and distributing university policies and regulations concerning software piracy and the demonstration of ethical actions by university employees. With the common availability of computer software on today's campuses, it is appropriate to provide beginning students with the university policy toward software piracy.
Students enter college from different backgrounds and with different experiences.
Many students are unaware that software piracy is illegal or unethical. The orientation sessions at the beginning of school provide an excellent opportunity to educate the student of this policy. The university should feel obligated to provide students with this information and education. In addition to this introduction, students should also be provided with formal education in those courses that use the computer. This does not need a significant amount of time in the course but should clearly state the university policy and express the standards expected of the student.