Many of the policies mention state or federal law when discussing this issue. Game-playing rules vary by university and may depend on whether other users are waiting for a computer. The University of Virginia, citing a directive from the state secretary of education, must remove all games from university machines because time spent by employees playing computer games should be considered an improper use of taxpayer funds. Universities must decide whether to monitor faculty and student e-mail and other data files or to rely on personal integrity. Twenty-three universities specifically say that they will not monitor individual usage or look at data in a user s account while other schools reserve the right to monitor accounts and usage if there is evidence of illegal or unethical use.
Several universities have very specific procedures to follow in monitoring a user s account.
Interestingly, though, many universities do not have any policies about this issue. Universities must also decide if they will regulate what students and faculty can examine on the Web. Some have opted for citing absolute freedom of speech and do not monitor Web pages or restrict the viewing of Web pages. Other schools cover this issue under regulations such as creating a hostile work or educational environment. This research gives universities who are writing or amend- ing their own policies a place to examine other universities policies, whether or not they agree with all of them.