I. Purpose
This policy provides notification to employees and sets forth the university’s expectations regarding the personal use of electronic resources. The university owns the electronic resources provided to employees, which include computers, software, servers, networks, personal devices, and other technology. Accordingly, this equipment constitutes State of North Carolina property. Employees have no ownership interest in the electronic equipment and should have no expectation of privacy for information sent or received through this equipment. Incidental personal use is allowed in limited circumstances as described in this policy.
II. Scope
Applies to UNC Asheville employees.
III. Policy
A. The computing equipment and services provided to employees, including information sent or received through this equipment, is for official university business. Employees may use this equipment for minimal personal communications as long as this usage does not interfere with their work obligations, interfere with the work of other employees or students, interfere with obligations of the university, result in a direct cost to the university, state or imply university sponsorship or endorsement, result in commercial gain or profit other than allowed under the university’s intellectual property policies and external professional activities for pay, or impact the integrity or viability of the equipment or the networks to which it is attached. Further, any usage must not violate other policies, such as the harassment prevention policy, the misuse of state property policy, and the responsible use of electronic resources policy.
B. Employees must have no expectation of privacy with regard to this equipment or information.
C. The university does not routinely inspect or monitor the contents of electronic information nor is it responsible for its content. The university reserves the right to monitor the equipment, services or network or audit their use to ensure that all usage is in compliance with university policies and regulations, with the laws of the North Carolina, with the laws of the United States, and with international laws. In addition, the university may monitor or review employees’ personal usage and the information sent or received to ensure compliance with this policy.
D. To facilitate its right to monitor and audit, authorized university employees may inspect and review the equipment and the information sent and received through this equipment at any time upon the written authorization of the chancellor, a vice chancellor, the internal audit director, or the general counsel.
E. In the event that the university is notified of an actual or potential claim, grievance, lawsuit or other legal action, the general counsel shall notify in writing the relevant employees and the Chief Information Officer to preserve any and all electronically stored information which may include personal information contained, maintained, and stored on the university’s electronic resources. Employees are required to cooperate in all such directives and must not delete, overwrite or otherwise destroy any such electronic information. This obligation overrides the records retention schedule.
IV. Violations of Policy
Violation of this policy may constitute misconduct and accordingly employees are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension without pay and dismissal, in accordance with the pertinent employment policies for SHRA, EHRA non-faculty, and faculty.