Network Access Policy

The purpose of this policy is to define the standards for connecting computers, servers, mobile or other devices to the Champlain College network. These standards are designed to protect the campus network and the ability of members of the Champlain College community to use it. They serve to advance the educational mission of the College while also minimizing damage that could result from networked devices that are not configured or maintained properly and to ensure that devices on the network are not taking actions that could adversely affect network performance or the reputation of the College.

This policy applies to all users of computing networks owned or managed by Champlain College. Computing resources include use of the college network via a physical or wireless connection, regardless of the ownership of the computer or device connected to the network.Specific users bound by this policy include:

• Champlain College students, including Undergraduate, Graduate, and CPS students and alumni
• Faculty, including full-time, part-time, and retired faculty members
• Staff, including full-time, part-time, and temporary workers
• Guests
• Members of 3rd party organizations given access to Champlain systems, such as vendors, contractors, or consultants

This policy has been developed as an extension of the College’s Acceptable Use policy. The Acceptable Use policy can be found here.

3.1 Device Standards

All devices accessing the Champlain College network must meet the following standards in order to access the network. Champlain College maintains these standards for College-owned devices. Owners of personal devices being used on the Champlain network shall ensure their devices meet the standards.

• No network services such as DNS, WINS, proxy, and DHCP configured to replicate official College services, unless authorized by the IS team and properly configured so as to not interfere with official College network services.
• No means to bridge, route, or otherwise connect the Champlain network to other non-Champlain networks.

3.2 Wireless Network Standards

Champlain College has implemented a robust, campus-wide Wifi network designed to meet the needs of the entire community. Wireless networking is a shared access technology meaning that all wireless devices in a coverage area are sharing the available bandwidth. While wireless technology is not always perfect due to physical or environmental factors, we aspire to have a network that meets the needs of the entire community.

3.2.1

Champlain College students may install a wireless access point (AP) in their dorm room for their own personal use provided it does not interfere with the Champlain College network. Adding too many personal access points can degrade Wifi service for everyone, so prior to doing so, we ask that you first report problems using the campus Wifi network to Champ Support.

3.2.2

Faculty members who want to design special academic wifi networks in pursuit of their educational or research mission, must request approval and collaborate with the Information Systems team to ensure that doing so does not interfere with other campus wireless systems.

3.2.3

Under no circumstances shall a personal AP be configured to “spoof” a Champlain College wifi network by using the same or similar network names as official College networks. The list of official networks is as follows: “facstaff”, “champstudent”, “champlabs”, and “student”. This list is subject to change.

3.2.4

Devices found to be interfering with the Champlain Wifi network will be disconnected without warning.

3.3 Standards for Remote Access

3.3.1

All remote access to Champlain College’s internal network must be done through College approved systems designed for remote access. As of the writing of this document the primary remote access tool is the Champlain Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) which can be accessed via https://viewportal.champlain.edu. All faculty and staff are granted access to Champlain VDI. Students are granted access as required by classes in which they have enrolled. Others may request access by sending a request to Champ Support.

3.3.2

Faculty and Staff members with special needs not met by using VDI, may request access to Champlain College’s Faculty-Staff Virtual Private Network (VPN) system. The Faculty-Staff VPN may only be used on College-owned computers. Accessing Champlain’s Faculty-Staff VPN from a personally-owned computer or mobile device is prohibited.

3.3.3

Remote desktop and/or terminal sessions to systems on the Champlain network must use VPN.

3.3.4

Other methods of remotely accessing the College internal network are prohibited, unless approved by the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

3.4 Third Party Access

3.4.1

Any contractor, vendor, or consultant that needs to access Champlain College’s network must abide by the Acceptable Use policy published here.

3.4.2

All contractors, vendors, or consultants must abide by and sign a copy of the Third Party Access Agreement contained in Appendix I of this document.

3.4.3

Contractors, vendors, and consultants will be granted access to Champlain College’s network for 6 months. Those needing access after that time may request a 6-month extension.

3.5 Guest Access

Guests of Champlain College, including campus visitors, Events Center guests, and other visitors are permitted to use Champlain’s wired and wireless networks.
Guests may only use those network resources designated and approved for their use.
Faculty, staff, and students are strictly prohibited from sharing network credentials with any guest in order to give them access.

3.6 Physical Access

Areas containing network technology resources such as data centers, network switch closets, and other rooms containing electrical or HVAC equipment supporting network infrastructure will be locked with access limited to only those individuals needing access and approved by the Chief Information Officer.
Tampering with network infrastructure components, including but not limited to switches, wireless access points, network switches, network cabling, and wall jacks is prohibited.
If you encounter a network port or access point that is not functioning properly, please send a detailed request to Champ Support including as much information as you can about the labeling and location of the defective resource.

3.5 Bandwidth and Monitoring

The College reserves the right to limit bandwidth in order to guarantee bandwidth for mission-critical services, change the available bandwidth per user based on usage, and reduce or deny Internet service to users who violate these policies. The College also reserves the right to disconnect without warning any device found to be imposing an exceptional load on campus service or exhibiting a pattern of malicious or disruptive traffic.

Members of the Champlain College community have reasonable expectations of privacy in their use of information resources. In accordance with Section 6 of the Acceptable Use Policy, systems operators, supervisors, and other College officials may access information resources to locate business information, maintain the system and network, comply with legal requirements, or administer this or other College policies and procedures.

Any individual found to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to the relevant Champlain College disciplinary procedure. Individuals are also subject to federal, state and local laws governing many interactions that occur on the Internet. These policies and laws are subject to change as state and federal laws develop and change.

5.1 Policy Subject to Change

This policy is subject to change. You will be notified of any changes to the policy. You agree to abide by the policy as updated from time to time.