Computer Lab Policies

• Eligibility: Labs are available for use by current Southern Miss students, faculty, staff, and alumni. A valid Southern Miss ID is required to utilize Southern Miss equipment. This id is to be presented to the lab assistant or the computer lab coordinator on duty. If there is a special program going on and they need access to the computer lab a special pass can be made and given to those people. Contact the lab admin to request a special pass.

• Academic Usage: Computer labs are available for assistance with class assignments and research. Any use or abuse of the computers/equipment for other means is prohibited. Clients will be asked to leave if inappropriate use of the equipment is apparent. Parents who bring children into the labs are responsible for the supervision and control of the child. Any child who is disruptive to other clients or causes damage to any of the equipment will be asked to leave (along with their parent). Children shall not occupy an individual station.

• Waiting List: When all stations are busy, it is imperative that users enter their names on the waiting list.

• Time Limits: In times of full lab capacity, a client is limited to two hours of usage. If a computer is left idle for more than 10 minutes, the machine may be forfeited. The computer lab management will log the client off and will not be responsible for any unsaved documents or data.

• Food, Drinks, and Tobacco are not allowed in the computer labs.

• Noise Control: Cellular Phones/Pagers are prohibited and must be silenced or turned off while in the lab. No disruptive behavior will be allowed. Any loud behavior will result in client being asked to leave.

• Profanity: No profanity will be tolerated while in the labs. Abusive language directed toward any staff or client using the lab could result in permanent expulsion from the computer labs. Displaying of obscene or lewd images or text is strictly prohibited.

• Hardware: Please leave equipment/furniture in its original place. This applies to chairs, keyboards, mice, etc…

• Saving documents: Save often and to a Jump Drive, Flash Drives/ Storage Devices or some type of removal media!! The more often one saves, the less work one will lose if power to the station is lost. ITech staff are not responsible for lost work. You can buy jump drives, flash drives/ storage devices at the Bookstore.

• Personal Property: Southern Miss employees are not responsible for any personal articles left in the labs. Items left will be kept in a lost-and-found cabinet in the lab for two weeks, at that point the item may be discarded.

• Problems: Clients having problems with the equipment should see the lab assistant on duty. Clients having problems with the lab assistant on duty should contact the lab coordinator @ 266-4508 or by emailing labadmin@usm.edu.

All computer lab staff members have the authority to require individuals to leave the lab at their discretion and/or report persons for violating any of the above policies. Campus Police will be called in the event of refusal to comply. Disciplinary measures include:

Dismissal from the lab
Refusal of lab privileges
Suspension
Expulsion
Criminal charges
Other disciplinary actions

Each lab is staffed by a lab assistant, whose role is to provide assistance to clients, monitor clients and equipment, and adhere to university and departmental policies, procedures, and regulations. Clients may contact the computer lab coordinator by emailing labadmin@usm.edu