CVAD IT Services supports the Computer Use Policies established by the University
of North Texas System and the State of Texas. Please review the UNT Policy Manual for Information Technology.
Information Technology Policies
Computer Use Policy
These polices apply to all spaces, including the classrooms of the College of Visual
Arts and Design in the UNT Art Building and Art Annex.
These policies apply to all instructional and shared computing resources supported
by the College of Visual Arts and Design, Information Technology Services. This includes
the UNT Online Mac Computer Lab (where applicable) and the following spaces in the
Art Building and Art Building Annex: Specialized 210 Classlabs, Conference and Meeting
Rooms, Computer Lab and Digital Fabrication Lab.
Definitions
- Checkout Items: Any item that is tracked through WebCheckout, but is not a physical workspace, such
as Wacom tablets, cameras, tripods, etc.
- Coursework: Any research or material generated in pursuit of credit in a currently enrolled course.
- Patron: UNT student, faculty, or staff who is assigned to any computers or equipment available
through the CVAD Student Computer Lab
- Print Job: a document sent from the computer station to the printer for the purpose of rendering
a facsimile on paper.
- Special Circumstance: Any occasion that does not fit within the procedural guidelines.
- Specialty Workstation: Any workstation that consists of both a computer and specialized equipment, for example:
large format printers.
- Workstation: Any computer or piece of equipment that may be checked out. This includes computer
stations and 3D printers.
Responsibility to Secure the Space
Computer Lab and Digital Fabrication Lab: No patron will be allowed in the lab if
not assigned to a workspace. No patron is allowed in the lab outside of posted lab
hours. A valid UNT ID is required for admission.
Type 210 Specialized Class Labs: These spaces are generally only accessible to faculty and students during active class
periods unless an agreement is made with the department chair and program coordinator.
Once a class has ended, the room must be vacated. If an instructor cancels a class,
or class ends early, all students must vacate the space. Instructors are responsible
for securing the room after class ends. Be sure all students have vacated and that
all doors are closed securely before leaving. Please leave the space as you found
it: please cleanup after yourself as a courtesy to other instructors and students.
If you find the room in an unacceptable state, please report it immediately to our
office.
Regarding our Shared Computer Class Labs – Art Building rooms 233, 313, and 338: once a class has ended or class ends early, the room must be vacated. These are shared
spaces, so exceptions aren't possible as the space is scheduled for use by other instructors
from multiple departments and programs.
Computer Lab and Digital Fabrication Lab: Patrons are required to inform the staff when they have finished with their workstation
and are leaving the lab. If a patron leaves the lab without informing the staff, they
will assume to have vacated their workstation after 15 minutes. The workstation may
be restarted, and any unsaved work will be lost.
Changes in Hours of Operation
The building will be closed during all observed University breaks, such as holidays
or spring break. The building will also close for any emergency closures such as weather
or health crisis. In short, if classes are canceled, the lab will similarly be closed.
Any exceptions to the normal operating hours due to holidays, short semesters, inclement
weather, health emergencies, etc. will be posted in the CVAD Service Desk in Microsoft
Teams and announced on the digital signage outside the lab.
No patrons are allowed in the Computer Lab, Digital Fabrication Lab, or any other
supported area outside of our posted hours.
Time Limits & Waitlists
All workstations have established time limits to ensure that all patrons can get access
to the resources that they require for their academic pursuits. In the Computer Lab,
standard workstations have a 2-hour time limit and specialty workstations have a one-hour
time limit. Time limits are only enforced in the event of a waitlist. Lab attendants
will inform patrons when there is a waitlist and warn those close to their time limit
that they will need to surrender their workstation to waiting patrons. The staff will
do their best to give ten-minute warnings when a patron’s time is almost up. Students
will always have priority over non-student patrons.
Printing
Computer Lab: Printing is the Computer Lab is paid for on student fees: only student patrons are
eligible to print using the Computer Lab printers, faculty and staff do not have print
rights. Depending on enrollment, students have access to different print resources.
Only materials to be used in pursuit of academic credit may be produced in the Computer
Lab.
Access: Students currently enrolled in at least one course in the college, regardless of their
major, have access to color laser printing, photo printing, and large format printing.
All other UNT students have access to basic black and white laser printing and 3D
printing.
Usage: Only materials to be used in pursuit of academic credit may be produced in the Student
Computer Lab. Printing is limited to one final output, though progressive iterations
are acceptable. Duplicate copies are not allowed in the lab. These limitations apply
to both paper and 3D prints.
Students enrolled in any CVAD class, regardless of major, have access to color laser
printing, photo printing, and large format printing. All other UNT students have access
to basic black and white laser printing and 3D printing. Students enrolled in a at
least one CVAD course are not charged to print in the Computer Lab: it is covered
by student course fees.
Paper Restrictions: No outside paper may be used in the laser printers. Patrons may provide their own
paper, or use the paper provided, for the large format printers. Patrons may use the
filament provided, or an approved outside filament for the 3D printers: all outside
filaments must be approved by the staff prior to use.
Academic Usage: Only materials related to student's academic work may be produced in the lab. Printing
is limited to one final output, though progressive iterations are acceptable. Duplicate
copies are not allowed in the lab. These limitations apply to both paper and 3D prints.
Printer Locations: Printers are not installed on the computers in the Type 210 Specialized Class Labs,
Conference Rooms and Meeting Rooms, Classroom on Wheels laptop carts, or the UNT Online
Mac Computer Lab. However, you may print using Web Print. Web Print may also be used
to print from anywhere — including off-campus — for picking up later. Print jobs that
are not picked up by the time the lab closes will be discarded.
Lab Attendants
The labs will always have at least one attendant on duty. These attendants are responsible
for the following.
- Checking patrons in and out
- Assisting patrons with basic needs
- Ensuring the security and cleanliness of the lab
It is important to note that lab attendants are not tutors or teaching assistants.
They are not permitted to assist with the completion of academic projects. While they
can provide basic guidance on the software and hardware available in the computer
lab, they cannot offer any academic support. Furthermore, aside from tasks related
to computer maintenance, lab attendants are not allowed to operate patrons' computers.
Food and Drink
There is no eating near the computers. All food and beverages must be in sealed containers
to prevent spills on the equipment. If the liquid can leak out of the container when
turned upside down, it should not be near the computers. All food and drinks must
be stored safely in a bag or backpack, or on the shelves provided at the entrance
to the lab.
Abandoned Stations and Belongings
The staff, and the College of Visual Arts and Design, are not responsible for items
left behind in a facility. Any belongings left behind will be kept at the front desk
in the lab in the lost-and-found. Patrons should also check with the CVAD IT Services
Desk, Art Building, Room 371, to see if the item was turned in there. Any items not
claimed by the end of the semester will be considered abandoned and will be thrown
away or donated to charity.
Privacy
The computers at the University of North Texas are provided for the use of students,
faculty, and staff. Users should be aware that their use of the university’s computer
systems may be subject to review or disclosure under the Texas Public Information
Act and other applicable laws. This includes administrative reviews for security purposes,
policy or legal compliance concerns, system maintenance, audits, and other activities
necessary to protect the interests of the university and its users.
By using the university’s computer systems, individuals expressly consent to monitoring
by the university for these purposes. If such monitoring uncovers possible evidence
of criminal activity, the university may provide this evidence to law enforcement
officials. Additionally, users should understand that the university cannot guarantee
the protection of electronic files, data, or emails from unauthorized or inappropriate
access.
In the CVAD IT Services' supported spaces, all computers are automatically cleaned
of patron files upon each reboot. Patrons should save their personal data to removable
or cloud storage to protect their academic work. Staff members are not permitted to
provide removable media to patrons but can assist with accessing and saving files
to external media.
Environment
The College of Visual Arts and Design is committed to maintaining an environment conducive
to study and academic pursuits. To ensure this:
- All cell phones and mobile devices should be kept on silent while in the lab.
- Patrons should step outside the lab to make or take phone calls.
- Headphones must be used when working on audio/video projects or when playing music
or videos for academic projects or personal recreation.
The College of Visual Arts and Design supports the visual arts, design, and scholarship.
Due to the interpretive nature of art, patrons may work with or research material
that includes nudity or other sensitive content. If any patron is uncomfortable with
the nature of the work being conducted around them, they may request to move to another
station.
Protection of Student Information
Staff is not at liberty to share any student information and will not release information
via telephone, email, or other electronic communications regarding patrons currently
using our resources. In the event of an emergency, please contact the College of Visual
Arts and Design directly. In-person requests for the location of a current patron
will be honored for law enforcement officers presenting proper identification.
Virus Protection
All computers at the University of North Texas are protected from viruses and malware
by enterprise-level virus protection software. This software also scans any external
media for viruses.
Hardware
The College of Visual Arts and Design strives to keep our equipment as current as
possible. All computers, printers and other devices and equipment are replaced on
a four-year cycle to ensure operations are maintained at an acceptable level and to
introduce the latest hardware to our faculty and students.
Patrons may not disconnect or modify any of the equipment in these spaces for any
reason.
Personal hardware and devices may be used on the computers in the CVAD instructional
spaces so long as no driver installation is required.
Software
No unapproved software installation is permitted.
To keep our software as up to date as possible with a minimal negative impact on our
patrons, we perform minor software updates on a weekly basis and perform major software
updates between semesters. All software installed on computers supported by the college
are evaluated and tested by the Office of Information Technology Services of the College
of Visual Arts and Design.