Jim, our computer system does not spell out that we will have no privacy,
but it is pretty clearly understood that we HAVE NO RIGHTS - we use the
computer, which is a state-owned device, at the will of the administration.
One person who was using the campus computer to prepare portions of a dis-\
sertation lost a great deal of material - shrugs on the parts of powers that
be. It is well known that files are NOT private - I make the assumption
that anything I store can be read. I also assume that what I am now writing
can be read since I will receive it back on list-serv e-mail and it will
be stored on disk until I delete it.
None of this is pleasant but we are frequently reminded that we are using
facilities that don't belong to us at this college, at least. As an example,
we are asked to contact state legislators regarding the budget - or lack of -
for the state university. Then we are reminded not to send messages by e-mail
because it would be on state equipment and probably on state time.
Nancy Douglas
College of Agriculture & Technology
SUNY
Morrisville, NY 13408