Whether you will be a full-time or part-time student, living on campus or commuting, the school’s social, extracurricular, and career services activities will be an important part of your educational experience. Find out about the technology tools that facilitate different communities on campus, allowing for communication, personal development, and getting together (in person and virtually).

Accessing computer services

• What public access for computing is available to students? Examples include computing labs, cyber cafes, residence-hall computers, and wireless access.

There are a number of places on campus where students, faculty, and staff can access Texas State and Internet resources. E-mail is accessible both on and off campus through BobcatMail. Our academic computing labs and the Alkek Library offer faculty, staff and students access to a state-of-the-art computing environment for training, Internet research and general use of computer technology. Wireless coverage is campus-wide, both indoors and outdoors.

• Does the campus provide institutional e-mail accounts for all students and use e-mail as an official medium of communication?

All students are provided a BobcatMail account (which utilizes Microsoft Exchange services and Microsoft Outlook Web Access). BobcatMail enables students to access e-mail, manage address books and calendars, and schedule meetings. The online toolkit allows customization of certain features of your e-mail account. E-mail is an official medium of communication at Texas State.

• Does the campus provide and support electronic space for personal student Web pages?

On CatsWeb you will find a link to assist you in establishing a personal home page on the Texas State web server. The content of personal web pages is subject to the Texas State policy on Appropriate Use of Information Resources.

• Is network bandwidth limited for peer-to-peer software, gaming, Web cams, or other programs requiring high levels of network services?

At the present time, Texas State does not artificially constrain the bandwidth usable by individual network ports, as is often the case with commercial Internet service providers. Nonetheless, Texas State expects its ResNet users not to establish servers or engage in other activities that consume a disproportionate share of bandwidth or impair the network activities of other users. ResNet is the term given to the portion of the Texas State network that serves its residence halls.

To reduce threats to its network, its user community, and to the greater Internet community, Texas State filters all incoming network traffic and blocks peer-to-peer and similarly high-risk network transmissions from entering or leaving its network. As detailed in its semesterly Notice to Students about P2P and File Sharing, Texas State complies with all federal requirements to reduce the use of its campus network resources for unauthorized duplication and distribution of copyrighted works through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.

Texas State takes the protection of copyright and intellectual property very seriously. Accordingly, it is against Texas State policy for network users to illegally distribute or download copyrighted materials such as computer software, movies, or music.

• Is there a campus code of behavior about using computer resources?

Yes, there is. Texas State believes that appropriate network behavior demonstrates a respect for the following:
o the rights of others to privacy,
o intellectual property rights (e.g., licenses and copyrights),
o ownership and custodianship of data and information resources,
o system mechanisms designed to limit access,
o ethical use of state-owned resources, and
o the right of individuals to be free of intimidation, harassment, and unwarranted annoyance.

This belief is articulated in an official policy outlining what we consider to be Appropriate Use of Information Resources. The policy is also summarized in an Appropriate Use brochure that we provide to every new user at Texas State.

Enforcement of these policies helps us deliver the computing and network resources necessary to provide the kind of rich and valuable learning experience you expect and deserve. To help you have that kind of experience, we expect everyone to utilize these resources in an appropriate and responsible manner.

• Does the campus have policies addressing peer-to-peer file sharing, virus software, and copyright?

To reduce threats to its network, its user community, and to the greater Internet community, Texas State filters all incoming network traffic for viral attachments and also blocks most peer-to-peer and other high-risk network transmissions from entering or leaving its network.

Texas State maintains an enterprise license that allows current faculty, staff and students to install anti-virus software, and ongoing updates, on both their office and home computers. We strongly encourage all our network users to take advantage of this benefit, which is provided free of charge.

Protecting copyright and intellectual rights is a responsibility Texas State takes very seriously. Accordingly, it is against Texas State policy for network users to illegally distribute or download copyrighted materials such as computer software, movies, or music. See UPPS 01.04.24, Policy on Copyrighted Software for more detail.

Texas State and the users of its network have certain legal obligations with regard to file sharing and copyrighted materials. Recent federal legislation and copyright infringement law suits against college students compels users to be educated about these issues. See our Notice to Students about P2P and File Sharing for more information on this topic.