Table of Contents (Last Update: )

1. Mission of General Access Labs
2. Admission into General Access Labs
3. Operating Hours
4. Lab Reservations
5. Staffing of Labs
6. Hardware and Software Platforms
7. Printing
8. Working Environment
9. Virus Protection
10. Other Standards
11. Policy Abuse
12. Abandoned Belongings
13. Policies on the Release of Student Information
14. Terms

Each lab in the UNT General Access Lab network is operated by one of UNT's Schools, Colleges, or Organizational Units. This structure exists to better serve the special academic needs of the students within each area.

 

As an individual unit, each General Access Lab may institute additional guidelines and policies to further define the use of its facilities. GALMAC endorses the implementation of these policies and supports their enforcement unless directly in conflict with the policies and procedures of the UNT General Access Labs.

 

1. Mission of General Access Labs ^TOP^

The mission of the University of North Texas General Access Computer Labs is to support the University's Mission and Strategic Plans 2006-2011:

Goals and Objectives.

• Provide students access to high quality, technologically-advanced environments in order to pursue academic endeavors.
• Provide state-of-the-art computing resources to help students realize their personal and career goals in order to be competitive in the work force of the future.
• Provide computing facilities that promote the university's commitment to scholarly activities by ensuring a climate where basic research, applied research, and creative activities flourish.
• Provide computing facilities that enhance the university's ability to attract and retain qualified students and assist them in meeting their educational objectives.
• Provide computing facilities that support increased leadership in professional service and outreach activities to help improve the quality of life in the North Texas area.
• Provide computing facilities that nurture a spirit of community, unity, and pride throughout the university.
   

 

2. Admission into General Access Labs ^TOP^

1. The General Access Computer Labs:
1. are supported and maintained primarily through a portion of the Technology Use Fee.
2. are available for use by currently-enrolled UNT students in support of their academic programs.
3. require a valid UNT photo ID for admission.
2. UNT faculty/staff will be provided access to the General Access Computer Labs on a space-available basis. Priority is given to students. A valid UNT ID is required for admission into any General Access Computer Lab.
3. UNT departments or agencies, wishing to provide access to one of the UNT General Access Computer Labs for special events and/or groups they are sponsoring which involve non-UNT students, must establish a contract with the Manager of that department's supporting General Access Computer Lab and pay a fee for the group's participants to receive access to that Lab. 
4. All others desiring use of General Access Labs should direct requests to the appropriate Lab Manager

    

3. Operating Hours ^TOP^

• General Access Computer Labs brochure and on the World Wide Web at: http://www.gal.unt.edu/hours.php

 
• General Access Computer Labs will be open on days that classes are held.
   
  
• Early closings and holiday hours will be posted at least one week in advance, whenever possible.
   
• All exceptions to operating hours will be posted in the individual labs.
  
   

4. Lab Reservations ^TOP^

1. Reservations for orientations, workshops, and hands-on demonstrations. 
1. In general, orientations, workshops, and demonstrations held in the General Access Computer Labs are discouraged after the first half of the semester due to the high use of the labs by individual patrons. 
2. Reservations will be granted at the discretion of the Lab Manager, within the given GALMAC guidelines
3. After the third week of classes in any long semester, or the first week of classes in any summer term, the total reservation time must not exceed 15% of the total time the lab is open per week. 
4. Faculty, staff, teaching assistants (TA) and teaching fellows (TF) of a lab's supporting college or school may make reservation requests for a General Access Computer Lab area. Reservation requests by persons outside the supporting college or school will be considered at the discretion of the Lab Manager. Students may only make reservations through a faculty member. 
5. The main area of a General Access Computer Lab, as designated by the Lab Manager, may not be scheduled as the primary location or classroom for a semester-long class.

2. Reservations for Specialized Equipment

   1. Reservations will be granted at the discretion of the Lab Manager.
      
       

5. Lab Employees ^TOP^

1. Each Lab will have at least one employee on duty during hours of operation.
2. Lab employees are responsible for assisting patrons with gaining access to software, exiting, printing, and saving
3. Lab employees may not touch the keyboard.
   
    

6. Hardware and Software Platforms ^TOP^

1. GALMAC, in consultation with GALC and individual college Deans and computing committees, will determine and recommend minimum hardware and software platforms needed to serve curricular needs of students.
2. Each lab is encouraged at a minimum to employ hardware that is supported by the Microcomputer Maintenance Shop. 
3. Sufficient on-line documentation for available software will be accessible in each lab.
4. Efforts should be made to purchase new or upgrade existing equipment and software to state-of-the-art models and latest versions. 
5. General Access Computer Labs will provide access for one or more types of Removable Storage Media. However, access for a particular type of Removable Storage Media may be limited depending on a Lab's supported hardware and/or software.
6. Personal Software/Hardware- Labs will try to assist patrons in every way, however installation of personal hardware/software is not permitted.
   
    

7. Printing ^TOP^

1. Printing will be provided ONLY to UNT students as it relates to their course work.
   1. Internet printing counts only as course work if the Lab Staff  is made aware of the nature of the course from which the print job has been assigned.
   2. Students are responsible for knowing how many pages a document, including internet pages, contains BEFORE the print job is executed. 
   3. Students are not allowed to make flyers or signs unless they are directly related to UNT course work. Proof is required.
2. A user is not allowed to make more than 20 pages per print job.
3. Multiple copies of the same print job are not allowed. Print jobs are considered the same if most of the original printed page is intact. 
4. Large print jobs (i.e. thesis or dissertation) must be cleared with the Lab Manager and must be limited to one final copy.
   1. Large print jobs should be printed during off-peak hours, evenings, or weekends. 
5. Patrons are encouraged to use double-sided printing when available and appropriate.
6. Lab Managers have the authority to restrict printing and/or lab access from any patron who abuses printing policies. 
   1. Lab Managers will document printing policy abusers and share that information with other Lab Managers. 
7. Lab Managers have the authority to grant special printing requests.
   
    

8. Working Environment ^TOP^

All General Access Computer Labs will provide a non-distracting atmosphere

1. Cell phones, pagers and other electronic devices should be turned on silent or vibration mode prior to entering a GAC Lab. When answering or talking on a phone, patrons will be asked to step outside of the lab. 
2. Lab employees are not able to repair or work on personal machines i.e. laptops
3. Patrons may not unplug or disconnect UNT equipment to provide personal computers with power, network connectivity, or other such resources.
   
   

9. Virus Protection ^TOP^

All General Access Computer Labs will provide virus protection tools, installed on the Lab's machines, to ensure the integrity of patrons' data and to protect the Lab's computer operating environments.

 

10. Other Standards ^TOP^

The technical standards, determined by GALMAC in accordance with all applicable UNT policies, will be followed in all General Access Computer Labs.

 

11. Policy Abuse ^TOP^

Lab Managers have the authority to restrict lab access from any patron who abuses the General Access Computer Lab policies.

 

12. Abandoned Belongings ^TOP^

Labs are not responsible for items left behind in the facility.

 

13. Policies on the Release of Student Information ^TOP^

The purpose of these policies is to ensure the privacy and safety of University of North Texas students and to provide a computing environment that supports student academic endeavors.  As entities of the University of North Texas, the General Access Computer Labs (GACL) are required to follow the University’s FERPA Policy and Computer Use Policy. 

Requests Regarding Current Lab Occupancy

To ensure the safety and privacy of all GACL patrons, and to maintain a suitable academic environment, GACL staff will not release information via telephone, email, or other electronic communications regarding patrons currently checked in to the computer labs. 
Even in the case of an emergency, GACL staff cannot confirm the presence of a patron in the lab.  GACL staff may, as a courtesy, offer to take a message, including the name and telephone number of the caller, and deliver that message should the patron in question check in to the lab at a later time.
In-person requests for the location of a current lab patron will be honored for law enforcement officers presenting proper identification.  GACL staff may, at their own discretion, allow students to look in the lab for friends or classmates.

Requests from Students

Students wishing to document their presence in a GACL (for education credit or other purposes) should provide a verification form at the time of check-out. The computer lab staff will note the time the student checks out of the lab and the length of time the student was checked into the lab, and will sign and date the verification form. The GACL staff make no claim or warranties that the check-in record is proof the student was in the computer lab during that time or for the entire duration.

Requests Regarding Historical Lab Records

Records of lab usage, known as check-in logs, are maintained for internal use by the GACL.  Data from these check-in logs will be released to non-GACL personnel in accordance with and as specified by the University’s FERPA Policy and Computer Use Policy as well as state and federal laws.  When releasing this information, only data which meets the minimum requirements of the request will be released.

Requests from On-Campus Entities

Based on University Administration policy, the University’s Police Department will be provided with check-in log data upon written request. Other UNT faculty, staff, and organizational units should submit their requests for check-in log data to the University of North Texas Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities (CSRR).  Upon receipt of a written request from CSRR for check-in log data, the GACL manager will provide CSRR with the information requested.  CSRR will determine what student information, if any, they will release to the requesting on-campus entity.

Requests from Off-Campus Entities

The University of North Texas General Access Computer Labs will cooperate with requests from off-campus entities through the University’s Office of the General Counsel.   Requests, including subpoenas and search warrants, should be submitted to the Office of the General Counsel for review.  Upon receiving written authorization from the Office of the General Counsel, the GACL manager will release the information specified in the request to the individual or organization named in the authorization as the intended recipient of the information.

14. Terms ^TOP^

• Print Job - a document sent from the computer station to the printer for the purpose of rendering a facsimile on paper.
• User - a lab customer who is assigned to a computer workstation
• Special Circumstances - Occasions which do not fit within the policy guidelines.
• Course work - Studies assigned in the current semester course catalogue.
• Removable Storage Media- Any device that is easily inserted into and removed from a computer which users can write data to and read data from. Examples include floppy and Zip disks, (re)writeable cd-roms, and flash memory drives.
• Lab/s - Throughout this document, reference to Lab or Labs is strictly referring to the UNT General Access Computer Lab facilities.