Danville Area Community College is committed to complying with the requirements of all copyright laws. The faculty, staff, and students are required to comply with The Copyright Act of 1976 and its amendments, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and the Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act. The aforementioned Acts dictate policy as to how institutions may use the works of others. It is Danville Area Community College's intent to comply with these intellectual property, copyright, and fair use guidelines. The incorporation of copyright compliance protects the ideas and products that Danville Area Community College's faculty, staff, and students create as well as outside materials which are used for academic purposes. Illegal copies or sharing of copyrighted software, movies, or music may not be made or used on equipment owned by the College. Employees and students who disregard this Board policy do so at their own risk and assume all liability for their actions.

The ownership of and copyright to teaching aids, films, outlines, books, and manuals which have been developed on College time and with College materials, through College funds or with technical or secretarial assistance provided by the College, are vested in Danville Area Community College unless exceptions are negotiated and contracted in advance of material preparation.

File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multi-media (audio and video), documents, or electronic books. Illegal file sharing is the sharing of copyright protected files without authorization. Under copyright law, it is illegal to download or share copyrighted materials such as music or movies without the permission of the copyright owner.

DACC Network Users:

In support of its mission of teaching and serving the community, DACC provides access to information technology resources to students, faculty and staff, within institutional priorities and financial capabilities. Access is provided through DACCnet (the entire DACC computer system, the campus network, the campus Internet circuit(s), and all dial-up and other remote-access hardware and software). All members of the DACC community who use DACCnet must do so responsibly. DACC defines network users as students, faculty, staff, and community members who use the DACC network.

DACC prohibits any unauthorized file sharing. The College will enforce the following disciplinary actions when persons are found to be sharing unauthorized copyrighted materials:

• DACC reserves the right to suspend or terminate network access to any campus user if the violation is deemed severe or the use is impacting the operation of the network.
• Violators will be referred to the Student Conduct officer for a Student Code of Conduct review.

• Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may subject the student/person to civil and criminal liabilities. Complete information on the federal law and penalties can be found at http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html.

  DACC and our Internet provider utilize technology-based deterrents to effectively combat unauthorized downloading/distribution. DACC's Computer Network Services (CNS) department utilizes filters in our network that block most file sharing systems. On college-owned computers, installation of the software necessary to share files is restricted. The Illinois Century Network (ICN) is the college's Internet provider. The ICN's systems and services are for the use of authorized users only and are subject to routine network monitoring by CNS staff to audit network security and performance. The CNS accepts and responds to Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices. When illegal downloading is detected, CNS personnel at the college have the responsibility to identify and locate the offenders.

  DACC communicates the Copyright and Peer-to-Peer regulations and infringements to students and network users through annual notice in the DACC Student Handbook and through separate documents such as DACC's Copyright/Peer-to-Peer File Sharing policy, the DACC Acceptable Internet Use policy, and DACC's Student Code of Conduct. Link to the Policy: https://www.dacc.edu/about/consumer-student-information.

  Information on appropriate use of copyrighted materials and peer-to-peer sharing can be found on the DACC website at https://www.dacc.edu/about/consumer-student-information. Some music, movies, and television shows can be legally obtained through online subscription services or from sites officially permitted by the copyright holders to offer certain downloads. Use the following sites as alternatives to illegal downloading: http://www.educause.edu/legalcontent.