Staff Handbook Section 8 - Safeguards
Index to section 8
Handling the Media and Similar relationships
Freedom of Information Act Requests
Computer Virus Protection Procedures
Electronic Mail Systems (E-mail)
Safety and Security of Visitors and the General Public
RIGHTS OF SEARCH
1. Although the College does not have the contractual right to carry out searches of employees and their property (including vehicles) whilst they are on College premises, all employees are asked to assist in this matter should the College consider that such a search is necessary.
2. The College reserves the right to call in the police at any stage.
3. The College also reserves the right to invite the police to obtain a warrant to search the College's premises and/or persons suspected of possessing illicit drugs or who are suspected of committing any other criminal act.
CONFIDENTIALITY
4. All information that:
a. Is or has been acquired by you during, or in the course of your employment, or has otherwise been acquired by you in confidence, and which
b. Relates exclusively to the College or to its business including confidential matters relating to students, or that of other persons or bodies with whom the College has dealings of any sort, and
c. Has not been made public by, or with, the College's authority,
shall be confidential, and (save in the course of College affairs or as required by law) you shall not at any time, whether before or after the termination of your employment, disclose such information to any person without the written consent of the College.
5. You are to exercise reasonable care to keep safe all documentary or other material containing confidential information, and shall at the time of termination of your employment with the College, or at any other time upon demand, return any such material in your possession to your Head of department.
HANDLING THE MEDIA AND SIMILAR EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS
6. From time to time, College Fellows and/or Staff may be asked by representatives of the media for comment on matters affecting the College's interests. Similar contacts with others may also lead ultimately to media interest.
7. Given the potential consequences for the College's reputation, it is important that such requests are handled by the appropriate College Officer, who will ensure the necessary co-ordination, and provision of professional advice.
8. Responsibilities
a. The responsibility for handing such external contacts on all academic matters - including teaching, research, and related issues such as student welfare - lies with the Senior Tutor.
b. The responsibility for handing such external contacts on all academic matters - including teaching, research, and related issues such as student welfare - lies with the Senior Tutor
c. The responsibility for handling other matters, e.g. relating to College administration and finance, lies with the Bursar,
9. Anyone who receives a request of the kind described should redirect it to the appropriate Officer or, in their absence, their Assistant. They should not comment, or give any commitment on behalf of the College, themselves. [Note: this requirement relates to the College's direct interests, and therefore does not extend to, for instance, a Fellow's specific research interest.]
10. Consultation. As part of their responsibilities, the College Officer dealing with an enquiry will ensure the necessary consultation with other interested parties. This will include advising the Master and, when appropriate, other members of Council. When needed, they will commission external advice. Since some issues may have impact on the University's reputation, or the interests of other Colleges, they will involve the University's Office of Communications in such instances.
11. Freedom of Information Act Requests. Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all public authorities, including the College, are required to make certain information available proactively through what is known as a ‘publication scheme'. Third parties also have certain rights to information not covered by such a scheme. More information on the background is provided on the College website. The Bursar is the Freedom of Information Officer for the College. All formal requests for information under the terms of the Act should be directed to him. This includes requests from the media. The Bursar will determine what information falls within the scope of the Act and, in consultation with others as necessary, will ensure the drafting of an appropriate response. He may draw on the experience of other Colleges via the network that has been established under the aegis of the University Bursars' Committee.
12. All written material, whether held on paper, electronically or magnetically which was made or acquired by you during the course of your employment with the College, is College property and is protected by copyright. At the time of termination of your employment with the College, or at any other time upon demand, you shall return any such material to the Bursar.
INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES
13. An invention or discovery made by you will normally belong to you. However, an invention or discovery made by you will become College property if it was made:
a. In the course of your normal duties under such circumstances that an invention might reasonably be expected to result from those duties.
b. Outside the course of your normal duties, but during duties specifically assigned to you, when an invention might reasonably be expected to result from these;
c. During the course of any of your duties and at the time you had a special obligation to further the College's interests arising from the nature of those duties and your particular responsibilities.
COMPUTER VIRUS PROTECTION PROCEDURES
14. In order to prevent the introduction of virus contamination into the software system the following must be observed:
a. Unauthorised software including public domain software, magazine cover disks/CDs or Internet/World Wide Web downloads must not be used.
b. All software must be virus checked using standard testing procedures before being used.
The IT Department will advise you on how to install and configure the approved anti-virus software. If it is to remain effective, both the software and virus definition files must be kept up to date; this can be done automatically.
INTERNET AND E-MAIL
15. Personal use of Internet and e-mail facilities may only be made during rest periods and breaks. At all other times the Internet/e-mail may only be used for activities related to College affairs. Deliberately accessing from the Internet material which is counter either to legislation, University rules or policies (e.g. equal opportunities) or to commonly accepted standards, or is likely to be offensive to reasonable people. Deliberately accessing web sites which contain pornographic or similar inappropriate content will be treated as gross misconduct. However, accidental access to such sites can take place; if you are concerned that such accidental access has taken place you may wish to report your concerns to an appropriate person.
ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEMS (E-MAIL)
16. There are a number of legal points that arise from the use of E-mail, both internally within the College and externally over the Internet. Christ's has subscribed to the statements regarding computing and network rules, etiquette and security, produced by the University Computing Services on behalf of Cambridge University. Staff must abide by these regulations. Statements referred to can be found on the University web site.
17. These regulations state, inter alia, that you must not:
a. Respond to "Junk Mail", forward or respond to chain letter type E-mails or give warnings of new E-mail viruses.
b. Open E-mail attachments from an unknown or unidentifiable source.
c. Make comment, or statements, that could in any way be considered to be defamatory however innocent you consider them to be.
d. Include any information in your E-mail which is protected by copyright i.e. it is copied or published without the consent of the author.
e. Initiate or forward an E-mail that contains obscene or pornographic material. Initiate or forward E-mail which could be considered to constitute an act of harassment or be discriminatory on the grounds of e.g. sex, race and disability.
f. Disclose information that is protected by embargo or could in any way be considered confidential to the College and/or the members of staff. Make any statements via E-mail that intentionally or unintentionally create a binding contract, or make negligent statements.
g. Disclose information that is protected by embargo or could in any way be considered confidential to the College and/or the members of staff.
h. Make any statements via E-mail that intentionally or unintentionally create a binding contract, or make negligent statements.
Failure to comply with the above policy may result in disciplinary action that may lead to dismissal.
19. Your PC may be audited at any time to ensure compliance with this policy.
20. In order that the College can, in case of emergency, gain access to your PC, in order to retrieve College owned information, copies of your CRSID and password must be lodged with the IT Department.
21. If you are subject to harassment or abuse from e-mail at work from anyone, including another employee, you should report the matter immediately to your Head of Department or, if appropriate, the Bursar. A complaint of this nature will be treated extremely seriously and action taken accordingly.
DATA PROTECTION
22. You are asked to agree that personal data (other than sensitive personal data) relating to you and to your employment with the College may, to the extent that it is reasonably necessary in connection with your employment or the activities of the College:
a. Be collected and held (in hard copy and computer readable form) and processed by the College; and
b. Be disclosed or transferred to other members of staff of the College, or any other persons as may be reasonably necessary, at the discretion of the Bursar and as otherwise required or permitted by law.
23. You agree that the College may process sensitive personal data relating to you, including medical details and details of gender, race and ethnic origin. Personal data, relating to gender, race and ethnic origin, will be processed by the College only for the purpose of monitoring the College's equal opportunity policy and with a view to enabling equal opportunity to be promoted and maintained. You agree that the College may disclose or transfer such sensitive personal data to other persons if it is required or permitted by law to do so or, in the case of personal data relating to gender, race or ethnic origin, for the purpose of monitoring, or enabling the monitoring of, the College's equal opportunity policy.
24. Your consent to transfer and disclosure of personal data as set out above shall apply regardless of the country or residence of the person to whom the data is to be transferred. Where the disclosure or transfer is to a person resident outside the European Economic Area, the College shall take reasonable steps to ensure that your rights and freedoms in relation to the processing of the relevant personal data are adequately protected.
25. Except in relation to the conduct of activities to which you are giving your consent to the extent set out above, this does not affect any rights which you have in law in relation to the collection, processing or transfer of personal data relating to you.
BEHAVIOUR AT WORK
27. You should behave with civility towards fellow members of staff, and no rudeness will be permitted towards visitors or members of the public. Objectionable or insulting behaviour, or bad language, will render you liable to disciplinary action. In particular, your attention is drawn to Section 16 - Harassment Policy and Complaints Procedures and Section 17 - Equal Opportunities Policy, of this handbook.
28. You should, during normal working hours, devote the whole of your time, attention and abilities to the College and its affairs. Any involvement in activities which could be construed as being in competition with the College, is not allowed.
29. All reasonable instructions are to be carried out and you should keep your Head of Department informed of your progress in the activities assigned to you (in writing if so requested). You should provide such explanations of your work as your Head of Department may require.
30. You must complete your work to the best of your ability and in the manner which is consistent with the normal standards of skill required by the position you hold.
SAFETY AND SECURITY OF VISITORS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC
31. The College recognises its duties to the general public and all lawful visitors to the College's premises. In particular, where visitors must wear personal protective clothing or otherwise take reasonable precautions for their own health and safety, failure to do so will be regarded as a breach of the College policy which will entitle the College to take appropriate measures which may include asking the visitor(s) to leave the premises.
32. Visitors may walk unattended around the grounds when the College is open, but may not enter the College buildings unescorted. They should conduct themselves in a manner that is safe and without risk to themselves or others, at all times . If you see visitors acting in an unsafe or suspicious manner you have a responsibility to ask them to desist and, if necessary, should summon assistance.
UNAUTHORISED PERSONNEL
33. If you see any person, unknown to you, acting suspiciously in any of the College buildings you should immediately inform the Porters' Lodge.
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