A number of issues and challenges are associated with student ePortfolios. While the ePortfolio initiative is fairly new at Suffolk University, we hope to learn more about the challenges and benefits of this tool.

We designed and incorporated policies that will guide you through the process of building an ePortfolio. The policies are designed to encourage student creativity, while protecting and maintaining academic integrity and liability of the institution. Readers must note that this is not a comprehensive policy document, but one that is growing to meet the demands and challenges posed everyday. We welcome your comments at otm@suffolk.edu and please check back for policy updates.

We anticipate that you will adhere to our policies while being creative, and will refrain from posting highly personal or sensitive information on your ePortfolios. Since you will maintain ownership of your ePortfolio content, the University cannot provide legal defenses for illegal use of its electronic facilities, equipment or software, or for any violations of our policy and various federal, state and other applicable laws.

The following policies are currently in effect for users of the Sawyer Business School ePortfolio tool. This is a simple summary of the policies:

• Suffolk University will not disclose information without prior written permission from the student
• Do not post highly personal or sensitive information on your ePortfolios
• We will do our best to make sure our computer networks are secure and information is not leaked
• Be creative, but do not copy or post someone else’s material including commercial music, videos or articles
• The use of the university computer network is a privilege; Use it responsibly
• You maintain ownership of your ePortfolio content

Read on for detailed explanation of the policies:

Suffolk University will not disclose information without prior written permission from the student

Educational records are kept by University offices to facilitate the educational development of students. Faculty and staff members may also keep informal records relating to their functional responsibilities with individual students.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 protects the privacy of US students’ official education records. With few exceptions, the FERPA law prohibits the disclosure of any official student record without the advance written permission of the student. Colleges and universities also must annually notify students about the student ’directory information’ that will generally be released to the public. This directory information may include the student’s name, address, major, telephone number, email address and other basic information.

Instructors must use care not to publish any personal information about a student that is in violation of FERPA. Any student has the right under FERPA to suppress all personal information from public disclosure. Also, some student information, such as social security numbers, grades, test scores, a student’s race, ethnicity or gender, cannot legally be listed as ’directory information’ and can therefore never be publicly disclosed by an instructor.

Learn more about FERPA or to contact the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education

Do not post highly personal or sensitive information on your ePortfolios

Students are urged to be extremely careful in selecting the information they put on their ePortfolios. Personal information should be removed from all ePortfolio websites and/or attached documents. Some examples of personal information that should not be posted on an ePortfolio or within an attachment are:

• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Driver’s License Number

We will do our best to make sure our computer networks are secure and information is not leaked

All login information transmitted to the ePortfolio platform is transmitted over a secure connection to the university contracted servers. This secure connection uses the same level of data encryption used by banks and online commerce sites (128 bit Secure Socket Layer) to ensure that the information transmitted cannot be read by unintended audiences. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the appropriate use of this data, Suffolk University employs electronic safeguards to secure the information provided online.

While Suffolk University makes every effort to protect information provided online, users should also take all available protective measures. At a minimum, users should not share their passwords or login information, change passwords often, use a combination of letters and numbers, and use a secure browser when surfing the Internet.

Be creative, but do not copy or post someone else’s material including commercial music, videos or articles

The contents of an individual’s ePortfolio are protected by copyright. Individuals usually own the copyright to works that s/he created. It may, however, be an infringement of copyright to upload (and thereby "distribute") the works of others in an ePortfolio. Users of the ePortfolio system are responsible for the consequences of uploading, posting or distributing copyrighted materials belonging to others. This may include, but is not limited to music, videos, graphics, someone else’s essays, academic papers, etc.

US copyright law grants copyright owners several exclusive rights, but it also allows several exceptions so that others may use their works. You can use copyrighted works without infringement under these circumstances:

• Uses in Education: The law includes numerous exceptions to the rights of copyright owners, and many allow certain uses education and research. To read the law, see: Copyright Law of the United States.
• Fair Use: This is the best known of all exceptions, but not all “educational” uses are allowed under fair use. For more information, see: Copyright Law of the United States: Fair-Use Section 107.
• Permission: If your plans are not within an exception, you can secure permission from the copyright owner.

Read the University copyright policy for detailed information on copyright issues (pdf).

The use of the University computer network is a privilege. Use it responsibly

In support of the University’s mission of teaching, research and service, Suffolk provides access to computing and information resources within institutional priorities and financial capabilities. The University encourages faculty, employees, and students to make full use of these resources. Use of the computing and information resources is a privilege extended in good faith to faculty and employees and carries with it the responsibility to abide by certain policies and guidelines to ensure that all users enjoy the benefits of these resources.

Read the complete University computer policy.

You maintain ownership of your ePortfolio content

While the University licenses the ePortfolio technology from external vendors, the content that is created and stored on these systems is owned by the creator; in this case the student or faculty member. United States Copyright law applies to content that has been appropriated from other sources and is not the original work of the student or faculty. Suffolk University respects the intellectual property of our students and faculty and our policies are designed to encourage the use of University resources while maintaining individual rights and ownership.