To all Clergy, Wardens and Lay Co-Chairs,
Please find attached the newly documented Huron Church House policy on
“Electronic Network and Internet Usage Policy”.
Please feel free to adapt or adopt this policy for your individual parish’s use. It
can also be found on the Diocesan website under the Human Resources section.

Please feel free to contact The Rev. Canon Janet Griffith Johnson if you have
any questions or concerns.

The Diocese of Huron provides you with access to a vast number of information
sources to give you accessible, up-to-date and reliable information to support you
in your work. Electronic mail, the Internet and all other networks are business
tools provided to staff at a significant cost to perform business- related activities.
Proper conduct must be observed at all times in the utilization of the Diocese of
Huron’s systems. Staff should access only files and data necessary for their
individual work.


Internet Use
The Internet is intended primarily for business use and is provided to assist you
in your work, research and studies. Users are expected to follow provisions
regarding authorized use of the Internet.


Authorized Use
• Accessing any sites that assist in daily work activities
• Occasional and reasonable personal use should not interfere with
the performance of work duties and responsibilities.
• Use should be restricted to sites and materials such as news or
information that might be considered reasonable if read as a text
publication in an office environment.


Unauthorized Use
• Offensive material of any kind, including the display of any sexually
explicit images
• Sites that promote any threatening or violent behaviour
• Performing illegal activities
• Downloading entertainment software or games
• Downloading and distributing material protected under copyright laws without consent
• Using the Internet to sign up with websites or organizations that offer rewards,
monetary or otherwise for surfing the net
• Compromising the security of The Diocese of Huron
Users of the Internet are accountable for abiding by existing federal,
provincial, and local telecommunications and networking laws and
regulations. The Diocese of Huron insists you conduct yourself
appropriately, respecting copyrights, software licensing rules, property
rights and privacy guidelines. Should you find yourself unintentionally
in a website that contains offensive or sexually explicit material, you
must disconnect immediately. Intentional misuse of the Internet will be
reviewed on a case-by-case basis which may result in disciplinary
action up to and including termination.


Electronic Mail
Users of the Diocese of Huron’s email system are required to abide by
contracts of confidentiality and appropriate behaviour.
Unnecessary or unauthorized electronic communication causes
network and server congestion, slows other users, takes away from
work time, consumes supplies and ties up printers and other shared
resources.

Distribution lists should be used with discretion and be limited to
business communication. All email communication shall treat
individuals with respect and dignity and shall adhere to all applicable
laws and regulations. Email users must be aware that messages or
attachments which contain offensive material could constitute
harassment.

Email is not always a secure, private or confidential form of
communication. Messages can potentially reach unintended
recipients. The email sender must be cognizant of the fact that the
receiver is generally free to do with the message as they please.
Misuse or inappropriate use of the Diocese’s email system may result
in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. This includes,
but is not limited to, chain letters, unauthorized solicitations,
broadcasts of a non-business nature to large groups, private or
personal for-profit activities.


Electronic Data Storage
The Diocese of Huron users are responsible for managing the data
storage available to them.
Inadequately managed data storage growth can result in the following
problems:
• Application performance levels may suffer as storage levels grow
• Increased data volume may lead to increased data recovery times
in the event of a data loss or corruption
• Inability to access data when the server reaches capacity
• Inability to acquire additional data storage assets due to budget
implications
• Inability to add new users to the environment should space not be
available
Please ensure you are utilizing the server space most effectively.

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