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Information Technology

Computer Classrooms: General Guidelines for Use

General guidelines for using UMass Amherst IT computer classrooms are discussed below.

Using our Computers

Please do not share your IT Account information.

Please do not share your UMass Amherst IT Account NetID (user name) or password with anyone. You will be held responsible if you share your personal information and someone else uses your account. Note that using someone else’s identity is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct (Section II.A.2): Prohibition Against Misrepresentation of Yourself as Another Person.

External peripherals may be used but are not supported.

Computer classroom clients may use USB or external hard drive storage devices, but should be aware that they are not supported by our department. Most of these devices should work without any problems, but we cannot offer additional support if your devices are not compatible with our systems. We are not responsible for any lost data.

Save your work often.

Saving your work frequently or working in a cloud based storage environment will guarantee that you will not lose data in case of unexpected events such as software malfunction, computer crashes, or power outages. UMass Amherst IT provides cloud based storage such as Google Apps and BOX.

Please do not eat in the classrooms.

No one is exempt from this. If you bring in food, you will be asked to leave. Beverages are only allowed in closed containers. A shared space is difficult to maintain. Stained floors, sticky mice, and non-functioning keyboards are all the victims of food in the classrooms.

About our Assistants

Assistants keep the classrooms running.

Our assistants are trained to maintain and monitor our computer classrooms. As such, they can point you to hardware/software solutions and perform basic tasks such as filling the printer's paper and toner.

Assistants are students too.

Please plan your stay in the classroom so that you are ready to leave by the time it is scheduled to close. Assistants also have commitments outside of their jobs. Please respect their need to leave on time.

Computer Classroom Etiquette

Please turn off your cell phones.

The ringing of cell phones and conversations are distracting to other users. Please turn off your cell phone ringers and have cell phone conversations outside of the classrooms.

What about study groups?

The Learning Commons on the Lower Level of the W.E.B. Du Bois has glass study rooms which can be used during library hours.

Lose Something?

If you think you may have lost or forgotten something in one of our classrooms, please return to the classroom to see if our student assistant has found it. If more than a few hours have passed, contact Computer Classrooms group at 413-545-1611 and ask them for further assistance. Items found in the IT supported areas at W.E.B. Du Bois Library are stored for 30 days in the Library Information Desk located at the entrance level.

Please clean up the work space before you leave.

Computer classrooms are shared by the entire university community. Pick up pieces of paper on the desk, push in your chair, and make it ready for the next user before you leave your computer.