Harvard Wiki Terms of Use

Purpose

Harvard Wikis are provided by Harvard University through the University CIO's Office to facilitate educational and research-related group work and communication among Harvard University faculty, staff and students, and, in certain situations, other individuals authorized by Harvard University. Uses inconsistent with this purpose are prohibited, including, but not limited to, any use: (1) that violates local, state or federal laws or Harvard University’s policies; (2) that inaccurately implies or suggests endorsement, approval, or sponsorship by Harvard University (or any Harvard University department, faculty, school or other unit of the University); (3)that can be confused with official communications of Harvard University (or any Harvard University department, faculty, school or other unit); (4) in connection with mass mailings or other unsolicited communications (sometimes known as "spamming"); (5) for file storage not related to educational and research-related group work; (6) for personal or commercial web space; or (7) for storing or making available information or materials considered under Harvard University Information Security Policy to be “confidential information” or "high risk confidential information" (see below). Harvard may immediately and permanently deny any person access to Harvard Wikis whose use of Harvard Wikis is prohibited by these Terms of Use or otherwise inconsistent with the above-stated purpose and remove any Harvard Wiki used by such person. 

Your name and contributions to a Harvard Wiki will be made available to the administrator and other contributors to the wiki. Depending on the scope of access given to the wiki by its administrator, your name and contributions may be made available to the public. Questions about who can view the wiki, your contributions and your name should be directed to the administrator. 

Use of Wikis with " Confidential Information” is Prohibited

Users of Harvard Wikis must comply with the Harvard University Information Security Policy.  Users are prohibited from storing or making available on Harvard Wikis “confidential information”, including but not limited to “high risk confidential information”. The definitions of “confidential information” and “high risk confidential information” may be found at https://policy.security.harvard.edu/dct .     

Privacy

All users must protect the privacy and confidentiality of student, employee and other institutional information, as required by Harvard University’s policies and applicable state and federal laws, including but not limited to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”).  If a Harvard Wiki will be used in connection with a course and will include content provided by students or any information about the students enrolled in the course, the administrator of the Harvard Wiki must restrict access to students enrolled in the course unless the administrator (a) has obtained the prior written consent of each student enrolled in the course to make the Harvard Wiki publicly available, and (b) will not grade the students on their participation in the Harvard Wiki.

Users who have questions about protecting privacy should contact their local support provider for guidance on appropriate use.

Technical Support

HUIT Academic Technology provides services through school-based technical support. HUIT Academic Technology works directly with these school-based liaisons so that they can provide up-to-date information and in-depth technical support to their clients. Harvard Wiki users can also contact local IT support to report issues, gather information, or make enhancement requests.

File Storage

HUIT Academic Technology monitors the file space associated with each wiki, and may enforce a wiki space storage limit.

Disclaimer

The content of each Harvard Wiki is provided solely by the users of such Harvard Wiki. Harvard University makes no representations or warranties of any kind (express, implied or otherwise) with respect to the content of any Harvard Wiki, including but not limited to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained therein, or any copyrights or other intellectual property rights related thereto. Harvard University makes no representations or warranties of any kind (express, implied or otherwise) that the Harvard Wikis will operate error-free or that the site and its server are free of computer viruses or other harmful material.

Harvard University reserves the right to discontinue any or all online services, including Harvard Wikis, or to change these Terms of Use at any time in its sole discretion. Changes to these Terms of Use will be posted on this site and may be distributed to school-based Harvard Wiki liaisons.

Copyright and Fair Use

A collaborative platform such as Harvard Wikis in which content is provided by users raises potential copyright issues.  As stated above, use of Harvard Wikis that violates local, state or federal laws, including but not limited to copyright laws, is prohibited.  Accordingly, users are prohibited from contributing content that would infringe or violate the copyright or other rights of others. 

In addition, no user may use or make available other users’ contributions to a Harvard Wiki in a way that would infringe or violate the copyright or other rights of those contributors.  If a wiki administrator wishes to be able to make a Harvard Wiki accessible (either immediately or in the future) to an audience broader than the Harvard users who are authorized to contribute to the wiki, the administrator should so inform all contributors.  The administrator should similarly inform all contributors if the wiki will be made available under particular license terms – such as one of the Creative Commons licenses.  All contributors to the Harvard Wiki who are so informed in advance and who have a copyright interest in their contributions agree by contributing that their contributions may be made available in the manner specified.  Wiki contributors also should recognize that the collaborative nature of the wiki may affect their rights in their contributions – for example, by possibly giving rise to a joint work, in which the copyright is jointly owned by multiple contributors.  General information and resources on copyright law and fair use may be found, among other places, at https://ogc.harvard.edu/pages/copyright-and-fair-use . The Harvard University Statement of Policy in Regard to Intellectual Property may be found at https://otd.harvard.edu/faculty-inventors/resources/policies-and-procedures/statement-of-policy-in-regard-to-intellectual-property .

 
Please note: 

Your name and contributions to a Harvard Wiki will be made available to the administrator and other contributors to the wiki. Depending on the scope of access given to the wiki by its administrator, your name and contributions may be made available to the public. Questions about who can view the wiki, your contributions and your name should be directed to the administrator.