Georgetown University

Georgetown is a Catholic and Jesuit University committed to a tradition of liberal and professional education, research, and patient care, dedicated to the service of others, extending the limits of knowledge, building a sense of community and responsibility, preparing citizens and leaders to serve Washington, the Nation, and the International Community. The University fosters and supports Internet development as it contributes to these goals and facilitates the functioning of the institution.

Georgetown University recognizes the Internet and Web as powerful tools for advancing teaching, learning, and research in today's networked, global society. The underlying interactive technology of the Web can promote greater student participation in learning and open up new possibilities for teaching and scholarly communications. Georgetown also encourages the use of Internet and Web technology for creating a more efficient and effective environment for the University's administrative, business, and clinical operations and alumni communications. As Internet and Web technology grows and matures, Georgetown will continue to encourage the implementation of the best available technology for supporting all of its distinctive missions throughout our campuses, schools, and individual disciplines.

Principles for Internet Development

1. Information added to all georgetown.edu Web domains (the Georgetown Web) must be related to the goals and functions of Georgetown University.
2. All materials included in the Georgetown Web must comply with established rules and regulations of Georgetown University, including but not limited to the Speech and Expression Policy, the Student Handbooks, the Faculty Handbook, and the Human Resources manual. All Web developers are responsible for abiding by the Computer Systems Acceptable Use Policy.
3. The GUide Committee coordinates Georgetown Web development, determines placement of materials in the Georgetown Web structure, implements Internet development principles and policies, and encourages and facilitates collaboration among Web developers and service providers, as outlined in the official GUide Charge approved by the Chief Information Officers. The GUide Committee offers detailed Recommendations for the development, documentation, coordination, and organization of Web materials. The GUide Committee confers with Web developers concerning links to their materials from the Georgetown Web structure, while reserving the right to make final decisions concerning the structure of the Georgetown Web.
4. Web developers must not make material available on Georgetown Web servers in violation of copyright, trademark, or the terms of any licensing agreement.
5. The University safeguards confidential information concerning students, research, patients, employees, University business, and other matters. Much of this information is protected by various statutes and regulations and unauthorized disclosure of confidential information is prohibited by the University and may result in disciplinary action and legal sanctions. Confidential information includes, but is not limited to information concerning: prospective, current, and former students, Medical Center patients, Law Center clients, current or former employees, and University business and finances. In particular, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law which requires the University to maintain the confidentiality of student records, subject to various exceptions. If you are planning to post student information, you should check with the appropriate Registrar's office to determine if it is appropriate.
6. Any Web page that is designed to gather information about individual users should do so overtly and should state how the information will be used. If the method of gathering information is not a straightforward, fill-in-the-blanks form, and if the information gathered will be stored and used later in any way that could identify individual users, the Web page must clearly state what information is being collected and how the information will be used (to track an individual's use of specific Web pages, to create mailing lists, etc.).
7. When Web materials include specific requirements that are binding on members of a community and the official version is maintained elsewhere, such as a hard copy catalogue, the Web materials must include a notice reminding the user to refer to that other version as the ultimate authority.
8. Web materials should be produced and maintained by the parties responsible for the information (e.g., the Registrar is responsible for the Academic Calendar), and other Web developers must refer to these authoritative sources of information rather than creating their own duplicative materials.
9. All Web developers are responsible for ensuring that the information in their Web files, including links to outside resources, is valid, current, and appropriate to the goals and purposes of Georgetown University. Web developers or designated staff are required to maintain files and update, remove, or correct materials as necessary. Files that are not properly maintained will be removed from the Georgetown Web structure.
10. Every textual Web file must include information clearly identifying the person who is responsible for the file, contact information, and the date the file was last revised. This principle should be applied to image, sound, video, and other file types as the technology to include relevant information in other file types becomes available at Georgetown. If the person who is responsible for the content of a Web file is not the same as the person who is responsible for publishing the file on the Web server, contact information for both the "creator" and the "publisher" should be included. See the GUide Recommendations on Documentation for more information.
11. University Web service providers must maintain well-documented systems for determining who is responsible for specific directories and files on their servers.
12. All subdirectories on georgetown.edu Web servers should have a logical organization that reflects the structure of the information and/or the structure of the units providing the information. See the GUide Recommendations on Organization for more information.
13. All Web developers should make efficient use of space and avoid unnecessary duplication, unused "orphan" files, and excessively large files. Service providers reserve the right to limit space on their servers if necessary.
14. Consistent with appropriate University personnel policies, job descriptions of those who develop and maintain Web materials should include these responsibilities.
15. Web development for commercial purposes should be done on commercial (.com) servers.

Materials in the Georgetown Web structure are at all times open to review, and violations of these principles will be referred to the appropriate University authorities. Web developers will be held accountable for all materials within their directories, and failure to abide by these principles could result in removal of the files or directories in question from the Georgetown Web structure and other appropriate disciplinary action. Where warranted, suspected violations of University policies or federal, state, or local laws or regulations will be referred to appropriate authorities.

This document has been approved by the Administrative Working Group and the Executive Committee of the President's Cabinet.

The Georgetown University Internet Development Mission Statement and Principles were composed by Judy Abbett (Executive Director, External Affairs), Cathy Ball (Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics), Jane Blumenthal (Director, Dahlgren Medical Library), Deborah Everhart (Chair, GUide Committee), Karen Frank (Executive Director, Student Services and Facilities), Mark Goldberg (Chief Information Officer, Law Center), Ardoth Hassler (Chief Information Officer, Main Campus), Martin Irvine (Associate Professor and Director, Communication, Culture, and Technology Program), Kathy Jones (Vice President for Alumni and University Relations), Joseph Lang (Athletics Director), Sue Martin (University Librarian), Patricia McWade (Dean of Student Financial Services), Peter Mellen (Chair, Board of Governor's Committee on Information Technology), Bob Oakley (Professor of Law), John Pezzullo (Director of Research Information Services), Suniti Ponkshe (Executive Director, Information Services), Ed Quinn (Assistant University Counsel), Tracy Reichin (Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations), and Penny Rue (Associate Dean of Students).

© Copyright 1997, Georgetown University