Communication Devices - Acceptable Use Policy

Ref. No.	Executive sponsor	Policy steward	Approval authority	First approved	Last reviewed	Effective date	Next review
63.31	Vice President, College Services and Strategy	Director, Digital Innovation & Technology	Executive Council	Sept. 18, 2018	Sept. 7, 2021	Sept. 8, 2021	Sept 2026

Purpose
1. Nova Scotia Community College recognizes that many employees need various communication devices (s3.1) and services to effectively perform their employment duties on behalf of the College. Two main purposes of this policy are:
  1. Inform employees of acceptable uses of communication devices and related service packages provided by the College to them for business purposes related to employment duties and other educational purposes.
  2. To identify criteria for eligibility of employees to procure and use equipment and services appropriate to the business needs of their position/role in the College.

Scope
1. This Policy applies to all NSCC employees who use communication devices for business purposes related to employment duties and educational purposes on behalf of the College.
2. All College owned and/or issued communication devices and the use of and access to College digital assets (e-mail, contact lists, employee portal) accessible from or resident on personal mobile devices (s3.2) are within the scope of this policy.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program	Allows eligible employees to be reimbursed for the use of their personal mobile device in lieu of receiving a College-owned mobile device.
Communication Devices	Includes all mobile devices as defined below as well as other communications devices including, but not limited to: land line telephones and two- way radios.
Mobile Devices	Any electronic devices with the ability to transmit or receive data, text, and/or voice, via a College-approved cellular network. This includes but is not limited to smartphones, cellular equipped tablets and laptops.

Policy
1. Eligibility for Provision of Cellular Phones and Other Mobile Devices
  1. An individual user must meet one or more of the criteria set out below before a cellular telephone or other mobile communications device will be issued to the employee.
    1. Demonstrated urgency of contact:
      Safety, security or delivery of service will dramatically be affected if contact is not available.
    2. Travel and time away from office:
      The user travels an average of two or more days per week over a 52-week period, or
      The user is out of his/her office building two or more days per week over a 52-week period.
    3. Demonstrated occupational health/medical necessity.
  2. All cellular requests will be submitted to Digital Innovation & Technology via the Technology Service Desk (See procedure 63.34 Request- New Mobile Device and Service).
  3. All new cellular activations must be authorized by a Vice President or President.
2. Eligibility for Provision of Landlines
  1. For individual employees using a College-provided mobile phone, this device is considered their primary communication device for College business purposes. These individuals will not be eligible for provision of a dedicated landline and telephone set unless there is a legitimate reason for the landline service and is approved by the Vice President in the employee’s division.
  2. For those employees who have a landline and college provided mobile device NSCC reserves the right to discontinue one of the services.
  3. Eligibility criteria and request process for retention of a landline are provided are provided in Communication Devices – Standard Operating Procedures. Exceptions will be granted to employees at campuses and in areas with poor cellular coverage, employees whose job function necessitates the features of a landline, and employees who have a Vice President approve the continued use of the landline.
  4. Departmental Use communication devices
    When communication devices, including landlines, two-way radios and mobile devices are purchased for the collective use of the department, the senior administrator in the department will be responsible for their management.
3. Mobile Devices
  When an employee’s position meets the criteria for requiring a mobile device, they can choose to receive a college provided mobile device or participate in the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program.
  1. Personal Use of College-provided Communication Devices
    1. The College subscribes to the principle of “Corporately Owned, Personally Enables (COPE)” communication devices. Employees can reasonably use College-provided communication devices in their daily lives including calling, text messaging and moderate cellular data use. Video streaming can be used while connected to Wi-Fi networks but not over the cellular network.
    2. The use of College-provided communication devices for private commercial or consulting purpose is not allowed.
    3. Excessive Use
      It is the responsibility of the employee to monitor and control the use of their College-provided communication device(s) to ensure that unreasonable excessive usage charges do not accrue to the College.
      1. The employee and the employee’s supervisor are jointly responsible for determining what constitutes reasonable usage given the employee’s job responsibilities and identifying when excessive use has occurred.
      2. During the course of bill review and reconciliation, Digital Innovation & Technology may follow-up with the department regarding excessive usage to determine if it was business or personal in nature.
  2. BYOD program
    1. The College will reimburse the registered owner of a use of their personal mobile device used for College business if the use is pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor or in the case of an urgent or emergency situation.
    2. Employees approved for the BYOD program will be responsible for:
      1. Enrolling their device in the College’s device management system to ensure the protection of business information.
      2. Reporting the device as lost or stolen so it can be remotely wiped.
      3. Any costs related to repairing/ replacing the device.
4. Employee Responsibilities
  1. Safe and legal usage - by requesting and utilizing hands-free devices while operating a motor vehicle.
  2. Maintaining data security by enabling and using password protection on all mobile devices, including when accessing College data on personal devices.
  3. Reporting loss, theft or damage of mobile devices within 24 hours so that the service can be suspended immediately upon notification.
  4. Updating the employee address book via PeopleSoft Employee Self-Service to include their mobile device number.
  5. Notifying the College of travel out of country – requesting purchase of a service bundle for mobile devices, so that excess expenses can be avoided. The cost of these service bundles must be included in your Travel Request Form. For additional details, refer to 63.32 Communication Devices - Management Procedures.
  6. The use of a College-provided mobile device on a cruise ship is expressly prohibited as there are no affordable service bundles offered for this type of travel. Employees will not be reimbursed for any additional service costs incurred as a result of such use..
5. Supervisor Responsibilities
  1. Ensuring that new employees are supplied with appropriate communications devices for their positions and briefed on the communication devices policy and procedures, in the first week of their employment.
  2. Ensuring that all communication devices are returned to them at the time of an employee’s departure from employment at the College, and that all mobile devices are returned immediately to the Manager of Digital Innovation and Technology for their campus/work location.
  3. Ensuring that expenses stemming from approved business use of personal mobile devices are reimbursed to the owner
  4. Where applicable, manage an employee’s entry and/or exit in the College BYOD program.
6. Management Responsibilities
  All communications devices and related services are priced, procured and managed through NSCC’s Digital Innovation & Technology. The Director of Digital Innovation & Technology is responsible for:
  1. Stewardship of all College policies and procedures regarding the use, procurement and possession of all communication devices and related service.
  2. Ensuring that the use of communication devices for college business is correctly authorized and monitored.
  3. Monitoring personal use of College communication devices and working with employees’ supervisors to ensure compliance with acceptable personal use provisions of this policy.

Policy Supports

62.01 Travel & Reimbursement Policy

Standing Operating Procedures (login required):

63.33 Request Telecom Consultation
63.34 Request- New Mobile Device and Service
63.35 Request- Replacement Mobile Device
63.36 Request- Mobile Device Repairs
63.37 Request- Lost or Stolen Mobile Device
63.38 Porting in a Personal Number
63.39 Porting out an NSCC Number to a Personal Account
63.40 Request an International Travel Package
63.41 Request New Landline
63.42 Request Replacement Landline Headset
63.43 Request to Move Landline
63.45 Bring Your Own Device procedure