I just received the following announcement from WA State Coop Extension.
Depending upon how it is enforced, many of us would be forced off tweeters.
I realize some of you are already working under similiar guidelines, and
have
set up private accounts through home.

What it essentially says is that you may not use state computers "for
personal use unrelated to an official business purpose." Really depends on
how it is enforced.


New ethics rules have been passed for the use of state
property. These have direct impact for our faculty and
staff. The rules give clear examples of situations
where use of state property is acceptable and where it
is an ethical violation. Such things as use of
telephone, conducting business, selling candy bars for
charity, and borrowing a VCR are covered. Of particular
note is a section on the use of networks and e-mail. It
is quoted below. Please take time to look, consider,
and inwardly digest. All the examples of these new
ethics rules have been put on the WSU CAHE gopher. To
access them, go to WSU Campuses Information, then to
WSU CAHE Gopher, and then to Administrative Notices. It
is titled WAC 292-110-010 Use of State Resources.

(d) A state officer or employee may not make
private use of state computers or other equipment to
access computer networks or other databases including,
but not limited to, electronic mail and electronic
bulletin boards for personal use unrelated to an
official business purpose.

Example 10: An employee uses her agency computer
to send electronic mail to another employee
regarding the agenda for an agency meeting that
both will attend. She also wishes the other
employee a happy birthday. This is not an ethical
violation. Although there is personal
communication in the message, the message was sent
for an official business purpose.

Example 11: Two employees use their agency
computers to play a game of chess via electronic
mail. This is an ethical violation because this
use of electronic mail to play chess in not an
official business purpose.


--Jerry Tangren
<tangren at wsu.edu>