Intricacy and Impacts of Computing Policies on University Campuses

T. C. Ting

• Introduction
• 1. An Interlocking System of Technology and Human Action
• 2. Planning Computer Usage for Educational Systems
• 2.1 The Issue of Planning
• 2.2 Conciliating opposing Viewpoints and Interests
• 2.3 Planning and Managing Change
• 3. Organizational Changes and Their Potential Implications
• 3.1 Organizational, Structural and Operational Changes
• 3.2 Potential Changes in Educational Programs
• 4. Conflicts Between the Individual’s Right to Privacy and the Organization’s Need to Process Information
• 5. Difficulties in Developing and Adopting Conventions and Standards
• 6. Summary

4. Conflicts Between the Individual’s Right to Privacy and the Organization’s Need to Process Information

The issue of confidentiality and invasion of privacy became increasingly prominent as the use of computers became widespread. Rapid proliferation of computers makes individuals increasingly vulnerable to abuse by computer experts. It is theoretically impossible to have a perfect protective system for data and system security. Although many effective security measures have been proposed, some of the safeguards that users want would be prohibitively expensive. There is a wide gap between the safeguards that can be implemented in the laboratory and those available in most commercial systems.

What is to be considered as appropriate, satisfactory, or a desired level of user and system protection is a serious subject of debate. Those who are responsible for operating computer systems are often more concerned with economic factors and efficiencies of machines. Moral, ethical, and legal responsibilities and liabilities must be carefully considered. However, requiring perfect or near perfect security solutions will certainly impede many educational applications where students and faculty can benefit. Computing policies should provide guidelines for the development of systems and operations which can provide an appropriate balance between these conflicts

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