Administrative Procedure 0701 - Information Technology Services Google Application Procedures

I. Purpose

To provide Google Application (Google Apps) procedures for employees of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS).

II. Information

Every PGCPS employee receives an e-mail account automatically upon commencement of employment. Accounts for non-employees may be obtained with the approval of a PGCPS supervisor. All e-mail accounts and the information contained within are the property of PGCPS and, as such, can be reviewed at any time.

III. Background

Employees are expected to use technology resources for educational and/or PGCPS administrative purposes only. Any user of the PGCPS Network, Internet, and technologies should always reflect academic honesty, high ethical standards, and moral responsibility. Employees must abide by e-mail procedures as set forth in this Administrative Procedure. PGCPS uses “Google Apps for Education,” a free suite of hosted email and collaboration applications exclusively for schools and universities.

IV. Definitions

1. A user is defined as a student, employee, student teacher, volunteer, contractor, or any other entity having an e-mail account with PGCPS.
2. SPAM e-mail is unsolicited bulk e-mail.
3. Inbound mail refers to all mail sent from external networks into the PGCPS network.
4. Outbound mail refers to all mail sent from the PGCPS network to external networks.
5. Internal mail refers to all mail sent between users of the PGCPS e-mail system.
6. A Distribution Group is defined as a process by which mail can be sent to a group of users without the need to enter each recipient’s individual address.
7. A Security Group is defined as a means of securing access to a network resource through group membership.

V. Procedures

1. Mail Access
   1. All Employees receive Windows, Oracle E-Business, and E-mail accounts within 24 hours of their information being entered into Oracle by Human Resources.
   2. Employees have unlimited access to their e-mail accounts via the Internet from either inside or outside the PGCPS network.
   3. PGCPS will make every effort to reduce or eliminate SPAM by ensuring each piece of incoming and outgoing mail is scanned and by screening and eliminating unsolicited mail and mail with no primary addressee that uses “blind copy” distribution to reach employees. It is impossible to prevent all SPAM from entering the e-mail system.
   4. PGCPS will review and prohibit mass mailings to staff members by either internal or external sources. Internal mass mailings must receive approval from the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Information Technology Officer.
   5. Each Inbound, outbound, and internal e-mail and attachment is limited to 25Mb.
   6. Antivirus procedures may strip or prohibit certain attachment file types. The most notable types prohibited are .zip and .exe. The Information Technology (IT) Division reserves the authority to block any file type deemed by our virus protection software as being harmful or potentially harmful.
   7. All users will have at least 30 GB of storage space for their mail, calendar, contacts, chats, photos, and documents.
   8. E-mail records for all employees will be maintained externally by PGCPS for at least one year.
   9. All mail sent or received using PGCPS systems is the property of PGCPS. As such, PGCPS has the right to review e-mail at any time, without notice.
   10. Upon termination of employment, all access to PGCPS IT systems, including, but not limited to, Google Apps, is automatically removed at midnight on the date of termination. This includes both voluntary and involuntary termination and retirement.
   11. The user’s account is automatically placed into their school or department staff group so that they will receive e-mails directed to all staff members. This membership is also used for the application of group policies and security permissions.
2. Mail Access for Non-employees
   1. Accounts for non-employees are created on an as needed basis and fall into one of 3 categories:
      1. Generic accounts: accounts for ease of mail distribution or for specific programs and services, not linked to any one user.
      2. Contractor accounts: accounts for internal users who access our network and IT systems.
      3. Non-PGCPS employee accounts: accounts for internal users who are not paid directly through PGCPS payroll and do not have an EIN.
   2. All Generic, Contractor, and Non-PGCPS accounts must adhere to the same standards as all PGCPS employee e-mail accounts. For more information on these rules, please see Administrative Procedure 0700, Information Technology Services-Acceptable Usage Guidelines.
   3. Generic accounts:
      1. To request a generic account, complete the form entitled “Generic Account Request Form” located at https://eforms.pgcps.org from within the PGCPS network.
      2. These accounts are created and the logon information will be sent directly to the requestor.
      3. Accounts are created within 3 business days of the form completion date.
      4. Generic accounts are never to be used to allow any staff or student to log onto PGCPS computers anonymously. They are only to be used for the specific purpose they were requested for.
   4. Contractor accounts:
      1. To request a contractor account, complete the form entitled “Windows & Remote Access Form for Contractors” located at https://eforms.pgcps.org.
      2. When the account is requested, an end-date must be given. This end date must occur on or before July 1 of the current school year.
      3. These accounts are created and the logon information will be sent directly to the requestor.
      4. Accounts are created within 3 business days of the form completion date.
      5. These accounts must be renewed each school year, if needed.
      6. In some cases, the employee may need remote access to our network. If remote access is necessary, please complete the form entitled, “VPN Authorization Request Form for Contractors”. Please see Administrative Procedure 0705-Information Technology Services-Remote Access Procedures for VPN access.
   5. Non-PGCPS employee accounts:
      1. To request a non-PGCPS employee account, complete the form entitled, Non-PGCPS Employee Request Form located at https://eforms.pgcps.org.
      2. These accounts are created and the logon information will be sent directly to the requestor.
      3. Accounts are created within 3 business days of the form completion date.
      4. These accounts must be renewed each school year, if needed.
   6. At this time, Parent Teacher organizations are not eligible for Windows logons or e-mail accounts.
   7. Parent volunteers may receive Windows Logons but are not eligible for E-mail accounts.
3. User Responsibilities
   1. Users are required to use their Prince George’s County Public Schools e-mail address for all school system business. Users are advised to acquire and use a personal e-mail address for all other e-mail correspondence.
   2. Users should never use their PGCPS e-mail address for personal or financial gain. This includes sending e-mails to PGCPS staff or students that are unsolicited and will provide personal or financial gain for individuals. In accordance with Administrative Procedure 0700-Information Technology Services-Acceptable Usage Guidelines, users should never use their PGCPS e-mail address to annoy, harass or solicit other PGCPS staff members, students, or external e-mail users. Employees found violating these guidelines may be subject to disciplinary action.
   3. E-mail display names should state the employee’s legal first and last name. Users should not change their display names to show any name that does not identify their name properly to the reader. If an employee is known to the majority of their PGCPS colleagues or students by a specific nickname, it is permissible to change the first name to that nickname. Nicknames should be appropriate for both the educational and business environment.
   4. E-mail is to be used in a professional manner, void of foul, abusive or threatening language, and/or language that is of indecent nature or content.
   5. All employees must place a signature at the bottom of each e-mail sent which should only include:
      • Employee’s First and Last Name
      • Prince George’s County Public Schools
      • Employee’s Title and Department/School
      • Building Name
      • Mailing Address
      • Work phone number (W)
      • Fax Number (F)
      • Complete Email address
      • PGCPS or Departmental Website address
        
        No quotes or other slogans should be used. Instructions for creating and modifying signatures can be found on the PGCPS Google FAQ site (http://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/google-apps).
   6. If an employee is unavailable for longer than one business day, an Out-of-Office message should be placed on their mailbox for the days they will be unavailable. This message should also include instructions for alternate assistance, if available. Employees should not leave Out-of-Office messages on their mailbox indefinitely, and should ensure that the message is removed upon their return to work. Instructions for creating and modifying these messages can be found on the PGCPS Google FAQ site (http://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/google-apps).
4. Email Etiquette
   1. All users of the PGCPS email system should follow these guidelines when communicating:
      1. Always limit communication to educational or PGCPS business purposes only.
      2. Always be professional in all E-mail communication.
      3. Use the subject line to identify the subject of the message and do not leave it blank.
      4. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
      5. Do not attach unnecessary files, especially those large in size.
      6. Do not write in CAPITALS.
      7. Always sign your emails with a proper signature.
      8. Do not forward chain letters.
      9. Do not use email to discuss confidential information with staff or other individuals who do not have legitimate educational interest or authority to review the information.
      10. Do not automatically forward your PGCPS email to an external account.
      11. Do not send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist, or obscene remarks.
      12. Keep in mind that electronic communication does not convey facial expressions or tone of voice. It is important to be aware of how the message written could be misunderstood.
      13. When sending a mass mailing, use the BCC field so that you do not wrongfully publish another person’s email address to others.
   2. In addition to the guidelines listed above, those employees communicating with students should also follow these guidelines:
      1. Hold yourself to the same standards of written communication to which students are held.
      2. Never contact students regarding personal situations.
      3. Never contact students without parental consent.
      4. Always address the student properly and sign the message with your professional name.
   3. In addition to the guidelines listed above, those employees communicating with parents and other members of the community should also follow these guidelines:
      1. Hold yourself to the same standards of written communication to which students are held. Use proper grammar, punctuation and spelling.
      2. When responding to messages, be prompt to answer any questions or, if an answer is not readily available, inform the sender that the problem is being addressed. Follow up with another response as soon as information is available.
      3. Answer all emails promptly. Parents and community members send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. If you do not have the time to respond properly, send a reply letting the person know that you received their email and you will respond shortly.
5. Google Hangouts Acceptable Uses
   1. Google Hangouts is an instant messaging product available to all PGCPS employees. It is useful for speaking with colleagues in a timely and simple manner.
   2. Google Hangouts should be used for business/educational purposes only.
   3. It should not be used to harass, annoy, or cause harm to any individuals.
   4. When using Google Hangouts, do not give out any student or staff information.
   5. Employees are not required to use Google Hangouts or to accept invitations to chat with others.
6. Google Sites Acceptable Uses
   1. Google Sites are provided as an online tool in support of a collaborative work effort at PGCPS. Their use is, therefore, restricted to PGCPS-affiliated groups, departments and organizations only. Google Sites should not be created for individual use.
   2. Google Sites allow any employee to create an internal or external webpage for centralized access to information. The best use of Sites is for internal departmental collaboration and information sharing. In the school environment, Sites can be a great way to provide information to students and parents on assignments, upcoming events, and access to permission forms or other documents.
   3. Use of Google Sites must be consistent with the educational goals and mission of PGCPS, as well as comply with local, state and federal laws and PGCPS policies.
   4. It will be the site creator’s responsibility to maintain the Site and ensure that all information contained therein is accurate, up-to-date, and is in conformance with the mission and values of PGCPS.
   5. Sites must adhere to applicable federal and state laws; including, but not limited to, copyright and trademark law.
   6. PGCPS IT staff reserves the right to immediately remove any Google Site that they find to be in violation of any portion of this procedure with or without prior notice to the Site owner.
   7. No confidential information may be contained in a Google Site.
      This includes, but is not limited to:
      1. Social Security Numbers;
      2. Employee Information Numbers (EIN);
      3. Student educational records;
      4. Student medical records;
      5. Employee or student specific financial data; and
      6. Birth Date.
   8. Users are expected to report misuse of a site to IT staff as soon as possible so that a proper course of action can be determined in a timely fashion.
   9. Sites should not be used to create departmental, divisional sites, or official school sites. These sites should be created in the Optimizely web content management system.
   10. Proper security measures should be taken to limit site access accordingly.
   11. Employees cannot use Google Sites to promote any personal business or entity for financial gain or notoriety.
   12. Upon termination of employment, all access to Google Sites is automatically removed.
7. Google Drive Acceptable Use
   1. Google Docs provides all PGCPS employees with online word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation editing and storage through Google Drive.
   2. When storing files in Google Drive, security on each document must be utilized to ensure that information is protected.
   3. All files stored should be professional in nature, and limited to business or educational purposes. No personal documents should be stored in Google Docs under your pgcps.org account.
   4. Upon termination of employment, all access to Google Drive is automatically removed.
8. Termination of Employment
   1. Within 24 hours of official termination of employment by Human Resources, the employee’s account is disabled.
   2. Once employment is terminated and the employee’s account is disabled, no access will be granted to the employee unless requested in writing from the Chief Information Technology Officer.
9. Security and Distribution Groups
   1. Security Groups:
      1. Are used mainly for controlling access to one or more programs, services, or resources, such as files, folders, or
         shares;
      2. Can be composed of users, computers, or subgroups;
      3. Can also have e-mail capability, if required; and
      4. Are usually maintained by the Division of Information Technology.
      5. To request this type of group, please complete the form entitled, “Security, Distribution and Google Groups Request” at https://eforms.pgcps.org.
   2. Distribution Groups:
      1. Are used solely for distribution of email to a cluster of users;
      2. Generally used to provide global access to distribution lists; and
      3. Maintained by IT Staff.
      4. To request this type of group, please complete the form entitled, “Security, Distribution and Google Groups Request” at https://eforms.pgcps.org.

VI. Monitoring and Compliance

1. Authorized staff in the Division of Information Technology will manage access to mail and Google Apps and requests for mail access for non-employees, security and distribution groups in accordance with this Procedure.
2. Staff should promptly report potential misuse of a Google site to the Division of Information Technology for investigation and prompt resolution.

VII. Related Procedures

Administrative Procedure 0700, Information Technology Services-Acceptable Usage Guidelines

VIII. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

These procedures originate with the Division of Information Technology, and will be reviewed annually and updated as needed.

IX. Cancellations and Supersedures

This is Administrative Procedure cancels and supersedes Administrative Procedure 0701, dated August 15, 2011.

X. Effective Date

July 1, 2019

About This Procedure

Revised: July 1, 2019

Documents

Administrative Procedure 0701 - Information Technology Services Google Application Procedures.pdf