INI Policies and Procedures For Students who Entered the MSIN/MSISTM Programs Prior to Fall 2004

The information provided in this policy guide is intended to summarize the rules of the INI graduate programs. These policies are subject to change and/or modifications and do not constitute a contract.

The following are partial requirements for the MSIN and MSISTM degrees. The full description of the requirements for both programs can be found on the INI web site at: http://www.ini.cmu.edu/academics/academic.htm

A. MSIN Degree Requirements
Each MSIN candidate must register for, take, and complete 171 units of course work. These 171 units comprise:

• 60 units of Core Courses (core courses may not be waived)
• 48 units of Restricted Electives
• 18 units of Free Electives
• 45 units of Project (includes two research seminar courses)

B. MSISTM Degree Requirements
Each MSISTM candidate must register for, take, and complete 180 units of course work. These 180 units comprise:

• 84 units of Core Courses (core courses may not be waived)
• 48 units of Restricted Electives
• 12 units of Free Electives
• 36 units of Project (includes two research seminar courses)

C. Electives

1. Restricted Electives
Restricted electives form the area of a student's specialization. Students have the opportunity to pursue a wide range of technical electives in which they have a special interest. The INI Graduate Programs Offices publishes a list of Restricted Electives on the INI web site. This list is periodically updated to add or delete courses as necessary. Such requests will be reviewed by the INI Graduate Programs Office. Generally, courses in the business school (Tepper), and the Heinz School require special approval if they are not already listed as approved. Graduate-level courses, numbered 300 and above in ECE and SCS count as technical electives.

2. Free Electives
Any Carnegie Mellon course (e.g., from the English Department) counts towards free elective credit. Free electives must be taken for a grade (i.e., not pass/fail).

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D. INI Project and Research Seminars
The MSIN/MSISTM Project represents a capstone experience and an original contribution in an interesting and relevant area of information networking/security. View detailed guidelines for the INI Project.

The process for choosing a project topic includes attendance to the INI research seminars, which are held in the first fall and spring semesters of the program. Faculty from the Carnegie Mellon community are invited to present their current research in weekly sessions which introduce INI students to a variety of research topics, both new and on-going, that may form the basis of INI student projects.

Three units of the total projects units (42 for MSIN, 36 for MSISTM) are for the INI research seminars. INI students are automatically registered the one-unit fall research seminar course and two-unit spring research seminar course. Students must submit a project proposal by the last day of the spring research seminar to receive a grade and credit for the course. A student who has missed more than two seminars in a semester is at risk of losing his/her financial aid as determined by the INI Director. Project proposals are due by the end of the first spring semester. By the fourth semester, students should have registered for the project, comprising 42 and 36 units for the MSIN and MSISTM, respectively. Students can not register for project units without first submitting an approved project proposal.

Upon completion of their project, students are required to give a 45-minute presentation in public that summarizes their work and its major contributions. Project presentations must be done at least 2 weeks prior to the last day of the final semester. Normally, both the advisor and reader of the project are expected to attend the entire presentation. In cases where either the advisor or reader is off campus, his or her attendance is optional. In all cases, at least one of the two supervising faculty members must be in attendance at the presentation.

In order to ensure that all interested members of the INI community can attend the presentation, the title and abstract of the project or project, along with the date, time, and place of the presentation must be provided to the INI Graduate Programs Office for distribution at least ten days prior to the presentation.

A project report describing the project and its major findings must be submitted for approval to both the project advisor and reader. The signature page, which is provided online, should be submitted with the report to the INI Graduate Programs Office. Once the project report has been approved, the project advisor must submit the final grade to the INI Graduate Programs Office.

E. Independent Study Courses
If there is a special topic that interests the student, and if there are no courses covering the topic in depth, the student may negotiate an "independent study" course with a faculty member. If the student can find a faculty member who agrees to supervise such a course, the student must submit a petition in the form of a proposal describing the independent study, including a paragraph justifying whether the independent study should count towards free or restricted electives, to the INI Graduate Programs Office. For project-oriented independent study, approval will be granted only for topics that are clearly and demonstrably different from a student’s master’s project topic. Each INI candidate can take up to 12 units of independent study units, which count as free elective units. An independent study course cannot be taken on a “pass/fail” basis. Students may not enroll in independent study courses without prior approval through formal petition and during any semester in which they are on probation.

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F. Internships
Some INI students may wish to participate in off-campus paid internships in off-campus research laboratories or companies during the summer months. The following rules for internships apply:

• The student must register for the 3-unit INI internship course, which does not count towards degree requirements, in order for the internship to be documented on the student transcripts.
• The work for the internship must be appropriate to the goals of the program of study.
• The student must have the permission of his or her source(s) of funding for the academic year to participate in the internship.
• International students must clear the internship with Carnegie Mellon’s Office of International Education (OIE) to avoid complications with their visas. When CPT is required by OIE, internships are only permitted when the work involved is specifically related to and part of the student’s project
• The MS project proposal must be completed, signed, and accepted by the INI Graduate Programs Office before the student leaves Pittsburgh to begin the internship
• Upon completion of the internship, students should get letter from internship supervisor stating that they have successfully completed the requirements of the internship.

G. Academic Performance*

1. Grade Point Average
In order to graduate, each INI candidate must have a "B or better" grade point average, or equivalently, a GPA of at least 3.0 in:

• all required courses excluding the project and
• all courses taken.

2. Academic Probation
At the end of each semester after final grades have been posted, the academic performance of all students is reviewed. GPA for academic review is computed based on the above guidelines for graduation requirements.

Any INI student with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 at the time of academic performance review, or with a GPA of less than 3.0 in the most recent full semester completed, is automatically placed on academic probation.

Students on academic probation are required to seek approval from the INI Graduate Programs Office for all academic activities until they are removed from probation. Students on academic probation may be denied admission to certain courses, as determined by the INI Director.

Students on academic probation are not permitted to take "Pass/Fail" courses or independent study courses.

A student on academic probation will automatically be removed from probation during the next academic review if the student's cumulative GPA at that time is 3.0 or better.

If a student remains on academic probation after 2 consecutive semesters the student may be asked to leave the program unless he/she can demonstrate some extenuating circumstances through a formal petition to the INI Director.

*Students must remain in good academic standing which entails maintaining a "B or better" grade point average, or equivalently, a GPA of at least 3.0 in required courses and all courses taken, excluding the project. And having no administrative actions on their record.

 

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H. Degree Requirements Timeframe
The MSIN and MSISTM are 16-month programs and students are expected to finish all of their requirements by the end of the fall term of their second academic year at Carnegie Mellon. In some cases, a student may need more time to finish the project requirement. In such an instance, a student must submit a formal petition to the INI Graduate Programs Office and may be granted one semester of extension and allowed to register for project credits only, without any additional tuition.

Students who register for course credits after their second fall term in the program will be charged tuition for courses beyond what is required to satisfy the requirements of the degree.

I. Certification of Degree
In order to be certified for graduation, students must complete all residence and course requirements in their approved curriculum and be recommended for the INI degree by the INI Director.

No student may receive a degree until all financial obligations to the University have been met and all academic requirements have been completed.

The INI Graduate Programs Office will try to help students in every way possible to successfully complete their program of study. However, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that all of the program requirements have been fulfilled. Failure by the INI Graduate Programs Office to provide notice to the student that a requirement has not been met is not an acceptable excuse for not meeting the degree requirements.

J. Program Transfer
A student wishing to transfer from one INI program to another (e.g., MSIN to MSISTM) must submit a formal petition to the INI Graduate Programs Office stating the reasons for transfer. Such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are subject to the approval of and conditions set forth by the INI Director. Program transfer requests should be made early in order to fulfill the appropriate sequence of courses and satisfy degree requirements accordingly. Transfers occurring later in the program could result in a longer program duration and tuition ramifications.

K. Program Location Transfer
Admissions to the Pittsburgh and Athens program locations are handled independently of each other. A student wishing to transfer from one program location to another must formally apply to the other location. Program location transfers are not guaranteed and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, subject to the admissions committee at each program location.

Financial aid and scholarships are awarded for a particular program location and cannot be transferred.

L. Deferral Policy
The INI does not allow admission deferrals. Each year applicants are reviewed and ranked with the current applicant pool. Students are accepted for admission into the program for a particular academic year and may not defer admission.

A. Registration
In the first fall semester, INI students take primarily core courses. The INI Graduate Programs Office registers all incoming students for required core courses. Students may register themselves for electives. However, not all schedules for INI courses are set, so students should be prepared to drop technical or free elective courses that conflict with core courses. Core courses may not be dropped in favor of a technical or free elective. Students are required to complete their core courses within the time frame provided in the curriculum.

B. Course Load
There is a 54 unit, including research and seminar units (1 fall, 2 spring) maximum course load per semester. Students generally take 36-48 units per semester. All INI students must register for a minimum of 36 units each semester. By the fourth semester, students should have registered for the project, comprising 42 and 36 for the MSIN and MSISTM, respectively. Students can not register for project units without first submitting an approved project proposal. At 36 units per semester it is not possible to finish the program in 16 months.

Students are typically waitlisted for elective courses at the beginning of the semester, sometimes resulting in a course load greater than 54 units. Beginning with the third week of each semester, INI students are limited to a maximum course load of 54 units.

Students should attend a course for which they’ve been waitlisted until their final course schedule has been determined so that required work is not missed.

Students wishing to take fewer than 36 units or greater than 54 units in a semester must submit a petition to the INI Graduate Programs Office.

Students are expected to complete all the degree requirements by the end of the second fall semester in the program. Students may choose to extend their graduation date until the second spring semester in order to complete their project work. However, students who register from more course units than required for the degree will be charged additional tuition.

C. Special Considerations for Foreign Students
Federal Law requires each foreign student to maintain status as a "full-time student" which, at Carnegie Mellon, is defined as a student who carries at least 36 units in a (full) semester. The student visa (and, therefore, permit of stay) becomes null and void if a student is not registered for at least 36 units during a semester. The 36-unit minimum course load does not apply during the summer and during the final semester.

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D. Transfer of Credits
Up to 12 units of courses taken at another university, whether taken prior to or after entering the INI graduate program, may be transferred and count as electives providing:

a) they are graduate-level courses at the university where they were taken, and
b) they have not been used to fulfill requirement for any previously-earned degree.

A grade of “B” or better must be earned for the courses transferred. All transfer credits must be approved by the INI Graduate Programs Office, which will also determine if the transfer credits count as restricted or free electives.

E. Retaking of Courses
Credit is not granted for retaking a course. A student may, however, sit in the course for the purpose of gaining additional knowledge of the material.

The only exception to the above policy is if the student has not received a grade of "C or better" in a required core course. Those students must retake the courses in which they received lower than “C”. Both the original grade and replacement grade will be included in the transcript and in the GPA computation for graduation requirements.

F. Auditing a Course
Auditing is presence in a classroom without receiving academic credit or a letter grade. The extent of your participation must be arranged and approved by the course instructor. A student wishing to audit a course is required to register for the course, get the permission of the instructor and the INI Graduate Programs Office, and complete and return the Course Audit Approval Form to The HUB prior to the tenth day of classes. The HUB form is available at: http://www.cmu.edu/hub/docs.html.

Once a student submits either a Course Audit Approval Form or a Pass/Fail Form to the HUB, a letter grade will not be assigned for the course.

The units of courses audited count toward the maximum course load of 54 units.

Auditors are expected to attend class as though they were regular class members. Formal auditors who do not attend regularly or who do not regularly prepare themselves for class will receive a failing grade (i.e., "D" or "R"). Otherwise, the student receives the grade of "O", indicating audit.

Any full-time student may audit a course. If a part-time student audits a course, he or she will be charged part-time tuition for the course.

G. Courses with Restricted Enrollment
The faculty member teaching a course may set a limit on the number of students permitted to enroll in the course. If the number of pre-registered students for a course exceeds the class size, as specified by the instructor of the course, all other students will be put on a waiting list.

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The University reserves the right to withdraw any announced course if the enrollment is too small to warrant its continuance. The University also reserves the right to make changes in the schedule of hours, units, or in instructional staff when such changes seem necessary or advisable. The dates for pre-registration and enrollment are listed in the official University calendar and in the Tepper calendar.

Each student must register for each course taken, whether it is for credit or not. Any student whose name is not on the class roster on the first day of class for that course may be denied admission to the classroom. The student is responsible for knowing the University deadlines for adding and dropping courses. These dates can be found on the online academic calendar at: http://www.cmu.edu/hub/calendar.html

The INI office will make an effort to post these dates at the beginning of every semester.

A. Student IDs
Your Carnegie Mellon ID card serves to identify you as a member of the Carnegie Mellon community. The card is used for entrance to some Carnegie Mellon buildings, for admission to athletic events, it is used to gain access to facilities on campus, such as the gym and swimming pool, it is also used for admission to certain events sponsored by the Student Government, for student elections, etc. You will also receive a sticker twice a year that serves as a buss pass for the Allegheny County Port Authority.

Upon the request of any school official or security officer, the student should be willing to produce this card. Refusal to do so may be regarded as a basis for disciplinary action.

Student identification cards are made and distributed from the HUB, located in the basement of Warner Hall. There is a $15.00 fee to replace a lost ID card.

B. Pre-Registration and Enrollment
Pre-registration for fall and summer semester courses is held in April and pre-registration for spring semester courses is in November.

Enrollment is not complete until your bill is paid.

C. Adding/Dropping Courses
You may add and drop courses on-line at http://www.cmu.edu/hub. Click on “On-Line Registration” and enter your Andrew userid and password. All requests to add must be completed no later than the “Add” deadline given in the academic calendar. Check the academic calendar for the deadlines for dropping courses.

All section changes require "adding" the new section and "dropping" the old.

All decisions to add or drop courses that fulfill core course requirements must be approved by the INI Director.

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The INI shall not release any student records to any party not authorized. No grades will be released to any student over the telephone.

A. Course Marks

The student earns credit for a course only if the course is registered for and completed.

If the student fails to drop a course by the "Add/Drop" deadline, a grade of "R" will be given. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that registration for all courses is complete. No course credit can be given and no grades can be processed if the student has not actually registered for the course, even if the course has been completed.

B. Incompletes
All students must complete the requirements for every course in time (i.e., by the end of the respective semester/mini-semester). Any exceptions are solely determined by the instructor in charge.

All "incomplete" courses, including independent study courses, must be completed within six weeks of the due date of the grades for that mini-semester/semester or at least two weeks before the due date of the grades for the following mini-semester/semester, whichever comes first.

If deadlines as described above are violated, the student will receive an “R” in the course by default.

If there are unusual circumstances (e.g., serious medical problems or death in the family), the Director of the INI program may grant permission to make exceptions to the above set of rules.

C. Transcripts
Official transcripts are issued only by HUB of Carnegie Mellon University. Such requests are typically processed in three days and there is a nominal fee.

D. Distribution of Grade Reports
The HUB of Carnegie Mellon University mails grade reports to the permanent addresses of all students at the end of each semester. The Tepper office produces and distributes up-to-date and accurate grade reports at the end of all mini-semesters.

Class rankings are not released to anyone, including the student.

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A. Leave of Absence/Withdrawal
Students wishing to withdraw or take a leave of absence must complete an Application for Withdrawal or Leave of Absence, available from the HUB. Further information about the leave policies of the University can be found at the following website: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/StLeave.html

A "Leave of Absence" means leaving the University temporarily, with the firm and stated intention to return.

A "Withdrawal" means leaving the University with no intention to return.

"Withdrawals" or "Leaves" taken while school is in session (through the last day of classes) result in "no academic penalty" for the student - i.e., no permanent grades are recorded for courses taken during that semester or session. Withdrawals or Leaves after the last day of classes of a semester result in the recording of permanent grades for that semester or session. Withdrawals or leaves before the last day of classes, but after the "Add/Drop" deadline, will receive the designation "W" (indicating "withdrawal") for the courses carried at the time.

A one-time leave of absence for up to two calendar years may be granted. The interested student must secure permission in writing from the INI Director.

1. Withdrawal/Tuition Refund Policy
Withdrawal from the INI program or from any course is initiated by filling out a form available at the INI Graduate Programs Office. Withdrawal from Tepper courses is possible only at the beginning of odd-numbered mini-semesters and tuition refund is governed by the Carnegie Mellon University policies.

2. Returning to Carnegie Mellon
When you plan to return to Carnegie Mellon after a leave, you must complete an Application for Return from a Leave of Absence (available from the HUB) and meet any conditions that were set by the INI at the time the Leave was granted.

3. Required Withdrawal
The INI or the University may require a student with serious health problems, including mental health problems, or students whose use of drugs is potentially self-destructive in the psychiatric sense, to withdraw from the University until the problems have been resolved through appropriate treatment. Such a withdrawal will be required only after a thorough case review by a committee consisting of the Dean of Student Affairs, the INI Director, and such medical, psychological, or psychiatric consultation as is necessary.

B. Withdrawal of a Degree
The University reserves the right to withdraw a degree, even though it has been granted, should it be discovered that the work upon which it was based or the academic records in support of it were falsified. In such a case, the degree will be withdrawn immediately.

C. Cheating and Plagiarism
Students at Carnegie Mellon are engaged in preparation for professional activity of the highest standards. Each profession constrains its members with both ethical responsibilities and disciplinary limits. To assure the validity of their learning experience, a university establishes clear standards for student work. In any presentation, creative, artistic, or research, it is the ethical responsibility of each student to identify the conceptual sources of the work submitted. Failure to do so is dishonest and is the basis for a charge of cheating or plagiarism that is subject to disciplinary action.

Cheating includes but is not necessarily limited to:

1. Plagiarism, explained below.
2. Submission of work that is not the student's own for papers, assignments, or exams.
3. Submission or use of falsified data.
4. Theft or unauthorized access to an exam.
5. Use of an alternate, stand-in, or proxy during an examination.
6. Use of unauthorized material including textbooks, notes, or computer programs in the preparation of an assignment or during an examination.
7. Supplying or communicating, in any way, unauthorized information to another student for the preparation of an assignment or during an examination.
8. Collaboration in the preparation of an assignment. Unless specifically permitted or required by the instructor, collaboration will usually be viewed by the University as cheating. Each student, therefore, is responsible for understanding the policies of the department offering any course as they refer to the amount of help and collaboration permitted in preparation of assignments.
9. Submission of the same work for credit in two courses without obtaining the permission of the instructors beforehand.

Plagiarism includes (but is not limited to) failure to indicate the source with quotation marks or footnotes, where appropriate, if any of the following are reproduced in the work submitted by a student:

• A phrase, written or musical
• A graphic element
• A proof
• Specific language
• An idea derived from the work, published or unpublished, of another person.

1. Penalties for Cheating and Plagiarism
In cases of cheating or plagiarism, the instructor has the option of assigning an appropriate penalty. The instructor may consult the INI Director to determine whether to refer the case directly to the University Committee on Discipline. Serious cases should always be referred to the University Committee on Discipline. Whenever a faculty member or a departmental committee imposes a penalty for cheating or plagiarism, the facts of the case and the penalty must be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs; in such cases the University Committee on Discipline may review and change the penalty in the event of an appeal by the student or a record of prior offenses. This reporting procedure assures that repeated offenders will be identified and treated severely.

The ordinary penalty for cheating or plagiarism is failure in the course; lesser penalties may be assigned for minor offenses. In cases referred to the University Committee on Discipline, no grade will be recorded until the Committee has come to a decision. Upon the Committee's action, particularly serious offenses may be punished by suspension or expulsion from the University.

A student found guilty of cheating or plagiarism may also be placed on disciplinary probation for a period to be determined by the University Committee on Discipline.

In the event that a student on probation from a prior finding of cheating or plagiarism is again guilty of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.), the student will be expelled from the University.

Unless otherwise clearly stated by the professor, all assignments required in any given course are to be done individually. (Group projects are common, of course, and most productive. Such assignments are defined clearly as "group work".)

D. Dismissal and the Appeal Process
If an INI student has a GPA lower than 3.0 at the end of two consecutive full semesters, the student may be expelled from the INI program, subject to the decision of the INI Director.

A student dismissed at any time for unsatisfactory academic standing or infraction of regulations is not entitled to a refund of tuition or student fees.

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A. Full-time Students
The MSIN and MSISTM are 16-month programs and students are expected to finish all of their requirements by the end of the fall term of their second academic year at Carnegie Mellon. In some cases, a student may need more time to finish the project requirement. In such an instance, a student will be granted one semester of extension and allowed to register for project credits only, without any additional tuition. Students who register for course credits after their second fall term in the program will be charged tuition for courses beyond what is required to satisfy the requirements of the degree.

B. Part-time Students
A part-time student will pay per unit but will not pay less than the full tuition rate at the time they entered the program. Arranging to pay per unit is a convenience and not intended to reduce the overall tuition rate of the program.

For students who have negotiated part-time study, part-time tuition of $327 per unit will be charged during any semester in which the student is carrying fewer than 36 units. Students studying part-time will be charged the part-time rate under which they entered the program (i.e., $327 for AY 2003-4 incoming students) for a period of 24 months from their first semester. After that time, they will be charged at the new designated part-time tuition rate.

C. Tuition Payments
Tuition is billed in three equal payments prior to the fall, spring and summer semesters. Tuition payments are due by the date posted on the tuition invoice, one week before the start of classes. If a student does not pay tuition when it is due, a $150 late fee will be posted to the student account and a 1.25% late fee will be added at the end of every month that the bill is outstanding.

D. Students with Delinquent Accounts
The following is the Carnegie Mellon policy regarding students with outstanding tuition balances:

“If you do not pay your account balance in full, you will not be permitted to register for future semesters. In addition, you will not receive grades, transcripts, or diplomas. Your account balance consists of everything that appears on your bill, including tuition and fees, housing and dining charges, housing security deposit, library and parking fines, emergency loans, and so on.”

Any exceptions to the above should be proposed in writing, with justifications (e.g., student has a pending loan or can document sufficient resources to cover the balance due) and submitted to the INI Graduate Programs Office, subject to the approval of the INI Director.

E. Carnegie Mellon’s Tuition Refund Policy
Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence before completing 60% of the semester will be charged tuition based upon the number of days completed within the semester. This includes all calendar days, class and non-class days, from the first day of classes to the last day of final exams. Breaks which last five days or longer, including the prior and subsequent weekends, are not counted. Thanksgiving and Spring Break are not counted. There is no tuition adjustment after 60% of the semester is completed. Please see http://www.cmu.edu/hub/tuit_adj.html for specific tuition adjustment dates.

The student activity fee of $72 is not refundable and there is an administrative fee on all non-100% tuition and fees refunds.

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INI students are expected to understand and obey the rules that apply to all Carnegie Mellon students. All INI students will be expected to sign a statement acknowledging an understanding of, and planned adherence to, these policies.

All university policies are available at: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/

A. University Grievance Procedures and Contacts
Graduate students are encouraged to discuss any concerns or grievances informally within their academic department. If the student is not satisfied with the results of informal discussion or formal appeal at the departmental level, he or she may follow the guidelines set forth in the Graduate Student Guidebook. Students are likewise encouraged to speak directly to their graduate student representatives and to the president of the Graduate Student Association (GSA).
If a student wishes to file a formal grievance, more information about grievance procedures is available at http://www.cmu.edu/adm/apaa/concerns/procedure.html.

B. Policy on Student Privacy Rights
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), you have the right to:

• inspect and review your education records;
• request an amendment to your education records if you believe they are inaccurate or misleading;
• request a hearing if your request for an amendment is not resolved to your satisfaction;
• consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information from your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without your consent;
• file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office if you believe your rights under FERPA have been violated.

The full policy on student privacy rights is available at:
http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/StPrivacy.html

C. Intellectual Property
Carnegie Mellon’s policy on intellectual property is described at length at: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/IntellProp.html.

D. Computing Policies
Unauthorized use of a computer to copy or use software, text and data; tampering in any way with software, text or data; disruptive or other inappropriate uses of computers; using the computing resources for personal gain (e.g., non-university related business or resale of software) are against federal statute and university rules and policies. Abuses of computing privileges will be referred to the INI Director, and if necessary, to the legal authorities.

Carnegie Mellon’s policy on computing is described at length at: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Computing.htm.

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A. INI Systems Policies

1. Office PC’s
The INI provides its students with a PC for use in the INI student offices. Students are not permitted to make any changes in the hardware on the system. If a hardware change is desired, students should submit an email request to the INI Systems Manager for review. The main reason for this is that hardware that you may install can void the warranty of the system. The INI cannot be responsible for any damage to your hardware that you install in the system.

Students may choose to substitute a personal system for the INI PC, but this must be cleared in advance. The INI is not responsible for any damage/loss/theft of the personal system and the INI Systems Manager cannot support this system.

Students may install software on INI office machines. Upon request via email, the INI Systems Manager can provide local administrator access to facilitate this. Installing illegal software is not permitted and is considered a violation of both Carnegie Mellon and INI policies and will be dealt with accordingly.

Students may not take the machine of a graduating student under any circumstances. The machines of graduating students are needed for the next incoming class.

2. Printers
The INI provides various printers for student use. We ask that you avoid printing large documents on these printers. For such documents, use the high-volume printers in Cyert Hall. For assistance, please contact the INI Systems Manager.

Students are expected to fill the trays when printers are out of paper. If no paper is available, please contact the INI Systems Manager or the Administrative Assistant at the reception desk. If the printer needs toner and no cartridges are available, please contact the INI Systems Manager.

There are printers that are off limits to the students. These include the printers in the staff copy room and staff offices.

3. WWW/FTP Servers
The INI Systems Manager is responsible for all problems that may arise from unauthorized web servers. FTP servers are not immune as well as many have been hacked and illegal software servers have been installed on these machines. Therefore, students may not install web and ftp servers on their office machines without prior approval from the INI Systems Manager. Exceptions may be made for course- or project-related needs. Unauthorized web/ftp servers will be taken down.

There are web services available via Andrew networking. For more information on using your Andrew web space, see: http://www.cmu.edu/computing/documentation/index_web.html

The INI publishes student pages on the INI website. Students are asked to provide their information on a form for their pages.

4. Network Access
Student INI machines have wired Ethernet access by default. For personal system/laptops, students must use the wireless network due to addressing issues. Exceptions can be made only if the need is course- or project-related and must be cleared with the INI Systems Manager in advance.

To register a personal machine on the Ethernet network, please submit a request to INI Systems Manager. Students may register a machine on the wireless network at: http://netreg.net.cmu.edu.

5. Network Storage
The INI provides limited network storage on the Primary Domain Controller/File Server. There is 1 GB quota for students, which includes the student profile and home directory. Data that may be stored there is limited to only course- or project-related data. Music files, Video files, ISO CD images, and games are not permitted. Quota exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis.

The INI uses roaming profiles and folder redirection. Anything that stored on the desktop/My Documents will be copied to the server, so please pay attention to what is saved in these areas.

Sometimes roaming profiles become corrupt. If this happens, please contact the INI Systems Manager to facilitate restoring/repairing it.

6. System Backups
The INI provides backups of the network file server space. Individual workstations are not backed up. That is the responsibility of the students. To facilitate this, many workstations have CD-RW drives. The clusters have DVD+RW drives and a portable DVD-RW drive is available for use. Many machines also have JAZ/ZIP drives. The INI does not provide media for the above drives.

7. Bboards
There are several electronic bulletin boards used by the INI to exchange information. The following bboards should be subscribed to and read on a regular basis:

• org.ini.ms – This is the main bboard used to exchange program-related information. Messages that are not related to the program will be removed. This is where staff will also post announcements.
• org.ini.ms.placement – Recruiting-related announcements are posted here.
• org.ini.misc – This is the bboard that students should post messages not related to the program.

8. INI PC Cluster
The INI provides several public machines for INI students, including high-end Windows PC’s as well as several MAC’s and Andrew UNIX machines. These machines have limited permissions and students are not able to install software on these machines – the exception to this is the MAC machines.

INI cluster machines should not be locked for more than 30 minutes. The INI Systems Manager will unlock any machines locked by students for more than 30 minutes.

There are also public PC clusters on main campus that are available for student use.

9. Peer-to-Peer File Sharing
The use of programs such as Kazaa, Morpheus, GNUtella, etc. is discouraged. If, however, you choose to use them, the sharing/server function of these programs must be disabled. Furthermore, note that downloading of copyrighted material is a violation of CMU’s Computing/Network policies. If found in violations of these policies, network access will be revoked until the offending material is removed.

10. Passwords
Frequent password changes are recommended. Passwords should not be shared with others.

11. Port/Network Scanning
Port/Network scanning is not permitted with the exception of a very few cases. If your system is found to be port/network scanning without prior approval, your network access will be revoked. The reason for this is that many virus/hack attacks use this method of attack.

12. Email
All Carnegie Mellon students are provided with an Andrew email ID. INI students are also provided with an ECE email account, which would be userid@ece.cmu.edu. This gives INI students access to a website under the ECE domain.

Instructions for doing publishing web pages on the ECE domain are available at: http://www.ece.cmu.edu/insider/computing/web/instructions.shtml.

INI students are also listed in the ECE e-mail directory, which is located at: http://www.ece.cmu.edu/people/show.php?type=students&range=1.

Students may forward their Andrew email to their ECE email account. For details on settings for mail clients, please contact the INI Systems Manager. Upon departure from CMU, ECE email accounts are terminated and cannot be extended.

Upon graduation, students may request an alumni email account.

The INI does not provide its own email server and students are not permitted to set up their own email servers.

13. Hardware/Software Requests
Limited hardware and software can be provided for special requests. Please submit requests to the INI Systems Manager at least two weeks in advance of need.

The INI does not provide laptops to students. Note that some Tepper and Heinz classes may require laptops.

This systems policy is not inclusive and is updated as necessary. Failure to adhere to these policies could result in loss of system/network privileges or loss of systems/network access completely.

B. INI Building Policies
To maintain the appearance of the INI building, and ensure the comfort of use for all occupants, the following policies must be observed by everyone.

1. Key Policy
Building access is restricted to INI staff, faculty and students. Pass keys are provided to individuals authorized for building access. Replacement of a lost pass key will cost $25, without exception.

2. Guest Policy
Guests must sign in and out at the front desk. Guests must be accompanied at all times. Guests may be asked to leave if the person they are visiting cannot be found. Do not let anyone into the building that you do not know. When entering the building, make sure that the door locks behind you to prevent unauthorized people from entering the building.

3. Bicycle Policy
Bicycles must be kept in the bike rack located outside of the building. Bicycles found in the building will be removed.

4. Kitchen Cleanliness
The student kitchen and appliances provided on the second floor must be kept clean at all times. Unlabeled food or food left in the refrigerator for over a week will be removed.

5. Noise Levels
The INI building is a professional office for students, staff and faculty. Noise levels should be kept at a minimum.

6. Personal Mail
All students are provided mail slots to receive school-related mail only. Personal mail and packages of any kind will not be accepted for delivery.

7. Personal Phone Calls
Local personal calls may be made and received from the computer cluster. Long distance calls that are career or class-related may be placed or received from designated phones by reservation only.

The INI main number may not be given out by students for personal calls.

8. Conference Rooms
Use of the conference rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors must be scheduled. Conference rooms are not available after hours except by special arrangement. TV’s in the conference rooms cannot be used for entertainment. They can be used only by permission.

9. Items Not Permitted In Offices
The following items are a fire hazard and are not permitted in offices:

• Refrigerators, cube or otherwise.
• Toaster ovens
• Hot plates
• Space heaters
• Key locks on office doors
• Hot Pots (Electric Kettles)

10. Offices
Students should not enter an office except by the owner’s permission. Students should not take items, including chairs, from offices or common spaces.

11. Food in student offices
Food is not permitted in student offices with the exception of light snakes i.e., chips, pretzels etc. All meals consumed within the building must be done so in the kitchen area on the 2nd floor. All perishables should be discarded in a timely manner.

12. Off-Limits Areas

• Staff Kitchen on the 1st floor.
• Reception Desk. (Students should not take or use items on this desk for any reason.)
• Staff Copy Room on the 1st floor.
• Wiring closets on the 1st and 2nd floors.
• Electrical room on the 2nd floor.
• Server room on the 1st floor.
• Staff Offices (Unless otherwise invited by a staff member.)

13. Building problems
Report all building problems—leaks, burnt out lights, electrical faults, clogs, etc. to the Administrative Assistant at the reception desk.

Failure to adhere to these policies could result in loss of privileges or expulsion from the building completely.

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A. Alcoholic Beverages
In all circumstances, the University expects students to conduct themselves both individually and collectively in a responsible manner. Abusive or excessive consumption of alcohol resulting in interference with the rights of other persons, personal injury, or damage to property will result in severe disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion.

Carnegie Mellon accepts no responsibility for the direct supervision of the social activities engaged in by its students and student organizations. The University reserves the right, however, to review the planning for social events requiring the use of University facilities and to set special requirements as needed to insure that responsibilities are met.

Consumption of alcoholic beverages in the classrooms is absolutely forbidden.

The following are the rules for social events at Carnegie Mellon:

a) Social events cannot start before all classes - including evening classes - are over (unless special arrangements are made), nor can they start before completion of all exams in the building.
b) All social events providing alcoholic beverages must also provide non-alcoholic beverages and food (e.g., potato chips).
c) A Carnegie Mellon alcohol policy permit must be obtained for all events where alcohol will be served. This permit can only be issued to individuals who have completed the Carnegie Mellon alcohol program and are authorized to sign the permit.

It is the responsibility of the event supervisor to see that:

• no underage persons are served alcoholic beverages;
• persons who appear to be intoxicated not be served;
• after the event, the locale be left as neat as possible;
• any damages are reported to the Director of Admissions and Student Affairs or the INI Director, or if any of these are not available, to Carnegie Mellon Security.

B. Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment
The free exchange of ideas, the confidence to work, to study, to innovate and to perform, even the standards of discussion and performance to which the University is dedicated are based upon an atmosphere of open trust and mutual respect - an atmosphere on which the intrusion of personal advantage or harassment, in any of its forms, can only have a chilling effect.

Sexual harassment is prohibited by the University. Any faculty member, staff employee, or student found to have violated the University's policy against sexual harassment will be subject to immediate and appropriate disciplinary action, including possible suspension, termination or expulsion.

Refer to the complete policy at:
http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/SexHarass.html

C. Pets
Dogs, cats, and other pets are not permitted in any University building under any circumstances. Dogs are permitted on campus grounds when leashed and properly attended. Dogs may not be left tied to trees or other objects on campus.

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A. Change of Address
All INI students are responsible for timely notification of all address changes to the INI office and to the HUB. The student will be held responsible for any failure in receiving official college notices by reason of not having a correct address on file.

B. Return of University Property
Each INI candidate must return all materials borrowed from the INI (such as software, manuals, books from the libraries, or anything else that is the property of Carnegie Mellon University) prior to departure from the program.

C. Exit Interviews
Students are required to schedule an exit interview with the INI Graduate Programs Office prior to leaving the program.

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The INI will make a serious effort to see that all students are informed of any relevant changes in policy or operations. In general, when such revisions and additions increase requirements, only the next entering class will be bound by them. Students can graduate under the policies in effect at the time they enter the program or can change to the new policies if they so choose.

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