Software Policy 

It is the policy of ITSOP to respect and adhere to all computer software copyrights and to the terms of all software licenses to which SOP is a party. It is also the policy of SOP to manage its software assets and to ensure that SOP installs and uses only legal software on its PCs,  laptops, PDA’s and servers. The SOP will take all steps necessary to prohibit SOP computer users from duplicating any licensed software or related documentation for use either on SOP computers, or elsewhere, unless the SOP is expressly authorized to do so by agreement with the licensor. Unauthorized duplication of software may subject users and/or SOP to both civil and criminal penalties under the United States Copyright Act. The SOP will not permit any employee or affiliated personnel to use software in any manner inconsistent with its applicable license agreement, including giving or receiving software to/from colleagues, vendors, contractors or any SOP affiliated personnel.  

- Record Keeping

SOP divisions/departments should keep and maintain a register of all purchased software. The register should contain:

(a) title and publisher of the software

(b) date and source of software acquisition

(c) location of each installation as well as the location of the hardware on which each copy of the software is installed

(d) existence and location of back-up copies

(e) software product's serial number.

This register shall be maintained in a safe location. 

- Purchasing and Installation of Software 

The SOP is committed to supporting faculty and staff as they enhance their courses and administrative duties with new technology. In order to ensure that individuals and departments avoid some common problems in utilizing software and gain the most benefit, ITSOP has established guidelines that departments should follow before they purchase software. These guidelines also apply to software downloaded from the internet.

Following the process outlined here will help to ensure that the technology you are evaluating and preparing to utilize will work properly within current infrastructure for UNC/SOP and with your equipment/systems. The SOP can not guarantee that all software will be compatible with University systems and equipment and suggests that you do not purchase any software without first certifying that the software is compatible.

To ensure compatibility, please engage ITSOP early in the process of acquiring new technology. To ensure that you involve ITSOP early enough, you should email itsop@unc.edu  as soon as you have begun evaluating new software. Please note that you should allow 30 days for ITSOP to complete a compatibility study, this study must be completed before any software installation can take place.

 If there is a compelling academic or administrative need for software which does not run on our current network infrastructure, ITSOP can assist the requesting department in determining the cost of the system, which may include hardware and maintenance contracts and/or hosting services in addition to the cost of the software itself. The requesting department is responsible for the funding of all activities surrounding the project, including any costs related to the investigation of its compatibility, installation, and/or maintenance.

ITSOP will not install software without appropriate licensing, and the acquisition of such licensing is the responsibility of the requesting department. Installation of all appropriate software will be performed by ITSOP; arrangements will be made after the compatibility study or via email. (itsop@unc.edu)

- Site Licenses 
ITSOP will gladly pursue site licenses (license for multiple users), these usually are
maintained by the UNC software acquisition office. Requests should be made
for software that would be beneficial to a majority of the SOP users. The
process is as follows.

- ITSOP receives a request to investigate a site license for “xyz” software (itsop@unc.edu)

- ITSOP sends out an email to solicit interest within the SOP.

- ITSOP sends an email to UNC Software Acquisition Office requesting that a campus wide email is sent to solicit interest.

- If there is campus-wide interest, ITSOP works with UNC Software Acquisition on obtaining a license that is funded by UNC, if this is not feasible ITSOP will work with other departments on campus to share funding. (SOP's slice will be funded by requesting divisions/depts.)

- If interest is local to SOP, ITSOP will investigate pricing based on interests. Pricing will be shared with all interested divisions/departments and, if approved, divisions/departments will be asked to share in funding the software license.