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CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA

The Information Security Policy Statement issued by Columbia University and the Presbyterian Hospital states in part:

"Information resources are vital Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital assets in the same way that physical facilities and equipment are assets. Any person/organization who uses or provides information resources has a responsibility to maintain and safeguard these assets. ... It is unacceptable for anyone to use University or Hospital information resources to perform unethical or unlawful academic or business acts or to violate any law."  ...

"While the need for security and the vulnerability of information resources must be recognized, it is also important to assess the value of the resources and the need to share them. The effort and cost of providing protection must be balanced against the value or sensitivity of the resources. However, at a minimum, this statement says that ... using information resources to violate any law, [or] committing a breach of confidentiality ... is prohibited and shall be cause for discipline up to and including dismissal and for possible legal action."

The complete text of the Information Security Policy Statement is available from Administrative Information Services at:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/administration/policylibrary/policies/cuit/114.html