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ABAC TELECOMMUNICATIONS

PART I:  Long Distance Telephone/Wireless Communication DeviceS (WCD)/Cellular Telephone  Usage

Background

OPB Policy Memorandum No. 4 (Revision 8) effective August 1, 2004, required each state agency, including institutions, to manage and minimize the costs of using telecommunications equipment and services. Each agency is required to develop a telecommunications policy to control and minimize telecommunications costs by the following means:

  1. Control the cost of usage sensitive services by: a) promoting proper use of long distance, telephone calling cards, devices having per minute access charges such as cellular or trunked radio connectivity, b) monitoring the related costs, and c) prohibiting personal or non-job related long distance telephone calls from State and non-State telephones and charging the costs to the state, whenever possible.
  2. Prohibit use of charge based directory assistance such as 411 and (area code)-555-1212.
  3. Prohibit use of 511, 900, and 976 phone service unless job related.
  4. Control the costs of wireless access by carefully managing the use of state devices for unauthorized purposes.
  5. Consider a shared pool of devices and services within units.
  6. Control the costs of auxiliary communications equipment by limiting the personal use of facsimile equipment, computer communications, scanners, printers, pagers and other state provided technology.
  7. Ensure that fixed services are utilized by employees rather than wireless devices generating usage sensitive charges when fixed services are readily available.
  8. Maintain an inventory of all wireless devices that lists each individual device, the service provider for such device and the individual or unit to which the device is assigned. Such inventory must be kept current and made available for inspection by the Department of Audits, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and/or the Georgia Technology Authority upon request.

Long Distance Telephone Usage

It is the policy of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) that the use of the College's long distance telephone services is limited to official ABAC business. Further, State law precludes ABAC employees from using State resources for personal gain or benefit. Personal use is prohibited. The department head is responsible for the business and financial operations of the unit including implementation of appropriate operating procedures and internal controls. Long distance telephone charges are included in this area of responsibility. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.  It is the responsibility of the department head to ensure that personnel within the department are adhering to this policy.

Wireless Communication Device (WCD)/Cellular Telephone Usage

It is the responsibility of ABAC and each of its budgetary units to implement procedures to effectively use communication services and equipment at the lowest possible cost. With the rapid growth in cellular telephone availability and usage, and with the ABAC philosophy of unit based management, heads of budgetary units or their designee are authorized to acquire cellular telephone service and instruments through ABAC Purchasing.  The guidelines below address college-owned devices, privately-owned devices and mobile broadband services.

College-Owned Wireless Devices Guidelines for Acquisition and Use

A College-assigned cellular telephone and service (including Blackberry devices and services) may be an appropriate resource to conduct College business when it is demonstrated that an employee cannot perform his or her duties without a cellular telephone or that improved performance ensuing from a cellular telephone will justify the investment. The department is to maintain the approved justification documentation for each cellular telephone in its inventory.  When communications needs cannot be met with other available alternatives such as a paging device, a radio, or standard telephone equipment, a department may issue a cellular telephone to an employee. Examples of conditions under which a cellular telephone may be issued if these criteria are met include the following:

  • A WCD/cellular telephone may be needed for employees whose job includes responsibility for protecting the physical safety of the general public and/or responding to environmental emergencies;
  • A WCD/cellular telephone may be needed for on-call personnel required to respond to critical system failures or service disruptions;
  • A WCD/cellular telephone may be needed for additional protection for the employee in potentially hazardous working conditions and/or isolated areas;
  • A WCD/cellular telephone may be needed for an employee that is expected to do business while commuting and moving from appointment to appointment and/or has frequent travel;
  • A WCD/cellular telephone may be needed for an employee who cannot adequately meet communications needs with other available alternatives such as a paging device or a radio;

For compliance with OPB Policy Memorandum No. 4 (Revision 8), the following shall take effect immediately: 

  1. Employees who are required to have 24x7 support contact will be provided cell phones and adequate service to carry out job duties.  These employees include the ABAC Chief of Police, Lt. Chief of Police, and the Dean of Student Life and Housing. 
  2. In addition to the individuals identified above, certain residence life staff will be provided cell phones and adequate service to carry out job duties.  Cell plans will allow for adequate monthly minutes to ensure that the employees have necessary communication access, but minutes will be more limited than cell plans for those individuals identified in Item 1. 
  3. Helpdesk technology staff will be provided cell phones and a cell plan for the purpose of providing communication access while on campus. 
  4. All college-provided cell phones are strictly for business use only. 
  5. All college-provided cell phones are to be invoiced directly to the College and the respective office/department.
  6. OITS will maintain an inventory of wireless devices in shared pools and individually-assigned, by type. The inventory of WCDs shall document: each individual device type, the service provider for such device, the number of the wireless device, the monthly service cost, the department number, the assignee (individual user or organizational unit in the case of shared/pool devices), the justification for necessity, and the authorized uses of the wireless or mobile devices. Such inventory must be kept current and made available for inspection by authorized offices or agencies;
  7. The Office of Procurement will maintain procedures for purchasing to ensue that state purchasing guidelines and policies are being adhered to;
  8. OITS must be notified of all changes to assigned WCD/cellular telephones;
  9. The individual to whom a WCD/cellular telephone is assigned is responsible for safeguarding the equipment and controlling its use. Employees are expected to avoid the use of the equipment under any circumstances where such use might create or appear to create a hazard.  If a device is stolen, the theft must be reported to the ABAC Police.  The cost of a lost device must be reimbursed to the College at a depreciated value based on a straight-line depreciation over the product's life cycle; and
  10. Upon termination of employment, the unit head is responsible for ensuring that all devices have been returned by the employee.

Approval, Ordering and Payments

Requests for cellular devices and services must be approved by the Director of OITS and the VP for the requesting area.  The request should state the justification based on the criteria above as well as other options that have been considered and determined to be ineffective.  After approval, a purchase request for WCD/cellular telephone device and/or services should be submitted to the Procurement Office along with a copy of the approval by OITS. Wireless devices and services are available under statewide contracts. Devices/services may also be obtained from carriers having contracts directly with the University System. If carriers under statewide University System contract cannot provide required service, a waiver may be requested from the Procurement Office. Documentation of the need for the waiver must be provided. Cellular services will be billed directly to the College via the ordering department based upon the information on the purchase order. The user of the service will review and verify charges on the invoice and then forward to the supervisor for review.  The supervisor will then send the approved invoice to the Business Office for payment. Managers of employees using College-owned telephones are required to provide oversight to ensure that all personnel with the department are adhering to this policy. If a supervisor identifies any non-reimbursed personal calls, which have not been reported by the affected employee, the infraction will be addressed through the procedures identified in the policy, ABAC Policy on Employee Use of Technology Resources.

Restricted Usage

Except for unusual circumstances and only with prior approvals, the reimbursement of any cell phone/data charge on a personal wireless device (non-college) is prohibited.

All college phones/wireless devices assigned to individuals for college-related business must be used for only college-related business.  No personal use (non-college related) is allowed on these devices. 

Right to Monitor Communications and Open Records

The College reserves the right to investigate, retrieve and read any communication or data composed, transmitted or received through voice services, online connections and/or stored on its servers and/or property, without further notice to employees, to the maximum extent permissible by law. Express notice to employees stating that there is no right to privacy for any use of College telecommunications equipment and services should be included in the approval form granting access to College WCDs/cellular telephones and/or services.  

Mobile Broadband Services

Data:  Vice Presidents may authorize the purchase of a college-provided mobile broadband service provided communications needs cannot be met with other available alternatives.   For the purposes of this policy, mobile broadband devices/services would include wireless cards and broadband services for use with laptops.   Guidelines for "College-Owned Wireless Devices" apply to these services.  

PART II:  VOIP Policies

With the move from Centrex phone lines to a VoIP phone system, the College will need to adhere to the policies and procedures included in this document to ensure successful implementation and operation.  This is a dynamic document and should be reviewed frequently throughout the implementation process and annually following the implementation of the phone system.

Moves/Adds/Changes (MAC)

Any individual housed on the ABAC Campus can request a change to their phone configuration.  For example, if an individual changes his/her name, this information should be provided to the VoIP administrator so that the change can also be made in the phone system.  If an individual is moving offices, he/she should inform the VoIP administrator.  Accurate phone/data/network configurations must be maintained as local 911 responders will rely on the data sent via college phones and data port locations to know where to respond on campus.  If an individual moves to a new location without notifying OITS, the outcome could result in 911 not reaching the destination in time to save a life. 

A simple change which does not require the installation of a data/phone port will be processed within 3-5 days of the date on which the request was made.  Changes requiring the installation of data/phone ports will typically be processed within 15 working days of the date on which the request was made.  Installations of a more complex nature may take longer.  If an installation requires electrical installation, costs may be incurred by the department making the request.  

To establish a new phone account for a new employee, complete the ABAC Employee Account Request Form available at ABAC Central under Documents and Forms, Technology. To request a move, add or change to the phone system, please e-mail techsupport@abac.edu.   Techsupport will then indicate receipt of the request and inform the individual of the timeframe for completion.

Approved:  December 2009