Federal copyright law (Digital Millennium Copyright Act – DMCA) mandates that internet providers respond to all copyright infringements reported to them. Copyrighted material includes: music, movies, software, books and other intellectual property.
SUNY New Paltz has a three (3) strike policy for students who violate the DMCA policy.
Strike 1
- The user’s internet connection will be immediately shut down and he or she will be sent a violation notice identifying the copyrighted material in question.
- The student must respond to all notifications in writing. All users identified as violators will be forwarded automatically to a web page that contains required information and procedures.
- A notice will be emailed to the user’s New Paltz email account with a copy of the original copyright infringement report attached.
- Once the issue is resolved, the student’s internet connection will be unblocked.
Strike 2
- The student’s internet connection will be immediately shut down, a second violation notice will be sent to the user’s New Paltz email account, and the matter will be referred to the Student Affairs office for disciplinary action.
- Depending on the circumstance and nature of the violation, possible disciplinary actions could range from penalties and probation to possible separation from the institution.
- Once the issue has been resolved by Student Affairs, the student’s internet connection may be unblocked.
Strike 3
- The student’s internet connection will be permanently terminated and the third violation notice will be sent to the student’s New Paltz email account.
- The matter will then be referred to Student Affairs for a final judicial hearing. Some violations may constitute criminal offenses, as defined by local, state, and federal laws.
Example of a violation notice:
For more information on how to identify and disable Internet file sharing please contact the IT Service Desk (845-257-4357).