Illegal Internet downloading on University computers may now result in expulsion, due to pressure from the music and movie industries.
ASU Information Technology officials warned students, faculty and staff of the potential punishments for file sharing in a letter sent out to all ASU e-mail accounts last week.
Students violating ASU's policy on computer use could face punishment ranging from reduced ASU computer privileges to suspension or expulsion.
Faculty and staff found using ASU resources to share files would be subject to employment sanctions.
The University-wide sanctions follow several months behind rules independently enforced by the Barrett Honors College dorms. The BHC applied more lenient punishments to their residents, though, threatening only suspended Ethernet connection to students caught making illegal downloads.
William Lewis, chief information officer for ASU, wrote the recent memo in response to music industry lawsuits that target individual students instead of the creators of file-sharing programs.
Last year, four industry groups sent letters to more than 2,300 universities urging stronger enforcement of computer use policies.
And earlier this month, the Recording Industry Association of America sued students at three universities who had allegedly run file-sharing rings on their university's network.
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Reach the reporter at garrett.neese@asu.edu.