Proper Use of Online Alumni Applications

These platforms include but are not limited to class Listservs, Zoom licenses for volunteers, and Reunion Report and Committee Portals. Platforms provided and maintained by HMS AAD are intended to create online connections for the HMS alumni community for personal or HMS-specific purposes.

Access to platforms is restricted to HMS alumni community members or a subset of community members, dependent upon alumni and volunteer status.

Additional terms apply to online platforms provided and maintained by Harvard University Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D), including but not limited to the Alumni Directory, social media platforms, and email forwarding addresses.

Policy and Guidelines for Proper Use

To safeguard the operation of HMS AAD online platforms, all users must abide by the following policies and guidelines:

• Platforms and all material within are protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, republishing, uploading, downloading, posting, transmitting, or duplicating any material is prohibited.
• Information available through HMS AAD resources and HMS AAD-provided online platforms may be used for personal and HMS-approved purposes only. Use of information or communications available through alumni.hms.harvard.edu for any commercial, public, or political purposes is strictly prohibited.
  
  On all HMS AAD platforms, prohibited activities include, but are not limited to: (1) activities that are illegal or fraudulent; (2) use that inaccurately implies endorsement, approval, or sponsorship by Harvard University or HMS AAD (or any individual officer of Harvard or HMS AAD); (3) use that can be confused with official communications of Harvard University, HMS AAD, or their officers; (4) spamming, repetitive or excessive posting, solicitations for commercial services, chain letters or junk mail, unsolicited advertising or promotional materials, or cold-calling; (5) use to impersonate another user, Harvard alumnus/a, or another person; (6) activities that violate any additional terms of use governing the particular platform in use; and (7) activities that may threaten the security of HMS AAD network system.
  Posting obscene or vulgar materials, use obscene or vulgar, abusive, defamatory, profane, or threatening language of any kind will constitute a violation of these policies. Determination of whether specific postings violate these policies shall be at the sole discretion of HMS AAD. Users shall also not upload, transmit, distribute, or otherwise publish any materials containing a virus or any other harmful component.
  HMS AAD may block, remove, or deny further access to these services to those who engage in these or similar practices.
• User accounts may not be shared, transferred, or sold to other parties, nor are they to be used by or made available to any person or entity except the registered alumni user. Users’ credentials may not be used to change the Portal configurations, content, or materials. Users may not create or alter any other credentials.
• HMS AAD is not responsible for screening communications in advance and will not routinely monitor the use of the Listservs or other online platforms. Alumni users may report any abuses or misuse of HMS AAD online platforms by contacting hmsalum@hms.harvard.edu. If HMS AAD determines that a user’s participation in any of its online platforms creates a risk of liability for HMS AAD, HMS, or the University, or that the user has violated the policies set forth herein or any applicable laws or regulations, HMS AAD reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to expel a user and deny further access to said online platform.

Liability and Indemnity

Platforms and all contents within are provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Harvard does not approve or endorse any user content. Harvard is not liable to users or visitors for any damages of any kind arising out of the use of platforms or their content.

HMS AAD does not warrant that the platforms will operate error-free or that the platforms and servers are free of computer viruses or other harmful material. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, HMS AAD disclaims all warranties, including the warranties of merchantability, non-infringement, and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall HMS AAD or the University be liable for any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, resulting from the use of or inability to use information or materials available on these platforms.

If users violate the above standards or any other provision of these terms, Harvard reserves the right to terminate the applicable user’s account and right to use the platforms.

Please note that HMS AAD may revise these policies and your continued use of the site constitutes your agreement to comply with such modifications. Users should review the policies periodically to ensure familiarity.

HMS AAD expects users to exhibit the same level of respect for others in these forums as in any other HMS AAD-related venue (such as at a Reunion event on campus) and expects users to adhere to its Community Values.