Faculty and staff have many options for collaboration using online tools, including Information Technology Services-managed and -supported tools such as Sakai and SharePoint. In addition, a number of faculty are using third-party services such as DropBox and Google Drive, particularly to share files with researchers and other colleagues outside of Washington and Lee. These third-party “cloud” tools can be powerful and flexible, but also pose risks, particularly when sensitive information is involved. W&L’s Office of General Counsel has written a brief document that can assist the W&L community in making safe and appropriate choices when collaborating using online tools:

www.wlu.edu/documents/general_counsel/CloudComputingRisks.pdf

The document was developed as a handout in connection with a December 2012 Winter Academy session entitled “Promise and Peril of the Cloud: Opportunities for Sharing and Collaboration.” The session featured presentations by faculty members, ITS and the Office of General Counsel.