Staff iPads - Agreements for them

[talksr]

Hi there,

 

I am working with a school who has a track record for staff not looking after their equipment.

Digital cameras come back smashed to bits with in months of them being ordered and handed out, school class iPads go missing and end up in the bottom of sand pits etc.

 

Instead of laptops, we have ordered an iPad per teacher. The iPad comes with a full Office 365 subscription.

We are using CleverTouch boards which mean that in addition to the iPad having its office functionality, it also can display onto the interactive screen making it potentially a visualiser as well as a class camera by using the camera on the device.

These are going to work out much cheaper than the laptops, however, I am worried about people not looking after them.

 

They are easily breakable by careless hands and I was just wondering if anyone else on here has drawn up any agreements for staff that must be signed.

 

I would like to make it pretty clear in the agreement, if you want one, that is fine, but if you break it, you will be paying to have it repaired at an authorised repairer or pay for an entire replacement. That way, we are not forcing staff to have them, but if they would like one to facilitate their job, they must follow the strict rules.

 

Just wondering if anyone had the correct legal wording for this.

With budget cuts left right and centre, these need to last and I am really keen to protect our assets in any way I can.

I have even gone to the extremes of buying our own cases for each and every one and a cover case also so there should be no excuses for breakages as all of the protective gear has already been provided.

 

Thanks in advance.

[edmokeski]

We definitely do it -- anyone who gets a device (staff or student) signs for it, agrees to look after it and take "reasonable precautions," including leaving it in the case we issue it in etc.. Don't have the wording handy, but would definitely encourage signed agreements for any issued devices. We tie it together with signing our ICT Code of Conduct, as well. In students' case, it's basically if insurance won't pay out on it (because their definition of "reasonable precautions" wasn't met etc.), then we'll bill you for it. Staff may get a bit more leniency, I think, although it's really at the bursar's discretion not IT's.

I expect that actually enforcing any such agreement will obviously require the business manager/bursar and head being on board, though.

[talksr]

We definitely do it -- anyone who gets a device (staff or student) signs for it, agrees to look after it and take "reasonable precautions," including leaving it in the case we issue it in etc.. Don't have the wording handy, but would definitely encourage signed agreements for any issued devices. We tie it together with signing our ICT Code of Conduct, as well. In students' case, it's basically if insurance won't pay out on it (because their definition of "reasonable precautions" wasn't met etc.), then we'll bill you for it. Staff may get a bit more leniency, I think, although it's really at the bursar's discretion not IT's.

I expect that actually enforcing any such agreement will obviously require the business manager/bursar and head being on board, though.

 

Thank you, we are a large primary.

I am in the fortunate position whereby the Head, SMT and Bursar will be in full agreement of whatever I propose as they also want to secure our assets as much as possible.

 

If anyone has some examples of agreements, it would be really handy. I might see if I can get my final one checked by someone in a legal profession as I am not letting people get away with it. There have been several incidents at this place before, with the cut backs, staff need to behave sensibly and take reasonable precautions as you say.