BulkMail Policy

The USU BulkMail utility is provided as one way to comply with this policy.  Please read this policy and the BulkMail Procedures first.

BulkMail

Number 553

Subject: Internal Bulk Email

Effective Date: February 1,2008

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE

Issues:

1. Receiving unwanted, uninformative email (e.g. junk, spam) wastes time and resources, causing frustration and animosity toward the sender and reduces the effectiveness of email for legitimate communication.
2. Certain uses of email addresses may violate FERPA or other privacy laws.
3. USU offices, departments and organizations request help sending bulk email to targeted USU constituencies.

Intention:

The intention of this policy is to assign authority and responsibility for content and volume of internal bulk mail so that its use is: acceptable to the majority of recipients, protects the privacy of recipients, and is within the capacity of the systems that generate, transmit and store the messages.

POLICY

When obtaining a university email account or providing a preferred email address in the University's single system of record, university employees and students give implicit consent to receive email messages individually or as a group from authorized senders on behalf of the university constituencies and organizations to which they belong. All messages must be judged by the authorized sender to be in the best interest of the recipients and the university. Senders may not contact groups outside of their own constituency without the prior approval of the recipients or the appropriate authority.

Senders of authorized messages will use procedures which protect the privacy and security of the recipients, will impose no undue burdens on the email system, and will comply with existing Federal and State law regarding email and content as well as any other university policies (cf. FERPA, HIPAA, CAN-SPAM, harassment and copyright laws).

USU Information Technology (IT) is directed to publish Procedures that conform to this policy and other relevant University policies as they apply to currently available email service. IT shall make available resources and services to facilitate: compiling appropriate email address lists, and sending of bulk email to authorized constituencies; and shall provide directions for appropriate use of those resources to protect the privacy, security and other legal rights of the recipients as well as to preserve the integrity and efficiency of the email delivery system.

DEFINITIONS

Authorized Senders include: University Officers, Deans, Department Heads and Directors, Academic Advisors, Faculty and the elected officers and advisors of any University group registered, recognized, or sanctioned by USU and governed under by-laws (e.g. Faculty Senate, PEA, CEA, ASUSU and CSCOs).

A Constituency is a group of employees and/or students who report to, are under the direction of, or are led by, an Authorized Sender. Individuals can be members of multiple constituencies. Individuals cannot “opt-out” of constituency mailing lists while remaining in the constituency.

An Authorized Message is a bulk email message that complies with the requirements of this policy.

ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY & PENALTIES

Violations of this policy should be reported to the Vice President of IT or the IT Security Team in a timely manner with complete documentation. Verified violations will be referred to the appropriate administrator for review and possible disciplinary action.

The USU BulkMail utility is provided as one way to comply with this policy.  Please read the BulkMail Procedures first.