CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO

CAMPUS EMAIL STRUCTURE
AND COMMUNICATION POLICY

RECOMMENDED BY ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL:    July 26, 1999
APPROVED BY PRESIDENT KARNIG:    July 29, 1999

REVISION #1:
RECOMMENDED BY ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL:   November 28, 2005
APPROVED BY PRESIDENT KARNIG:   January 5, 2007

FOR INTERPRETATION OF THIS POLICY, PLEASE CONTACT:
            Telecommunications and Network Services -- 909/537-7279

BACKGROUND:

The structure of the campus email system has evolved over the years as different servers were utilized to handle campus email.  Student email has been maintained on different servers than faculty/staff email.  For many years different departments administered them.  With the purchase of a server capable of handling a large volume of accounts, the two systems need to be merged.  The usage of email communications to students has increased and will continue to increase.  This policy was revised in November 2005 to include issues related to proper usage, standardization of email address, and the student's responsibility to respond to emails from the university as official communication.


PURPOSE:

The purpose of this statement of structure is to provide a consistent procedure by which email accounts will be established and administered for all campus constituents.  In addition, this policy makes email communications to students an official and binding means of communication.  (Note:  This policy does not prohibit the use of USPS mail.)


GENERAL:

All campus personnel and students are eligible to have an email account on the CSUSB mail server, "Mail."  The mail server will be utilized for mail only. 


FACULTY AND STAFF:

1. Faculty and staff email accounts will be created by the email administrator upon proof of employment and accompanied with a photo identification card.

2. Faculty and staff email account names will normally be the first initial of the first name and the first seven characters of the last name.  For ease of use, this procedure may be modified; however, the email account name will be in relationship to the individual's first or last name, not nicknames, titles, initials, etc.   Those individuals who currently use "alias names" will be permitted to retain their current email account name.

3. Faculty and staff email accounts will be established using a web interface using standard protocol.

4. Email stored on the server over 120 days old will be deleted unless prior arrangements have been made to have the mail stored longer.

5. Activating the forward email and/or vacation feature may be accomplished through a web program located at http://mail.csusb.edu

STUDENTS

Student email accounts will be established for currently enrolled, new applicants, and graduates for one year after graduation.

1. Student email account names will be the last name and first initial of the first name, with a maximum of seven characters.  In the event of duplication of account names, the last character or two will be dropped and replaced with a numeric digit.  The initial password will be the last six numbers of the student's SID.

2. Student email accounts will be non-shell accounts; thus, students will be unable to log into the server.  Students will access their campus email account using a standard internet browser.

3. Activating the forward email and/or vacation feature may be accomplished through a web program located at http://mail.csusb.edu.  Mail remaining on the mail server that is more than ninety (90) days old will be deleted.

4. Students will be assigned an email address once they submit an admission application and this will be recorded in the university student information.  Students will be notified of their official CSUSB email account address as part of the campus acknowledging the receipt of the application for admission.

5. As with all other student directory information, FERPA regulations will be followed and requests for student email addresses will be handled in the same manner as requests for home addresses.  Procedures for obtaining this information can be obtained from the Director of Records, Registration, and Evaluations.

6. All email sent to students should include the name, title, email address and telephone number of the person sending the email so that the student may verify the integrity of the email.

7. Emails sent to students should not include non-directory information as defined in the University Bulletin Catalog under the section entitled "Privacy Rights."  http://policies.csusb.edu/student_records_administration.htm.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

The University intends to replace many of the letters sent to students via the U.S. Postal Service with email communications.  As a result, it is strongly recommended that students check their email accounts daily.  The consequences of not checking email are the same as those for not checking U.S. Postal mailbox.  Some of these consequences include missing payment deadlines, missing registration deadlines, missing immunization requirements, missing out on opportunities for financial aid, and missing requirements and deadlines for graduation.

Students are responsible for the consequences of not reading university-related communications sent to their email account.  Students have the responsibility to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical.  Errors in forwarding email to a personal email address or failure to read emails regularly are not acceptable reasons for missing university deadlines.

Students have the responsibility to clean their email accounts and avoid emails being rejected due to limited space in their account.

GROUP EMAILS

Group emails are typically emails sent by administrative offices to a selected group of students.  The President, Provost and the Vice Presidents, the Director of Public Affairs, Director of Accounting, Director of Financial Aid, Director of Admissions and Student Recruitment, and the Director of Records, Registration and Evaluations or their designees are authorized to send emails to selected groups of students.  Offices not listed will forward their request to the Director of Records, Registration and Evaluations.

Emails to students will contain the following information:

1. Notice that this is a communication from California State University, San Bernardino.

2. The office, email address, and a telephone number to verify the integrity of the email or address or with questions about the contents of the email.

3. All messages should be in the plain text format, avoiding graphics and the use of attachmetns.

CAMPUS EVENTS EMAIL

A Campus Events email is typically sent to currently enrolled students and students eligible to register for the subsequent quarter.  The Campus Events email will be sent to students each Friday beginning at 4:30.  Requests must be submitted to the Director of Records, Registration and Evaluations before Wednesday 12:00 noon.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY RIGHTS

All emails will be consistent with the University policies and local, state and federal law, including, but not limited to, the Student Record Administration Policy.
 

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