Student Email

Purpose of the Policy

There is an expanding reliance on electronic communication among students, faculty, staff, and administration at Azusa Pacific University (APU). This is motivated by the convenience, speed, cost-effectiveness, and environmental advantages of using email rather than printed communication. Because of this increasing reliance and acceptance of electronic communication, email is considered an official means for communication within APU.

Implementation of this policy ensures that students have access to this critical form of communication. For the majority of students, this will not represent any change from what is currently done; it will, however, ensure that all students can access, and be accessed by, email as the need arises.

Scope

This student email policy provides guidelines regarding the following aspects of email as an official means of communication:

  • University use of email
  • Assignment of student email addresses
  • Student use of and responsibilities associated with assigned email addresses
  • Expectations of email communication between faculty and student, and staff and student.

Policy

University Use of Email

Email is an official means for communication within APU. Therefore, the university has the right to send communications to students via email and the right to expect that those communications will be received and read in a timely fashion.

Assignment of Student Email Addresses

Information Technology (IT) will assign all students an official university email address. It is to this official address that the university will send email communications; this official address will be the address listed in the university’s enterprise directory for that student.

Redirecting of Email

A student may have email electronically redirected to one email address through a utility available in APU’s university portal (home.apu.edu). If a student wishes to have email redirected from his or her official address to another email address (e.g., @aol.com, @hotmail.com, or an address on a departmental server), they may do so, but at his or her own risk, and email will not be stored on the official email system. The university will not be responsible for the handling of email by outside vendors or by departmental servers. Having email redirected does not absolve a student from the responsibilities associated with communication sent to his or her official email address.

Expectations Regarding Student Use of Email

Students are expected to check their official email address on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with university communications. The campus recommends checking email once a week at a minimum, in recognition that certain communications may be time-critical.

Educational Uses of Email

Faculty may determine how email will be used in their classes. It is highly recommended that if faculty have email requirements and expectations, they specify these in their course syllabus. Faculty may expect that students’ official email addresses are being accessed, and faculty may use email for their courses accordingly.

Appropriate Use of Student Email

In general, email is not appropriate for transmitting sensitive or confidential information unless its use for such purposes is matched by an appropriate level of security.

  • All use of email, including use for sensitive or confidential information, will be consistent with the Internet Acceptable Use policy.
  • Confidentiality regarding student records is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). All use of email, including use for sensitive or confidential information, will be consistent with FERPA.
  • Email shall not be the sole method for notification of any legal action.
  • Email shall not be used by students to proliferate “spam” or chain emails, or for the purposes of personal enrichment.
  • Students’ email accounts will be limited to sending to no more than 100 email addresses per email message.

Procedures

The office of the chief information officer will review this policy as needed. Changes will be authorized by the approval of the University Information Management Committee and the President’s Cabinet. Students with questions or comments about this policy should contact the IT Support Center.

References

This policy complies with the guidelines as found in: None.

Responsible Organization

The office of the chief information officer will be responsible for this policy.

Appendix A: Policy Routing

  • This policy was approved by the IT Cabinet on
  • This policy was approved by the UIMC on
  • This policy was approved by President’s Cabinet on
  • This policy was approved by Academic Cabinet on

Revision Dates:
Date: March 31, 2002
Date: March 21, 2005
Date: April 17, 2006

Approved by: John C. Reynolds, Vice President of Information Technology Author: John C. Reynolds, Vice President of Information Technology

Full Menu