Electronic Messaging
Date of Current Revision: November 2007
Responsible Office: Assistant Vice President, Information Technology
- PURPOSE
A variety of electronic communication mechanisms are available to individuals and groups at James Madison University. These electronic messaging systems are an alternative to paper-based letters, memos, posters, fliers and bulletin board notices. They currently include such systems as electronic mail, mailing lists, networking sites, news services and web sites. that are used for communication.
The university’s electronic messaging systems provide a medium for information exchange and are provided to support its teaching, research, service and administrative activities.
This policy sets forth responsibilities and principles that shall direct the use of JMU's electronic messaging systems, both internally and as part of the global electronic community.
- AUTHORITY
Laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Privacy Protection Act, the Intellectual Property Act, the Virginia Public Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act require the university to enforce this policy.
Use of the messaging systems commits individuals to all applicable university policies and procedures, State Department of Human Resource Management Policy 1.75 Use of Internet and Electronic Communication Systems, and other local, state and federal laws that may apply.
- DEFINITIONS
Electronic Messaging:
The use of communications mechanisms such as electronic mail, message boards, electronic lists and forums, web sites, etc. to deliver or circulate information electronically.
- APPLICABILITY
This policy applies to all individuals and/or technical mechanisms that use the university’s information technology resources for electronic messaging functions.
- POLICY
5.1 All members of the JMU community are encouraged to use electronic messaging resources and are expected to do so in a manner consistent with the university 's mission.
5.2 Since electronic messaging systems may carry information in the form of personal and/or casual communication as well as official university data, care must be taken to ensure that the two are clearly distinguished. In addition, mass email of an “official” or “informational” nature must meet the University Policy Committee’s criteria for use of bulk email and shall include a header/footer indicating compliance.
5.3 Principles
In order to assure a level of common understanding and an appropriate policy setting, all those who use electronic messaging systems must familiarize themselves with and abide by principles that govern their individual and common use. These principles include the following:
- Technical constraints: Messages are sent through electronic messaging systems using store and forward technology. This means that the messages typically pass through multiple systems, some of which may not be fully secure or reliable.
While privacy cannot be assured on all systems in a particular message route, Information Technology will work to assure system security and availability on the computer systems it administers. Additionally, IT personnel who carry advanced privileges will not read individual messages except as required in pursuit of security or system management anomalies and will do so only at the explicit direction of IT management. - Transportation versus storage: While there is a limited amount of storage space for new/incoming messages contained in the messaging systems, it is not to be used for long-term storage or archive. Instead, electronic messaging systems are to be considered a transportation mechanism. As with any transportation mechanism, the related issues of system failure and recovery should be considered. While IT will perform periodic backups of messages in transit, these should be viewed as insurance against system failure, not as a mechanism to restore individual messages. Local backups of message originals should be made for any critical communications and to assure record retention requirements are met. Individuals are responsible for the long-term storage of electronic messages ensuring that they reside in areas that are adequately protected.
- Global Connectivity: Connection to global networks and user collectives such as the Internet pose additional challenges. Throughout the Internet, each network, mailing list, forum and site has its own policies, procedures and rules of conduct. As a member-owner of these services, the university will act as necessary to protect its shared interest and to preserve continued use of global resources. The university’s involvement does does not mitigate responsibilities of the individual user.
- Cost: The costs associated with electronic messages are unlike those for traditional paper-based mail. The cost of electronic messages is born primarily by the recipient(s), not the sender. Therefore, no junk mail shall be sent using university messaging systems. Specific examples of junk mail are: chain letters, advertisements and other unsolicited mass mailings as well as excessive or inappropriate postings to news groups or other forums.
- Shared Resource: Messaging systems use many network and computing resources that are shared by the campus community as well as services shared by the world. While collectively referred to as electronic messaging, the individual services each evolved to address a particular need and are designed to make efficient use of resources in a given situation. Therefore, messages should be sent using the technology and service most appropriate to the task and in keeping with university policies regarding appropriate use (see university Policy 1207). Some typical guidelines for various services include:
- E-mail: person-to-person
- E-mail list: small group discussions
- Newsgroups: large group discussions
- Www/gopher: information distribution
Recipients of electronic messages must also be aware that the identity of the sender may/may not be authentic. Even though the identity of the message sender is not authenticated by many of the current messaging systems, forgeries are nonetheless unacceptable. Also, senders must be aware that delivery of a message cannot be fully assured. As with paper mail, response from the recipient is the only reliable way to determine that a message has been read.
- Technical constraints: Messages are sent through electronic messaging systems using store and forward technology. This means that the messages typically pass through multiple systems, some of which may not be fully secure or reliable.
- Message Content: The content of any electronic message is the sole responsibility of the individual sending the message. Harassment, obscenity, forgery and other illegal forms of expression are not acceptable use of university resources. Restrictions on content of electronic messages are generally the same as those that apply to verbal or written communication (slander, harassment, etc.). When such restrictions need to be enforced, the same administrative, judicial and criminal processes as for non-computer communication may be invoked. Use of electronic messaging systems does not change what is and is not an illegal communication.
Barring illegality, or violation of University Policy the university will not regulate messages based on content or views expressed by the sender or implied by the receipt. Individuals who use resources such as forums, social networking sites, newsgroups, e-mail lists, etc. shall decide for themselves whether the forum and content are appropriate to their needs. The university will treat these services as an educational resource. Transmission of information by electronic means does not negate intellectual property rights, copyrights or other protections. At university management discretion, files, data or communications may be reviewed as necessary; therefore, individuals are not entitled to any expectation of privacy with regard to their files, data or communication. - PROCEDURES
Specific requirement related to bulk mail, list services and other electronic messaging services mentioned in this policy are available on the JMU Computing Standards website at http://www.jmu.edu/computing/standards.
- RESPONSIBILITIES
Electronic messaging systems by their very nature depend on the shared effort and responsibility of all who participate in and manage their use. Disruptions, whether by technical or behavioral means, can impact availability and usefulness for an entire community of users.
Information Technology is responsible for ensuring reliable, secure and efficient operation of the university s electronic messaging systems. IT will also assure access to messaging services for all members of the university community in keeping with the university mission and, in conjunction with Educational Technologies will instruct and assist users in choosing among various messaging options.
University employees have additional responsibilities by virtue of their access to a variety of institutional data. Since JMU is a state institution maintaining personal information about individuals, special care is required. Laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Privacy Protection Act, the Intellectual Property Act, the Virginia Public Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act and others apply to data use and transmission within electronic messaging systems. University employees shall obey these and other applicable laws and regulations regarding data use and information security as they use electronic messaging systems.
- SANCTIONS
James Madison University reserves the right to manage its electronic messaging resource (medium and services) to ensure overall utility and common accessibility in support of the university mission This includes, but is not restricted to, suspension or revocation of computing and telecommunication services, including electronic messaging.
Other sanctions will be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency of the offense and may include termination. - EXCLUSIONS
None.
- INTERPRETATION
Authority to interpret this policy rests with the President, and is generally delegated to the Assistant Vice President for Information Technology.
Approved by the President: December, 2007
Index Terms
Electronic messaging
E-mail security