Board of Regents Policies and Procedures Manual:
Information Technology
ITEM 114-104-R0102

No. 5a - Electronic Mail (5) (New)

SCOPE

This policy applies to all MUS employees using MUS-owned or managed computing and information resources where access to those resources is part of their employment. It also applies to visiting faculty, “adjuncts,” other persons having officially sanctioned, unpaid affiliations with a MUS campus, and any other person that has authorized access to MUS-owned or managed computing and information resources through other than student or patron status, as defined in Policy 1. The term "user" in this policy refers to MUS employees and the other types of users described above.

A separate policy (Policy 5-B) applies to MUS student users of MUS e-mail resources.

REQUIREMENTS

MUS-provided electronic mail (e-mail) systems are to be used by employees for their job-related activities. Acceptable activities include: the conduct of MUS business and delivery of MUS services; transmitting and sharing of information among educational, research, and governmental organizations; supporting open inquiry and education in and between research and instructional institutions; communicating and exchanging professional information; encouraging debate of issues in the user's specific areas of expertise; applying for or administering grants or contracts; announcing requests for proposals and bids; announcing new services for use in research or instruction; and conducting other appropriate MUS business, which includes office-related functions or announcements.

Within the limits of state and federal law, any copies of messages created, sent, or received by MUS employees using MUS e-mail systems, when stored on MUS-owned equipment, are the property of the MUS. Privacy of e-mail is not guaranteed. Authorized MUS personnel may monitor e-mail system usage for purposes of planning and managing resources, evaluating system performance, troubleshooting purposes, or investigating suspected abuse, as described in the MUS information technology policy concerning privacy, security and monitoring (Policy 1).

>GUIDELINES: RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT REQUIREMENTS

Examples of misuse of MUS-provided electronic mail systems include, but are not limited to:

  • Circulating chain letters
  • Using MUS e-mail systems for: “for-profit” activities; “non-profit” or public, professional, or service organization activities unrelated to an employee’s job duties; or extensive private, recreational, or personal activities, where “extensive” is defined by the employee’s supervisor; the supervisor may vary the definition depending on business needs, work load, and other factors the supervisor considers relevant.
  • Large-scale distributions of unsolicited e-mail (sometimes called “spam”). Users should contact the campus e-mail coordinator to be informed of the correct procedures for handling large e-mail distributions.
  • Other misuse activities as referenced in the MUS information technology policy on “User Responsibilities” (Policy 2-B).

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