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Academic Computing and Networking Services

Colorado State University

Email Policy and Information

from Judson M. Harper, Vice President for Research & Information Technology, July 1, 1997 (Replacing Memorandum of August 30, 1994)

Introduction

Many members of the University community use electronic mail (email) in their day-to-day activities. The policy for use of email must be consistent with this mission as well as other university policies.

Email messages are subject to many of the same laws and policies as other forms of communication. Such laws include the Colorado Open Records Act (which governs public access to records kept by the University), the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (which governs confidentiality of records that include personally identifiable information about students), and the Colorado State Archives & Public Records Act (which governs the retention, archiving and destruction of university documents).

Email Messages as Public Records

The Colorado Open Records Act defines public records as including all writings made, maintained, or kept by the state or any agency, institution, or political subdivision thereof for use in the exercise of functions required or authorized by law or administrative rule or involving the receipt or expenditure of public funds. Under this Act, electronic files are treated the same as paper files and, like paper files, are considered to be public records and may be subject to inspection under the Act, unless they are covered by a specific exemption.

In order to comply with the State Archives & Public Records Act, it is necessary that all documents pertaining to the business of the University paper or electronic be retained, archived or destroyed, as appropriate. This decision must be made at the individual and unit level, being cognizant of the above-definition of public records, and mindful of university policies and procedures such as described in Financial Procedures Instruction 33.00, Record Retention of University Documents.

Email messages that are public records must be maintained in either paper or electronic format. Email messages that are not public records should be deleted. Please note that although current practice requires the daily back up of computer files, which may include email messages, such back up is only for temporary technical and operational purposes and is not intended to serve as a mechanism for archiving university public records.

Confidentiality and Monitoring of Email Messages

The contents of email messages sent or received by Colorado State University students, faculty and staff are generally intended to be confidential; meaning that the contents of any email message are intended to be shared only by its sender and recipients, and by any other people to whom the sender or recipients may disclose the contents of the message. Although the content of email messages is intended to be confidential, the fact that these messages occurred (i.e. were sent by whom, to whom, and when is not). Confidentiality of email message content cannot be guaranteed. For example: email messages can be saved indefinitely on receiving computer(s), copies made and forwarded to others electronically or on paper; messages sent to nonexistent or incorrect addresses may be delivered to a system administrator or postmaster at an external site. The contents of email messages are not routinely monitored by the University. However, the University may monitor email where required to prevent the continued use of email messages for illegal purposes or to meet externally imposed legal requirements. Further, routine maintenance of networking or computing systems may result in the contents of files and communications being seen by network, system, or other administrators.

Acceptable Uses of Email

Access to information technology services and facilities in general, and email in particular, at Colorado State University is a privilege and must be treated as such by all users. As with any other university facility, abuse of these privileges can be a matter of legal action or official campus disciplinary procedures, with sanctions ranging from reprimand, to loss of access, to referral to university authorities for disciplinary action. In a case where an inappropriate use severely impacts performance or security of university services and facilities, an individual's privilege of access may be suspended.

  • Acceptable use of email or other computing and networking resources or facilities is based on common sense, common decency, and civility. Email should be used in the same way and with the same intent as any other form of communication. Do not send an email message that, using good judgment, would not have been sent using any other form of communication.
  • Unacceptable uses of email or other computing and networking resources and facilities shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Misrepresentation of identity or source in the use of email is unacceptable. However, as an email recipient, it is important to realize that the authenticity of an email message cannot be assured at the present state of the technology, and that the authorship or the source of an email message may not be as indicated in the message.
    • Using email or other computing or networking resources or facilities for any purpose that violates federal or state laws.
    • Using email or other computing or networking resources or facilities for commercial purposes.
    • Sending patently harassing, intimidating, abusive or offensive material to or about others.
    • Intercepting, disrupting or altering electronic communications.
    • Using the identity and password of someone else for access or otherwise attempting to evade, disable or "crack" password or other security provisions.
    • Causing congestion on the network by such things as the propagation of "chain letters," "broadcasting" inappropriate messages to lists or individuals, or excessive use of shared data store such as an electronic mail post office.
    • Reproducing or distributing copyrighted materials without appropriate authorization.
    • Accessing, copying or modifying email or other files without authorization.
    • Interfering with or disrupting the work of another, such as through propagation of computer worms or viruses and/or unauthorized entry to computing and networking resources or facilities.
  • Personal use of email at Colorado State University is permitted because both of the Colorado laws referenced above appear to implicitly recognize such use, and its incremental cost is essentially zero. Nonetheless, personal use of university email services must be done with prudence and discretion.

Questions, Suggestions, Complaints, or Problems

Questions, suggestions, complaints, problems or any other issues about email at Colorado State University should be referred to the Director of Academic Computing & Networking Services (ACNS). Action by ACNS on email issues may require disclosure of email contents by the sender or a recipient of the messages in question. Such issues will be addressed as follows:

  • Technical issues will be assigned to ACNS staff for resolution.
  • Policy issues will be referred to the Information Technology Executive Committee.
  • All other issues will be addressed by the Director of ACNS.

The person submitting a question, suggestion, complaint or problem will be informed of the resulting action.