Purpose

This policy is designed to identify and describe the use of electronic mail as an official means of communications to Bridgewater State University (BSU) students.

Policy

This policy is designed to identify and describe the use of electronic mail as an official means of communications to Bridgewater State University (BSU) students.

Scope

All members of the Bridgewater State University community.

Roles and Responsibilities

*Role*	*Responsibility*
Student Responsibilities	Students are required to access and review BSU e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with University-related communications. Students must be aware of mailbox capacity and ensure that there is enough space in their accounts for e-mail to be delivered. Students must recognize that certain communications may be time critical. Students may forward e-mail from their official BSU address (student e-mail address@student.bridgew.edu) to another e-mail address at their own risk. The University is not responsible for the handling of e-mail by outside vendors. Information on forwarding email is available from IT Support Services. Students will not be held responsible for an interruption in their ability to access a message if the University e-mail system malfunctions or other University system-related problems prevent timely delivery of, or access to, that message (e.g., power outages or e-mail system viruses).
University Staff, Faculty, and Librarians	The Information Technology Division is responsible for implementing and managing this policy and distributing and maintaining official BSU e-mail addresses. The content of official communications to students is the responsibility of the originating department or individual. The University will select the form of communication best suited to the announcement and audience. In some situations, e-mail might be the sole form of that communication. Examples of information the University might choose to send to students via email include, but are not limited to, routine announcements, notification of important dates and deadlines, course information from faculty, and official documents (e.g. grade reports, course schedules, bills, etc.). The University must ensure that enough mailbox space is available for students to receive a reasonable volume of electronic mail. The University will not use e-mail to transmit sensitive or confidential information unless its use for such purposes is matched by an appropriate level of security. University employees will exercise caution when responding to email sent from an unofficial e-mail address, since there is no way to ensure the identity of the sender. The University will provide generic replies to non-BSU e-mail addresses and will require individuals to send messages for their primary campus e-mail address for a more detailed reply.
All Users	When using e-mail communication, all members of the University community are expected to abide by all pertinent BSU Information Technology policies including, but not limited to, Responsible Use of Information Technology, Monitoring of Electronic Communications, and the Campus e-mail Mailing List Policies. Information Technology Policies can be found on the IT Policies and Procedures Page

Role

Responsibility

Student Responsibilities

Students are required to access and review BSU e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with University-related communications.
Students must be aware of mailbox capacity and ensure that there is enough space in their accounts for e-mail to be delivered.
Students must recognize that certain communications may be time critical.
Students may forward e-mail from their official BSU address (student e-mail address@student.bridgew.edu) to another e-mail address at their own risk. The University is not responsible for the handling of e-mail by outside vendors. Information on forwarding email is available from IT Support Services.
Students will not be held responsible for an interruption in their ability to access a message if the University e-mail system malfunctions or other University system-related problems prevent timely delivery of, or access to, that message (e.g., power outages or e-mail system viruses).

University Staff, Faculty, and Librarians

The Information Technology Division is responsible for implementing and managing this policy and distributing and maintaining official BSU e-mail addresses.
The content of official communications to students is the responsibility of the originating department or individual.
The University will select the form of communication best suited to the announcement and audience. In some situations, e-mail might be the sole form of that communication. Examples of information the University might choose to send to students via email include, but are not limited to, routine announcements, notification of important dates and deadlines, course information from faculty, and official documents (e.g. grade reports, course schedules, bills, etc.).
The University must ensure that enough mailbox space is available for students to receive a reasonable volume of electronic mail.
The University will not use e-mail to transmit sensitive or confidential information unless its use for such purposes is matched by an appropriate level of security.
University employees will exercise caution when responding to email sent from an unofficial e-mail address, since there is no way to ensure the identity of the sender. The University will provide generic replies to non-BSU e-mail addresses and will require individuals to send messages for their primary campus e-mail address for a more detailed reply.

All Users

When using e-mail communication, all members of the University community are expected to abide by all pertinent BSU Information Technology policies including, but not limited to, Responsible Use of Information Technology, Monitoring of Electronic Communications, and the Campus e-mail Mailing List Policies. Information Technology Policies can be found on the IT Policies and Procedures Page

Revisions

This section contains comments on any revisions that were made to this document and the date they were made.

*Version Number*	*Issue Date*	*Approval*	*Description of Changes*
1.0	2/23/2011	Patrick Cronin
1.1	12/19/2018	Raymond Lefebvre
1.2	7/14/2020	Steven Zuromski	Update for revised account creation processes.

Reviewed 8/2023 by Avis Patten, Information Technology