Most employees have access to a College e-mail account. E-mail should be sent to those with a need to know and kept as brief as possible. Use businesslike language and make it clear if you want or need any action from the recipient. E-mail is a business tool and should be used only for College business. E-mail is not guaranteed to be a private or confidential communication and don’t assume that an e-mail you have deleted ceases to exist. Employees should not have any expectation of privacy for any e-mails created, stored, or transmitted using the College’s e-mail systems. Internal and external email messages are considered business records and may be subject to discovery in the event of litigation. Be aware of this possibility when sending email within and outside the College.
- E-mail should not be used for personal communications.
- E-mail should not be used to send confidential highly sensitive information unless the information is sent through authorized, secure means and/or is sent encrypted.
- Do not forward another person’s e-mail without permission, especially to a large group of recipients.
- Limit the use of “Reply All” except in instances when it is important that all recipients receive your response.
- Be specific in the Subject
- Only those needing to take action should be in the “To”; utilize the “CC” for those that need to be informed only
- Keep your e-mail messages short and to the point. Focus on one subject per message.
- Be professional and courteous in writing e-mails.
- Do not include offensive topics or use sarcasm, which often does not translate in an e-mail.
- Respect the confidentiality of electronic communications you receive.
- Represent yourself truthfully in all forms of electronic communication.
- Do not mail chain letters or send them on. Do not respond to or instigate a moneymaking scheme online.
- Do not send excessively large files via e-mail, e.g. MP3 files.
- Check your e-mail daily and delete unwanted messages immediately. Move mail and downloads you want to save to the appropriate file in your computer.
- Activate your Out-of-Office message when away from the office for extended periods.