University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Student Email Policy
Introduction
Email is considered an official method for communicating with
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students because it delivers information
in a convenient, timely, cost effective, and environmentally aware
manner. The University expects that email communications will be
received and read by students in a timely fashion.
This policy establishes the University’s expectation
that faculty and other University staff may routinely communicate
important information to students using the University’s established
email system.
University Use of Email
Email is
an official method for communication at UW Oshkosh. The University
may send communications to students via email. Students are responsible
for the consequences of not reading in a timely fashion University-related
communications sent to their official UW Oshkosh student email account.
Student Email Accounts
All students
at UW Oshkosh are provided with an official UW Oshkosh student email
account. This email account is the official email address to which
the University will send email communications. This official email
address will be recorded in the University’s electronic directories
and records for that student.
Expectations Regarding Student Use of Email
Students are expected to check their UW Oshkosh official email account
on a frequent and consistent basis in order to remain informed of
University-related communications. The University recommends checking
email at least twice per week. “I didn’t check my email,”
errors in forwarding email, or email returned to the University
with “mailbox full” or “user unknown” are
not acceptable reasons for missing official University communications
via email.
Faculty/Instructional Academic Staff Expectations and Educational
Uses of Class Email Lists
Since faculty and instructional academic staff determine how email
is used in their classes, they can require students to check their
email on a specific or more frequent basis. Faculty and instructional
academic staff messages sent to class email lists, including class
lists for Desire2Learn courses, are also considered official communication.
Appropriate Use of Student Email
In
general, email is not appropriate for transmitting sensitive or
confidential information unless it is matched by an appropriate
level of security or permission.
All use of email will be consistent with other University policies,
including the UW Oshkosh Acceptable Use of Computing Resources Policy
(www.acs.uwosh.edu/documentation/acceptable-use.html).
All use of email will also be consistent with local, state, and
federal law, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA).
Redirecting Email
Students may elect
to redirect (autoforward) messages sent to their UW Oshkosh official
student email account to a non-University account. Students who
redirect email from their official account to a non-University account
(such as AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail), however, do so at their own risk.
Having email lost as a result of redirection does not absolve a
student from the responsibilities associated with communication
sent to her or his official email account. The University is not
responsible for the handling of email by outside vendors or unofficial
servers.
The University provides a WebMail system, through which
students from off campus can access their official UW Oshkosh email
account. Instructions for the use of WebMail are available at www.acs.uwosh.edu/vms/webmail/
Questions or comments about this policy should be directed
to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Information
Services or emailed to berens@uwosh.edu
