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E-MAIL POLICY

Note to the users:

This policy has been customized to accommodate the incorporation of Google Apps For Your Domain (GAFYD) Edu Version and their email service to the Jackson State University (JSU) Division of Information Technology (DIT) infrastructure. Therefore, Google’s Terms Of Service (TOS) are also included in this document via this link:

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/intl/en/terms.html.

Although Google’s TOS are included in this document for the users’ convenience, JSU does not incorporate, adopt, or necessarily agree to those terms by virtue of this policy.

If any of the terms of the TOS provided via the link above, now or at any later time as amended, are in conflict with the terms of this policy, as it may be amended from time to time, then the terms of this policy shall have priority over any conflicting terms.

Additionally, any provision not permitted by Mississippi law for JSU to agree or incorporate will be considered void.

Use of E-Mail

INTRODUCTION

Jackson State University provides e-mail resources to support its work and its mission. This administrative policy statement sets forth the University's policy with regard to use of, access to, disclosure of and other general information about e-mail to ensure that the University's resources serve those purposes.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

A. Privacy and Confidentiality

Jackson State University and Google will make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and effective operation of its e-mail systems, but users are advised that those systems should in no way be regarded as a secure medium for the communication of sensitive or confidential information.

Because of the nature and technology of electronic communications, the University cannot assure the privacy of an individual user's e-mail resources nor the confidentiality of particular messages that may be created, transmitted, received, or stored thereby.

Security and Privacy Concerns with GAFYD

Unlike a personal Google Gmail account, Google Apps for Education does not display advertisements within applications, and as such Google does not view the contents of email messages, calendar appointments, documents or any other data associated with any other Google application (app). The University was very concerned with security and privacy when entering into negotiations with Google, and those concerns were satisfied with detailed contract language ensuring security, privacy and ownership of all University data.

Note that JSU, not Google, not the user, owns the data that is created, transmitted, or stored via the JSU email systems (hosted internally or otherwise) and as an Institution, it has taken reasonable precautions to prevent unlawful third party access to this data without the users’ or the University’s consent.

Technical Support

The University will provide support for technical issues on email accounts provided only by the University; e.g., no personal accounts such as user@yahoo, user@gmail.com, etc. will be provided with support.

The University will not provide technical support for issues involving personal devices; e.g., cell phones, laptops, etc.

B. Permissible Uses of E-Mail

1. Authorized Users

Only University faculty, staff, students, alumni and other internal or external persons or organizations who have received accounts through the Division of Information Technology (DIT) are authorized users of the University's e-mail systems and resources.

1a. Email Address Format

Account names will have the format of firstname.mi.lastname@jsums.edu or firstname.lastname@jsums.edu, if no middle initial for employees; student accounts will follow the same format followed by their respective domain; e.g., firstname.mi.lastname@students.jsums.edu.

Departments and other organizations will have the name or acronym of the requesting unit followed by @jsums.edu; e.g., physics@jsums.edu or isi@jsums.edu, or as requested by that unit’s head (Dean, V.P., Chair, etc.).

Conflicts in the same domain will be resolved by appending digits at the end of the user’s name; e.g., john.doe@jsums.edu and john.doe@jsums.edu, then, using a “first-come first-served” approach, accounts will be john.doe@jsums.edu and john.doe1@jsums.edu.

Authorized users will login with their J#; e.g., j000123456 and their password; authorized organizations will have a unique id assigned to them to serve as login id (a.k.a., User ID, User Name); e.g., s000123456 and their password.

A user’s initial/default password is set to the date of birth (mmddyyyy), e.g., 05251985. Institutions or users with a UserIDs starting with “S00000” will contact technical support to have their passwords reset.
 

Given the case that the University incorporates an Identity Management System such as AD, LDAP or IDMS, then usernames, passwords, conflict resolutions and overall account provisioning, will be done as per the pre-set rules of that automated system.

 

2. Purpose of Use

 

As an individual or institution affiliated to the University, JSU will use the email provided to you as an official means of communication; e.g., between faculty and his/her students or between supervisor and employee. The use of any University email resources must be related to University business. Incidental and occasional personal use of e-mail may occur when such use does not generate a direct cost for the University. Any such use of University e-mail resources is subject to the provisions of this policy.

 

3. Storage Space

 

Authorized Users are allotted as much space as Gmail/Google and/or JSU DIT deems necessary; currently, both institutions provide up to twenty five (25) gigabytes (GB) per account.

 

Please, note that as of the date of this policy review, April, 2013, Google does not provide backup for users’ data; therefore, the user has the ultimate responsibility for preserving his/her data.

 

4. Sending E-Mail

 

E-mail attachments are currently limited to 25 MB for the entire message (includes message and attachments), both sending and receiving. No exceptions will be made.

 

C. Account Creation/Deletion

 

1. Unless denied within the University’s discretion, accounts will be created for:

 

a. Admitted Students for active school terms.

 

b. Currently employed Faculty.

 

c. Currently employed Staff.

 

d. Currently employed Administration.

e.  Alumni

f. Internal and external entities or personnel as deemed necessary and with prior request to and approval by JSU DIT.
 

2. Accounts will be deleted according to the type of account and the appropriate event:

a. Currently, JSU student email accounts are suspended after graduation.
 
b. Faculty, Staff, and Administration accounts will be deleted at resignation or termination or as deemed necessary by their supervisors, HR or DIT.
 

c. External entity or personnel accounts will be deleted at expiration date (determined at account creation).

NOTE: In addition to the above, accounts might be provisioned and de-provisioned according to the pre-set rules in an automated accounting management system such as AD, LDAP, IDMS, Banner, etc.


D. Prohibited Uses of E-Mail


1. Prohibited Purposes

a. Personal use that creates a direct cost for the University is prohibited.

b. The University's e-mail resources shall not be used for personal monetary gain or for commercial purposes that are not directly related to University business.


2. Other Prohibited Uses

Other prohibited uses of e-mail include, but are not limited to:

a. Sending copies of documents in violation of copyright laws.

b. Inclusion of the work of others into e-mail communications in violation of copyright laws.

c. Capture and "opening" of e-mail except as required in order for authorized employees to diagnose and correct delivery problems or as required by law.

d. Use of e-mail to unlawfully harass or intimidate others or to interfere with the ability of others to conduct University business.

e. Use of e-mail systems for any purpose restricted or prohibited by laws or regulations.

f. "Spoofing"; i.e., constructing an e-mail communication so it appears to be from someone else.

g. Attempting unauthorized access to e-mail or attempting to breach any security measures on any e-mail system, or attempting to intercept any e-mail transmissions without proper authorization.


E. University Access and Disclosure

1. General Provisions

a. To the extent permitted by law, the University reserves the right to access and disclose the contents of faculty, staff, students', and other users' e-mail without the consent of the user. The University will do so when it believes it has a legitimate business need including, but not limited to, those listed in section 3, below (Inspection and Disclosure of Communications).

b. Faculty, staff, and other non-student users are advised that the University's e-mail systems should be treated like a shared filing system, i.e., with the expectation that communications sent or received on University business or with the use of University resources may be made available for review by any authorized University official for purposes related to University business. 

c. E-mail of students may constitute "education records" subject to the provisions of the federal statute known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The University may access, inspect, and disclose such records under conditions that are set forth in the statute.

d. Any user of the University's e-mail resources who makes use of an encryption device to restrict or inhibit access to his or her e-mail must provide access to such encrypted communications when requested to do so under appropriate University authority.

 

2. Monitoring of Communications

The University will not monitor e-mail as a routine matter but it may do so to the extent permitted by law as the University deems necessary for purposes of maintaining the integrity and effective operation of the University's e-mail systems.

 

3. Inspection and Disclosure of Communications

The University reserves the right to inspect and disclose the contents of e-mail: in the course of an investigation triggered by indications of misconduct or misuse, as needed to protect health and safety, as needed to prevent interference with the academic mission, or as needed to locate substantive information required for University business that is not more readily available by some other means.

The University will inspect and disclose the contents of e-mail when such action is necessary to respond to legal processes and to fulfill the University's obligations to third parties.

 

4. Limitations on Disclosure and Use of Information Obtained by Means of Access or Monitoring

The contents of e-mail communications, properly obtained for University purposes, may be disclosed without permission of the user. The University will attempt to refrain from disclosure of particular communications if disclosure appears likely to create personal embarrassment, unless such disclosure is required to serve a business purpose or satisfy a legal obligation.

 

F. Disciplinary Action

Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against individuals found to have engaged in prohibited use of the University's e-mail resources.