Social Media and Email Policy

Policies

  • Know your college and university’s E-mail policies.
  • Use professionalism, efficiency and protect yourself from liability.

Addresses and Subject Lines  

  • Check with the List Administrator of your college for faculty/student assignments to groups and e-mail distribution lists. Know who can use what lists and for what use.
  • Always use a brief but relevant subject heading (avoid using this space for your message).
  • Always use a salutation, “Hello Sue,” and end with your name, “Jane Doe”.
  • Your address should ideally be a personal name and not a string of letters and numbers that cannot identify you.

Content, Message, Length

  • Keep to the subject.
  • Use proper grammar and spelling.
  • Do not e-mail credit card numbers or social security numbers.
  • Do not send person’s names or any information that could breach confidentiality.
  • Do not send angry messages. If there is a conflict, it is best to meet in person to discuss.
  • Do not type messages in all lower case or all upper case – they are hard to read and hard to interpret.
  • Do not SPAM. Use your list administrator to send broadcast e-mails of importance to students or the College. If you have important class related information, include it in your website or use the class home page announcements feature.
  • Proofread and make sure the appropriate people are on the e-mail.

Replies and Reply-All’s

  • Only include enough of the original e-mail to continue the thought. Avoid sending a string of previous e-mails. This may not be appropriate.
  • If you have been sent a question on an e-mail list, send your personal reply to the original mailer only, not the entire list, unless indicated otherwise.
  • If you are copied on an e-mail, no reply is required.

Signatures

  • Always use a signature when you can. Keep it to 4 or 5 lines (mailing, phone, and fax info).
  • Use your mail service to automatically insert this signature.
  • Avoid appending long and inappropriate text to your signature.

Courtesy and Timing

  • Remember to use “please” and “thank you.”
  • Use formal address when indicated such as “Dr., Dean, Professor.”
  • Don’t expect an e-mail reply any faster than a phone reply would take.
  • If you need an immediate answer from someone, use the telephone.
  • If you schedule meetings, please allow for one-week advance warning via e-mail.
  • Use emoticons (smiley faces, etc.) sparingly.