Electronic Mail
Definition of E-Mail :.
E-mail is the electronic transfer of information, typically in the form of electronic messages, memoranda, and attached documents, from a sending party to one or more receiving parties by means of an intermediate telecommunications system.
E-mail Accounts :.
MIS establishes e-mail accounts for all UB employees who like to have a UB Account during active employment. All accounts for employees are established using the employee’s legal name and created with the first seven letters of the last name and the first letter of the first name. After employment is terminated, the account is physically removed from the e-mail system.
E-mail as a Public Record :.
a. E-mail which is created or received by a UB employee in connection with the transaction of official business of the UB is considered a public record and is subject to inspection and/or copying in accordance to the law.
b. E-mails, created or received for personal use, are not generally considered public records and do not fall within the definition of public records by virtue of their placement on a government-owned computer system. However, if the UB discovers misuse of the e-mail system, personal e-mails that are identified as being in violation of UB policy may become public record as part of an investigation.
c. Employees are responsible for ensuring that electronic public records which are exempt from access or inspection by statute are properly safeguarded.
Use of E-Mail System :.
a. The UB e-mail system is to be used to conduct official UB business and is not to be used for any other purpose unless expressly approved by authorized UB officials. E-mail may be used to communicate with UB staff and with other public and private entities to conduct official UB business.
b. Incidental, personal use of the e-mail system is permitted; however, the personal use must be brief, must not interfere with the employee’s work or the work of others, must not subject the UB to any additional cost, and must not be prohibited by law, statute, ordinance, rule or regulation.
Prohibited Uses of E-Mail :.
The UB e-mail system shall not be used for any unauthorized purpose including, but not limited to:
a. Sending solicitations including, but not limited to, advertising the sale of goods or services or other commercial activities, which have not been approved by the UB.
b. Sending copies of documents in violation of copyright laws or licensing
agreements.
c. Sending information or material prohibited or restricted by government security laws or regulations.
d. Sending information or material which may reflect unfavorably on the UB or adversely affect the UB’s ability to carry out its mission.
e. Sending information or material which may be perceived as representing the UB official position on any matter when authority to disseminate such information has not been expressly granted.
f. Sending confidential or proprietary information or data to persons not authorized to receive such information, either within or outside the UB.
g. Sending messages or requesting information or material that is fraudulent, harassing, obscene, offensive, discriminatory, lewd, sexually suggestive, sexually explicit, pornographic, intimidating, defamatory, derogatory, violent or which contains profanity or vulgarity, regardless of intent. Among those which are considered offensive include, but are not limited to, messages containing jokes, slurs, epithets, pictures, caricatures, or other material demonstrating animosity, hatred, disdain or contempt for a person or group of people because of race, color, age, national origin, gender, religious or political beliefs, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by law.
h. Sending messages or requesting information reflecting or containing chain letters or any illegal activity, including, but not limited to gambling.
i. Sending or requesting information or material that proselytizes or promotes a religious or political view, cause, position or action.
j. Sending Spam. Spam is any unsolicited e-mail message sent to a large number of people. Typically this includes cases where:
- The recipient did not request the message.
- The recipient does not know the sender.
- In newsgroups, a message is posted that is not appropriate to the topic of the newsgroup. Newsgroup postings that offer services or products are considered spam, unless they can be documented as a response to a legitimate inquiry in that same newsgroup, and if they are appropriate to the topic of that newsgroup.
- Bulk mailing lists are used to send unsolicited marketing or sales information
If everyone with a product to sell or an opinion to voice sends an e-mail to hundreds or thousands of people, the network will be overwhelmed and become unusable. Therefore, the University of Baguio prohibits the practice of spamming, i.e. sending spam as identified above. The University of Baguio will, to the fullest extent allowed by law, seek legal action against any individual(s), organization(s) and or company(s) that knowingly or otherwise directly or indirectly utilizes the network (or causes it to be used) for any practice that sends out mass unsolicited e-mail.
Managing E-Mail :.
Sorting e-mail into appropriate personal folders is a helpful way to manage these records and to ensure that appropriate retention requirements are identified and met. That is, just as file cabinets are set up to house different sets of files and employees know where to file paper records in those files, e-mail files and folders can be set up with the appropriate retention period designated for each of those files and folders. If no retention schedule exists for records relating to a particular activity, then one must be established and that retention schedule would then apply to all documentation of that activity, regardless of form (paper, film, electronic, etc.).