Mass Email Distribution Acceptable Use Policy

The purpose of this policy is to describe the appropriate use of email distribution lists.  By allowing only authorized accounts access to distribution lists, we limit the risk of distribution of inappropriate or excessive email messages.  This allows for a stream of quality information used in connection with the operations of the University.

Acceptable Use:

Use of distribution lists to a large group, such as all students or all faculty and staff should only be used when the message is relevant to all members of the distribution list and directly relate to carrying out the business of the University.

Examples of Acceptable Use:

• Chancellor announcements
• Emergency notices, including University facilities outages and information updates
• Human resource policy or benefits announcements
• Expected street, traffic and parking interruptions
• Services for general University use, such as travel and transportation
• Broadcasts of Information Services service changes or updates
• University special events such as observances for holidays
• Other announcements or news reports affecting the University
• Messages that relate to changes in University Policy

Examples of Inappropriate Use:

• Messages that are not in line with the mission of the University
• Messages that are personal in nature
• Messages that are commercial in nature, with the exception of those messages that are in support of University business
• Any information relating to business services or commercial solicitation such as house sale listings, reselling of tickets to events or any other activity for profit
• Solicitation for contributions, charities, or participation in personal
• Messages of limited interest to the University community at large, such as individual class cancellations or personal and holiday greetings
• Any message which violates University Electronic Mail policy

Authorized Users:

Individuals must be designated by the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor of their division to have permission to send messages to mass distribution lists, including but not limited to all students and all faculty and staff.  Requests for posting authority should be sent to the Customer Service Center.  Policy clarifications should be sent to the Vice Chancellor for Information Services.

Distribution List – A list of email addresses used to send a single message to multiple users simultaneously.

All members of the Purdue University Northwest community.

Purdue University Electronic Mail Policy (VII.A.1)

May 23, 2016: Initial Policy Statement