Policies and Procedures Home
 

Communication with Students Policy

CSU Bakersfield Policy

 
 
Document Number:
ITS-90.005
Responsible Office:
Information Technology Services
Primary Author:
CIO & AVP of Information Technology
Last Revision Date:
3/1/2010
Effective Date:

General Description

Purpose:

Students are responsible for maintaining an accurate mailing address with the university through the Office of Admissions and Records and for providing the University with a valid email address. The University intends to replace many of the letters sent to students via the U.S. Postal service with e-mail communications. As a result, CSUB recommends that students check their email accounts daily.

Scope:

All Students

Policy/Procedure

California State University Bakersfield may send communications to students either by mail or by email.


Student Responsibility

 
Students are responsible for maintaining an accurate mailing address with the university through the Office of Admissions and Records and for providing the University with a valid email address. The University intends to replace many of the letters sent to students via the U.S. Postal service with e-mail communications. As a result, CSUB recommends that students check their email accounts daily.
The consequences of not checking e-mail are the same as those for not checking your U.S. Postal mailbox. Some of these consequences include missing payment deadlines, missing scholarship opportunities and deadlines, missing registration deadlines, missing immunization requirements, missing out on opportunities for financial aid, and missing requirements and deadlines for graduation.
Students are responsible for the consequences of not reading, in a timely fashion, university- related communications sent to their mailing address or student provided email account. Students have the responsibility to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical. Excuses such as not checking mail or email on time, errors in forwarding mail or email, mail or email returned due to relocation, undeliverable address, full email inbox, etc. are not acceptable reasons for missing university correspondence.
 

  1. By mail:

    1. It is the student's responsibility to provide the university with a current mailing address.
    2. University mailings will be sent to the student's mailing address of record.
    3. Students may update their mailing addresses either by coming into the Office of Admissions and Records and submitting a signed and dated BioData Change/Address Change form or by updating their contact information in their 'MyCSUB' Account.
       

  2. By email:

    1. It is the student's responsibility to check the email account/address he or she has provided to the University.
    2. Faculty will determine how electronic forms of communication (e.g., email) will be used in their respective classes and will specify their requirements to students. Faculty can make the assumption that students have provided the University with a valid email address and can use the email address for class-related communications with students.
    3. Given the wide range of computers and email programs used by students, it is important that the email messages be sent in a format that can be easily read by all students.
    4. All email sent to students should include the name, title, email address and telephone number of the person sending the email so that students may verify the integrity of the email.
    5. Emails sent to students should not include non-directory information as defined in the University Catalog under the section entitled "Privacy Rights of Students in Education Records." The following items of information about students may be released: student's name, photograph, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. While the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does allow such information to be released, the University reserves the right to place further restrictions on the release of information. In addition, the student may specify in writing, in advance, that they do not want this information released.
    6. All users of email should understand that there are some circumstances in which the contents of email may be disclosed to others. Sometimes this may be accidental. At other times it may be deliberate when the university is investigating a technical or legal issue.
       

  3. Group Emails to the Currently Enrolled Distribution List

    1. Only the Vice President for Student Affairs, the AVP for Enrollment Management and the Registrar are authorized to send group emails to the Currently Enrolled Distribution List. It is understood that students campaigning for ASI positions will each be allowed to send one message to the Currently Enrolled Distribution List. The office of the Vice President for Student Affairs will work out the details for this and approve any such mailings. The office of the AVP for ITS will be allowed to send email to Currently Enrolled Distribution List for purposes related to technical and/or maintenance issues affecting University technology services. The Office of the President is allowed to send messages directly to the Currently Enrolled Distribution List.
    2. No commercial use will be made of the Currently Enrolled Distribution List.
    3. Email to the Currently Enrolled Distribution List shall contain the following information:
      1. Notice that this is a communication from California State University, Bakersfield.
      2. The office, email address, and a telephone number to verify the integrity of the email address or to direct questions to the sender about the contents of the email.
      3. All messages should be in the plain text format, avoiding graphics and the use of attachments.

All mail and email will be consistent with all university policies as well as local, state and federal law, including, but not limited to, the California State University, Bakersfield Acceptable Use Policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Refer to the University Catalog in the section entitled "Privacy Rights of Students in Education Records" for more information or contact the Office of Admissions and Records.
It is a violation of university policies for any user of university mail or email addresses to impersonate a university office, faculty/staff member or student.
(CSUB wishes to thank Cal Poly Pomona for sharing their 'communication with students' policy, from which this policy was adopted)