I.      INTRODUCTION

 

Electronic communication is the primary communication method among students, faculty, staff, and administration at the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego). Electronic mail and other emerging forms of electronic communications offer access twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere the student has an Internet connection, and provide convenience for the student in reading, responding and reacting to UC San Diego communications. Electronic communications have the potential to be a highly cost-effective and timely medium for University officials to communicate messages to students. In order for the University to fully realize the cost savings and other benefits of electronic communications, it is essential that students attend to messages sent to their official UC San Diego electronic mail address or provided by other electronic communication tools.

 

II.    PURPOSE AND SCOPE

 

The purpose of this policy is to define student responsibility with respect to receiving and reading official UC San Diego electronic communications sent to the student's official UC San Diego electronic mail address or provided by other electronic communication tools. Students have access via TritonLink to request and maintain their university-assigned email address. Faculty and staff have access via Blink to the student's university-assigned email address for purposes of official communication. This issuance applies to all students – undergraduate, graduate, professional and Extension. UC San Diego Extension students have access to maintain their personal email addresses through Extension's student portal.

 

III.   POLICY

 

This policy establishes electronic communication as a recognized and official means by which University officials may, at their discretion communicate with students.  Electronic messaging will be delivered through an official University channel, such as ACS-Webmail, or other such channels that may be developed for this purpose.  Mandatory messages may also be provided by other electronic communication tools. (See Exhibit A – Official Messages to Students: Mandatory vs. Optional)

 

The following University of California and UC San Diego policies apply to all student use of University electronic communications and electronic communications resources:

 

·         University of California Electronic Communications Policy

 

·         UC San Diego Electronic Communications Procedures and Practices  

·         Academic Computing and Media Services Acceptable Use Policy

 

 

 

IV.   DEFINITIONS

 

A.    University-Assigned Email Alias – An electronic mail alias (username@ucsd.edu) issued to the student by Academic Computing & Media Services (ACMS). This alias appears in the Registrar's records and is displayed on TritonLink as the student's “Campus Email Address.” The @ucsd.edu alias has an associated delivery destination address that may either be provided by ACMS, or forwarded to another email account designated by the student.

B.    Electronic Mail Delivery Destination Address – Messages addressed to a university-assigned email alias are delivered to an electronic mail account specified in campus electronic mail system records.

C.    UC San Diego Official or University Official - Any individual designated by UC San Diego or the University to perform an assigned function on behalf of UC San Diego or the University of California, respectively.

 

      A campus or university official may be:

 

1.     A person employed by UC San Diego or the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position;

2.     A person serving on a UC San Diego or University governing body;

3.     A person employed by, under contract with, or having entered into an agreement with UC San Diego or the University to perform a special task, such as an attorney, an auditor, or a volunteer; 

4.     A student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another UC San Diego or university official in performing his or her tasks.

D.    Official Communication – Includes, but is not limited to: Mandatory and optional messages sent from a UC San Diego source including an @ucsd.edu address, via a UC San Diego tool such as the campus Learning Management System (LMS) or by a third party tool. (See Exhibit A – Official Messages to Students: Mandatory vs. Optional)

 

E.    Mandatory Message – An official message involving a recipient's academic or financial status, or a message concerning safety or that fulfills a federal, state or university regulation, policy or procedure. (See channels available in Exhibit A – Official Messages to Students: Mandatory vs. Optional)

 

F.    Optional Message – A message that does not fit the definition of mandatory, typically pertaining to an event or opportunity. May or may not be an official communication depending on origin of message.  (See channels available in Exhibit A: Official Messages to Students: Mandatory vs. Optional)

 

V.    STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Pursuant to this policy, all UC San Diego students are responsible for the following:

1.     Determining their official UC San Diego electronic mail alias. (See VI. Resources, For Students).

2.     Maintaining a valid electronic mail delivery destination address.

3.     Resolving impediments to accessing secure messaging systems and their electronic mail delivery destination address.

4.     Attending to delivered and posted messages on a frequent and consistent basis.

5.     Reading all mandatory UC San Diego communications.

 

VI.   RESOURCES

 

For Students: The Academic Computing & Media Services website, provides a wide variety of support services and information to help students fulfill their responsibilities.

 

For Faculty and Staff: See the Blink website for additional resources and best practices. 

 

VII. REVISION HISTORY

 

2019-06-18 Policy comprehensively reviewed with no substantive changes. Reissued with a new review date of 2022-06-18.