Official College Email Policy

Purpose

Hamilton College fosters a culture of responsibility and accountability, ensuring that all members of the College community are well-informed and actively engaged in College affairs.

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the distribution of Official College Emails to the College community, including students, faculty, and employees. These emails contain important and necessary information that is vital for the smooth functioning of the College's academic, administrative, and operational activities.

Scope

This policy applies to all members of the Hamilton College community, including but not limited to students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

Policy

Official College Emails are essential messages that include important and sometimes mandatory information for one or more members or groups within the College community. These emails serve as a crucial means of communication to disseminate time-sensitive announcements, policy updates, event notifications, changes in services or facilities, and other pertinent information relevant to campus life.

Automatic Inclusion and Opt-Out

To ensure effective communication and widespread dissemination of essential information, all students, faculty, and employees are automatically added to the official distribution lists for College emails. This automatic inclusion is crucial to maintaining a cohesive and informed Hamilton College community.

Given the importance of the information shared through Official College Emails, individuals cannot opt out of receiving these messages.

Examples of Official College Emails include, but are not limited to

Announcement of Hamilton deadlines, policies, and procedures (e.g., drop-add dates, parking instructions, library book notices).
Weekly Hamilton Events notice.
Notifications of the availability of, or changes in, Hamilton College services or facilities (e.g., dining and fitness center schedules, Hamilton housing availability, IT and library services, Campus Safety announcements, Facilities Management notices, changes in hours of operation).
Messages from the President's Office pertaining to critical updates and College-wide announcements.
Notices from divisional vice presidents regarding matters within their areas of responsibility.

Approved Senders

Authorized senders are designated by the appropriate divisional Vice President and the Vice President of Communications and Marketing. These individuals are entrusted with the responsibility of sending official college communications and must adhere to the guidelines outlined in this policy. Vice Presidents will consider factors such as the sender's position, level of responsibility, and their adherence to prior communication policies before approving access as an Approved Sender. This step ensures that all communications align with the college's branding, messaging, and strategic objectives.

Ongoing Review

The list of authorized senders will be subject to periodic review and updates by the Office of Communications and Marketing. This review process will occur at least once per academic year, during which the necessity of each sender's authorization will be re-evaluated. Additionally, any changes in personnel or departmental responsibilities may prompt a review and potential adjustment of the list of authorized senders.

Communication Channels

Authorized senders are permitted to utilize official communication channels approved by the college, such as email systems, official social media accounts, and other designated platforms. All communications transmitted via these channels must align with the college's communication guidelines, confidentiality protocols, and applicable laws and regulations.

Noncompliance and Sanctions

Users who violate this policy may be denied access to the College’s resources and may be subject to penalties and disciplinary action, both within and outside the institution, subject to the appropriate enforcement process. The College may temporarily suspend or block access to an account, prior to the initiation or completion of such procedures, when it reasonably appears necessary to do so in order to protect the integrity, security, or functionality of the College or other computing resources or to protect the institution from liability.

Suspected violations will be reviewed by the Director of Information Security and the Vice President for Communications and Marketing; confirmed violations will follow established procedures in the appropriate enforcement process.

For questions or concerns related to this policy, please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing.

Approved: July 2023
Last Reviewed: July 2023