Email Usage Policy

Email is intended to support University business and help us fulfill our mission of education, service, and research. All other uses are secondary.

Email is rapidly becoming an official communication vehicle of the University. The speed and efficiency of disseminating electronic information makes it a valuable and sought-after resource, with more than 4,000,000 messages a day traveling across Tulane's network.

Email is not a free resource and must be handled responsibly by all of our users, including faculty, staff, students, and alumni. It is a business tool that is supported by an extensive and expensive network.

Email is a shared resource and we ask that everyone use these services in an efficient, effective, ethical, and legal manner.

1. Tulane cannot guarantee that electronic communications will be private.
2. Email messages are subject to search by University officials at any time, with or without notice.
3. Email users must exercise caution when forwarding messages. Tulane sensitive information must not be forwarded to any party outside Tulane without the prior approval of a local department manager.
4. Creating or disseminating inappropriate, harassing, or offensive messages, including those using racial or sexist slurs, is prohibited.
5. Regardless of the circumstances, individual passwords must never be shared or revealed to anyone else besides the authorized user.  TS will NEVER request your password via email.
6. It may be necessary for technical support personnel to review the content of an individual's communications during the course of problem resolution. These staff members must not review the content of an individual's communications out of personal curiosity or at the request of individuals who have not gone through proper approval channels. Advance approval by the Information Security Office, or University Counsel is required for all such monitoring.
7. Chain letters and other forms of mass mailings are discouraged.
8. Users must not use email services for broadcasting messages that have not been approved by the Office of Communications.
9. Users should not develop or use unapproved list-serves. TS manages and develops the official University list-serves.
10. Sayings, poems, religious matter, political slogans, and other writings that personalize email signatures may be inappropriate for use in a business setting. Determine whether such material would be appropriate at the bottom of a written memo and make your email decision accordingly.

Any violation of this policy may result in termination of access, disciplinary review, expulsion, termination of employment, legal action, or other disciplinary action appropriate to specific job classification