Email Acceptable Use Policy
Effective from April 2024
Approved and Enforced by Office of President
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and best practices for the use of email within Saint Nicholas University (SNU) for academic and administrative purposes. These guidelines aim to ensure efficient and secure email communication while promoting the use of official @snu.vet email addresses for all communication within the SNU community.
2. Acceptable Use
2.1. Authorized Users: Email accounts provided by SNU (@snu.vet) are for the exclusive use of authorized faculty, staff, and students. Access to these accounts is granted for academic and administrative purposes only. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, or sharing of SNU email content is strictly prohibited.
2.2. Professional and Academic Communication: Email should primarily be used for professional and academic communication related to SNU. Personal use of SNU email accounts should be limited and not interfere with work or academic responsibilities.
2.3. Ownership: All official SNU email communications and content, including text, images, documents, and attachments, are considered the intellectual property of Saint Nicholas University. This includes emails sent from and received at official @snu.vet email addresses.
2.4. Non-Disclosure: Users are prohibited from disclosing or sharing the contents of official SNU emails, including attachments, with unauthorized individuals or entities. This includes sharing intellectual property, research findings, or proprietary information without appropriate permissions.
2.5. Intellectual Property Rights: Users acknowledge that any intellectual property, research findings, or proprietary information contained in official SNU emails remains the property of SNU. Any use or distribution of such intellectual property must comply with SNU’s policies and applicable laws.
2.6. Permission for Use: Users who wish to use or share SNU email content, including intellectual property or research findings, outside of SNU must obtain appropriate permissions from SNU administration or relevant authorities.
3. Security and Privacy
3.1. Password Protection: Users must keep their email account passwords confidential and change them regularly. Passwords should be strong and not shared with others.
3.2. Change Email Password: To manage mailboxes and change passwords for your domain snu.vet, you can use either:
Log in using your administrator credentials.
3.2. Email Encryption: When sending sensitive or confidential information via email, users should use encryption tools if available to ensure the privacy and security of the content.
3.3. Data Protection: Users must adhere to all applicable data protection and privacy laws when handling personal or sensitive data in email communications.
3.4. Phishing Awareness: Users should be vigilant and cautious about email scams, phishing attempts, and suspicious email attachments. Do not click on unknown links or download attachments from unverified sources.
3.3.1. What is Phishing? Please refer to the following link to increase your awareness about phishing threats. https://www.phishing.org/what-is-phishing
3.3.2. How do I protect myself against Phishing? Remember there is no single fool-proof way to avoid phishing attacks but there are critical things listed to protect you against phishing:
3.3.2.1. Think Before You Click! – It’s fine to click on links when you’re on trusted sites. Clicking on links that appear in random emails and instant messages, however, isn’t such a smart move
3.3.2.2. Verify a Site’s Security – It’s natural to be a little wary about supplying sensitive financial information online. As long as you are on a secure website, however, you shouldn’t run into any trouble. Before submitting any information, make sure the site’s URL begins with “https” and there should be a closed lock icon near the address bar.
3.3.2.3. Keep Your Browser Up to Date – Security patches are released for popular browsers all the time. If you typically ignore messages about updating your browsers, stop. The minute an update is available, download and install it.
3.3.2.4. Never Give Out Personal Information – As a general rule, you should never share personal or financially sensitive information over the Internet. An Internet user should never make confidential entries through the links provided in the emails. Never send an email with sensitive information to anyone. Make it a habit to check the address of the website. A secure website always starts with “https”.
3.3.2.5. Use Antivirus Software – There are many of reasons to use antivirus software. Special signatures that are included with antivirus software guard against known technology workarounds and loopholes. Just be sure to keep your software up to date. Anti-spyware and firewall settings should be used to prevent phishing attacks and users should update the programs regularly.
4. Email Etiquette
4.1. Professional Tone: All email communications should maintain a professional and respectful tone. Avoid using offensive, discriminatory, or harassing language.
4.2. Clear and Concise: Messages should be clear, concise, and to the point. Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
4.3. Subject Line: Use informative subject lines that accurately reflect the content of the email.
5. Access to Email Setup Guide
5.1. Email Setup Guide: For instructions on setting up your SNU email on various devices, changing your password, and configuring an auto-responder, please refer to the email setup guide available here.
6. Reporting Issues and Violations
6.1. Reporting IT Issues: To report any technical issues related to your SNU email account or other IT-related concerns, please send an email to the IT department at techsupport@snu.vet.
6.2. Reporting Violations: Users who suspect abuse of email accounts or violations of these policies should report the issue to the IT department at techsupport@snu.vet.
7. Exclusive Use of Official Email Addresses
7.1. Login to University Portals: Students must log in to Classe365 and other university portals using their official @snu.vet email address. This requirement ensures that official communication channels are used for academic and administrative purposes.
7.2. Communication with Research Institutions: Faculty members are required to communicate with research institutions and external entities via their official university email addresses. Any inquiry from a personal email account will be considered unofficial and subject to low-priority responses.
7.3. Official Announcements: All announcements from the Administration Office and the President’s Office will be sent exclusively to official @snu.vet email addresses.
7.4. Important Notifications: Online meeting invitations, class program changes, event announcements, and exam notifications will be sent exclusively to official @snu.vet email addresses.
7.5. Responsibility to Check Emails: Students, faculty, and staff are responsible for checking their official @snu.vet email address frequently. Failure to check these email addresses may result in missing important information from the SNU community. SNU is not responsible for providing a second chance for missing opportunities.
8. Legal Matters and Lawsuits
8.1. Legal Obligations: In the event of legal matters, investigations, or lawsuits that require access to email communications, SNU may be legally obligated to provide relevant email records as evidence. Users should be aware that their email communications may be subject to legal scrutiny in such cases.
8.2. Preservation of Records: Users must cooperate with SNU’s legal obligations by preserving email records that may be relevant to ongoing or potential legal matters. Failure to do so may result in legal consequences for both individuals and the university.
8.3. Legal Representation: In the event of a lawsuit involving email communications, users may be required to seek legal counsel and representation at their own expense. SNU is not responsible for providing legal representation to users.
8.4. Confidentiality: Users should exercise caution and discretion in their email communications to avoid the inadvertent disclosure of confidential or sensitive information that could be detrimental in legal matters.
8.5. Consultation with Legal Counsel: Users who have concerns or questions regarding legal matters related to email communications should consult with their legal counsel for guidance.
8.6. Cooperation: Users are expected to cooperate fully with SNU’s legal team, external legal authorities, or any other entities involved in legal matters that concern email communications.
8.7. Notification: SNU will make reasonable efforts to notify affected users when their email records are subject to legal scrutiny or disclosure as part of a legal matter or investigation, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations.
8.8. Indemnification: Users agree to indemnify and hold SNU harmless from any legal claims, damages, or liabilities arising from their use of email in violation of these policies, including those related to legal matters or lawsuits.
9. IT Department Access Control
9.1. Access by IT Department: Users should be aware that the IT department of Saint Nicholas University (SNU) has full access control to email accounts and their contents for the purpose of maintaining the security, functionality, and integrity of the university’s email system.
9.2. Access for Maintenance: The IT department may access email accounts and their contents as necessary for system maintenance, troubleshooting, and technical support. This includes activities such as account setup, password resets, and resolving technical issues.
9.3. Security and Compliance: IT staff may also access email accounts to investigate and address security incidents, policy violations, or legal matters in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
9.4. Confidentiality and Privacy: While IT staff have access to email accounts, they are bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations. They are not authorized to disclose or share email content unless required for legitimate IT or security purposes.
9.5. Unauthorized Access: Unauthorized access to email accounts by IT staff for non-essential purposes or personal gain is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action
9.6. User Cooperation: Users are expected to cooperate with IT department requests related to email account access, especially when such access is required for legitimate system maintenance, troubleshooting, security investigations, or legal compliance.
10. Policy Acceptance
10.1. Adherence to Policy: All students, faculty, and staff members must adhere to this policy. By using official @snu.vet email addresses for communication within the SNU community, you signify your acceptance of this policy. To acknowledge your acceptance, please click here.
11. Enforcement
11.1. Consequences: Violations of these email usage policies may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to account suspension or termination.
12. Review and Modification
12.1. Policy Review: These policies will be periodically reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Any necessary modifications will be made accordingly.
Adhere to SNU Email Acceptable Use Policy
These Email Acceptable Use Policy and Guidelines are effective as of 10/10/2023. All members of the SNU community, including students, faculty, and staff, are required to use their official @snu.vet email addresses for all communication within the university. To acknowledge your acceptance of this policy, please click here.
