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3.3.4.p.4. Procedure: Southeastern Technical College Email

1.0 Purpose
To prevent tarnishing the public image of Southeastern Technical College (STC) from email use. When email goes out from STC the general public will tend to view that message as an official policy statement from STC.

2.0 Scope
This policy covers appropriate use of any email sent from a STC email address and applies to all employees, students, vendors, and agents operating on behalf of STC.

3.0 Policy
3.1 Prohibited Use.
The STC email system shall not to be used for the creation or distribution of any disruptive or offensive messages, including offensive comments about race, gender, hair color, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, pornography, religious beliefs and practice, political beliefs, or national origin. Employees and students who receive any emails with this content from any STC employee or student should report the matter to their supervisor or instructor immediately.

3.2 Personal Use.
Using a reasonable amount of STC resources for personal emails is acceptable, but non-work related email shall be saved in a separate folder from work related email. Sending or forwarding chain letters, offensive messages as described in section 3.1, joke emails, or emails promoting a personal business from an STC email account is prohibited.

3.3 Monitoring
STC employees or students shall have no expectation of privacy in anything they store, send or receive on any of STC's email systems. STC authorized personnel may monitor messages without prior notice. However, STC is not obligated to monitor email messages.

3.4 Security Notices
Official virus or other malware and security warnings will come from a member of the Information Technology Department. All virus or other malware and security warnings NOT generated from the Information Technology Department are considered unofficial and should be ignored.

4.0 Enforcement
Abuse or misuse of e-mail systems may violate this policy, but it may also violate criminal statutes. Therefore, STC will take appropriate action in response to user abuse or misuse of e-mail systems and services. Action may include, but not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Suspension or revocation of computing privileges. Access to all computing facilities and systems can, may, or will be, denied;

2. Reimbursement to Southeastern Tech for resources consumed;

3. Other legal action including action to recover damages;

4. Referral to law enforcement authorities;

5. Computer users (faculty, staff and/or students) will be referred to the appropriate office for disciplinary action.

5.0 Definitions

Term Definition

Email The electronic transmission of information through a mail protocol such as SMTP or IMAP. Typical email clients include Eudora and Microsoft Outlook.

Forwarded email Email resent from an internal network to an outside point.

Chain email or letter Email sent to successive people. Typically the body of the note has direction to send out multiple copies of the note and promises good luck or money if the direction is followed.

Sensitive information Information is considered sensitive if it can be damaging to STC or its customers' reputation or market standing.

Virus warning Email containing warnings about virus or malware. The overwhelming majority of these emails turn out to be a hoax and contain bogus information usually intent only on frightening or misleading users.

Unauthorized Disclosure The intentional or unintentional revealing of restricted information to people, both inside and outside STC, who do not have a need to know that information.

6.0 Revision History
Initial document - June 25, 2009

Adopted: June 25, 2009
Reviewed: August 15, 2016; September 18, 2017; March 19, 2018; March 25, 2019; March 16, 2020; March 15, 2021; March 15, 2021; March 21, 2022; March 27, 2023; March 18, 2024;
Revised:

Term	Definition
Email	The electronic transmission of information through a mail protocol such as SMTP or IMAP. Typical email clients include Eudora and Microsoft Outlook.
Forwarded email	Email resent from an internal network to an outside point.
Chain email or letter	Email sent to successive people. Typically the body of the note has direction to send out multiple copies of the note and promises good luck or money if the direction is followed.
Sensitive information	Information is considered sensitive if it can be damaging to STC or its customers' reputation or market standing.
Virus warning	Email containing warnings about virus or malware. The overwhelming majority of these emails turn out to be a hoax and contain bogus information usually intent only on frightening or misleading users.
Unauthorized Disclosure	The intentional or unintentional revealing of restricted information to people, both inside and outside STC, who do not have a need to know that information.