Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual - Policy 2540: Student Email

Date Originally Issued: 01-01-2009

Authorized by RPM 3.1 ("Responsibilities of the President")

Process Owner: Chief Information Officer

1. General

There is an increasing need for fast and efficient communication with currently enrolled students in order to conduct official business at the University.  Each student has free access to a University network ID (NetID) and email account for use throughout the time the student is registered for classes.  Accordingly, email is an available mechanism for formal communication by the University with students but is not the only official method of communication.  Upon admission, students are required to obtain a UNM NetID and corresponding email account.  The UNM email shall be considered an appropriate delivery method for official communication by the University of New Mexico with students unless otherwise prohibited by law.  Official communication includes, but is not limited to, academic deadline notifications, billing statements, and campus alerts. The University reserves the right to send official communications to students by email with the full expectation that students will receive email and read these emails in a timely fashion.  Faculty will determine how to use electronic communication for instructional purposes, and  specify their requirements in the course syllabus, which students must comply with.

2. Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for:

• checking their email frequently (at a minimum of once per week) in order to stay current with University-related communications;
• ensuring there is sufficient space in their accounts for email to be delivered; and
• recognizing that certain communications may be time-imperative.

Students will not be held responsible for a substantial interruption in their ability to access a message if system malfunctions or other system-related problems prevent timely delivery of, or access to, that message (e.g. power outages or email system viruses).   Students should check their email frequently to prevent problems caused by a brief system failure.

Students who choose to have their email forwarded to a private (unofficial) email address outside the official University net ID/email address (@unm.edu) do so at their own risk.  The University is not responsible for any difficulties that may occur with  privacy or security, in the proper or timely transmission, or in accessing email forwarded to any unofficial email address.  Such problems will not absolve students of their responsibility to know and comply with the content of official communications sent to students' official UNM email addresses.  Failure to check email frequently or email returned to the University with "mailbox full" or "user unknown" are not considered acceptable excuses for failing to know about and comply with official email communication.

Students should report problems with University email or access to ITS at 505-277-5757 or http://fastinfo.unm.edu.

3.  Related Policies

• "Student Records Policy" which can be found in the Pathfinder: Student Handbook
• UAP 2310 ("Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities")
• UAP 2500 ("Acceptable Information and Information System Use")
• UAP 2520 ("Accessing and Safeguarding Personally Identifiable and Controlled Information")