Online Etiquette

Online communication, whether via email or in an online course, has nuances that may not be present in face-to-face communication. As such, communication may be misinterpreted.  Please consider the following as you communicate with fellow students, faculty, and staff; also, be mindful of the possibility of misinterpretation if you find yourself responding negatively to another person’s online communication.

Here are some strategies to employ as you consider making the most of your communication in an online setting:

• Consider your language. Others can very easily misinterpret written text. Students are expected to respect the teaching and learning environment and not post any comment or statement that uses language that is potentially inappropriate or can be misinterpreted. A student who posts text in the online learning platform or community portal which is deemed inappropriate by the instructor or the University will be asked to remove or edit it. Failure to do so could result in the University removing it.
• Stay engaged and on task with relevant messages. Your insights and experiences are welcomed and encouraged. Remember to stay focused on relevant discussion topics to enhance your learning experience.
• Communicate using a respectful professional tone. Your colleagues and classmates bring different experiences and belief systems to the University, and your opinions are equally valid. At times, you may disagree with a colleague but do so in a respectful, professional manner. You are not competing with your colleagues but participating in a collaborative learning environment. As always, derogatory comments regarding race, gender, religion, age, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated.
• Do not type in all caps. Typing in all caps in the online environment can be interpreted as shouting and should be rarely used and then only for strong emphasis. If you wish to emphasize an important passage, try using bold text, underlining, italics, or single quotation marks instead of all caps.
• Recognize that you are participating in an online dialogue. You still want to ensure correct spelling and grammar in all forms of your writing (discussions, emails, assignments, etc.).
• Before sending a message, check it a final time to ensure that you are not only stating what you wish to state concisely but also doing it in the tone you wish to convey. Think of how your words will be received.

University Email Guidelines

Required Use of University Email

Upon enrollment, students will be provided with a University email account, which is the primary vehicle for communication from the University. Students are expected to access their University email on a frequent and consistent basis. A student’s failure to receive and read University communication in a timely manner does not absolve that student from knowing and complying with the content of such communications.

Students who forward their official University email to another email address (e.g. username@gmail.com) do so at their own risk. The University cannot be held accountable or ensure the delivery of its official communications by external service providers. Forwarding email does not relieve the receiver from the responsibilities associated with electronic communications sent to their official University email address. 

Responsible use of email

All use of email will be consistent with other University policies and local, state, and federal law. Email is a tool provided by the University to complement traditional methods of communications and to improve education and administrative efficiency. All email users have a responsibility to use this resource in an efficient, effective, ethical, and lawful manner. Use of the University’s e-mail system is confirmation that the user agrees to be bound by this policy. Violations of the policy may result in restriction of access to the College’s email system and/or other appropriate disciplinary action.

Conducting business for profit using College email and or other resources is prohibited. Incidental non-business personal use of e-mail is acceptable, but an expectation of privacy cannot be guaranteed due to the official nature of the email system. While the College will make every attempt to keep email messages secure, privacy is not guaranteed and users should have no general expectation of privacy in email messages sent through a university email system.

When using email as an official means of communication, students, faculty, and staff should apply the same professionalism, discretion, and standards that they would use in written business communication. 

The following types of emails are explicitly prohibited:

• Emails that exchange proprietary information or other highly privileged, confidential, or sensitive information.
• Emails that are considered advertisements, solicitations, chain letters, political communications, and other unofficial, unsolicited emails.
• Emails including sexual content, pornography, lewd or other highly inappropriate behavior when considering the official nature and purpose of the College email system.
• Emails that are in violation of any laws, including copyright laws, or Institutional policies.
• Emails that knowingly transmit a message containing a computer virus.
• Emails that intentionally misrepresent the identity of the sender of an email.
• Emails that use or attempt to use the accounts of others without their permission.