University
of Delaware
Policies and Procedures Manual
Section: Administrative
Policy Number: 1-19
Policy Name: Employees' Use of E-Communication
Date: February 2000, April 2003, [March 2004]
- INTRODUCTION
The University
provides resources for electronic communications (e-communications)--clients,
servers, a campus-wide network and access to the Internet--to its employees to
use in the course of doing their jobs. E-communications provide for efficient
communication between co-workers and management and enable electronic business
transactions. This policy establishes the
applicability of existing University policies and federal, state and local law
to e-communications, expectations for privacy and requirements for good
electronic community citizenship.
- RELEVANT UNIVERSITY
POLICIES
Employees must abide
by all relevant University policies in using e-communications. These include,
but are not limited to, the policies for Electronic Mail Management
and Retention, Departmental Information and Records Management, Responsible Computing,
Information Security,
Policy Against Unlawful Forms of Harassment, the codes of ethics for faculty,
and professional and
salaried staff and the Statement on Academic Freedom.
- PRIVACY
The University
respects the reasonable privacy expectations of its employees in the interest
of promoting academic freedom and an open, collegial atmosphere. The University will not engage in random
monitoring of written or electronic communications. Nonetheless, the University owns its e-mail
system and can limit and/or restrict access to it, as it deems necessary. The University’s policy for doing so is
defined in Policy Number 1-14, Policy for Responsible Computing at the University of Delaware.
While the
University does not routinely monitor telephone conversations, e-mail, internet
access or usage, or other electronic transmissions, it may be required to do so
by civil authorities. Title 19, Section
705 of Delaware Code requires Delaware employers to notify employees of the
possibility that their electronic transmissions may be monitored, and to obtain
acknowledgement of this notice.
Therefore, the University reserves the right to do so, at any time and
without further notice. The most likely
circumstances in which monitoring may be necessary are in troubleshooting
systems, pursuing violations of University policy, and requests from law
enforcement authorities and the courts. Furthermore,
e-communications are subject to discovery by a court of law and can be used as
evidence in litigation. The University
is obligated to cooperate in legal proceedings.
To comply
with the state law requiring acknowledgement of this policy, this and other
University Information Technologies policies are described in Responsible Computing-A Manual for
Staff. After familiarizing themselves with the Manual and its supporting
policies, employees must indicate their understanding and compliance with them
as described in the Manual.
- PERSONAL E-COMMUNICATIONS
Personal use of
e-communications is expected to be incidental. That is, personal e-mail, phone
calls, instant messaging, must not interfere with the work an employee is
expected to do and it must not consume resources that are needed for University
business. Employees must exercise care that no personal e-communications posted
to newsgroups and discussion lists appear to be an official communication of
the University of Delaware or disclose the University of Delaware's proprietary information. All
e-communications, whether for personal purposes or University-related purposes,
are subject to review and monitoring by the University as set forth above, and
all personal e-communications are subject to all of the same rules and policies
as e-communications sent for University-related purposes.
- ELECTRONIC COMMUNITY CITIZENSHIP
- Employees are expected to be courteous
and respectful in their e-communications in accordance with established
codes of ethics and the common rules that have evolved regarding e-mail,
sometimes referred to as Netiquette.
- Employees must not use University
e-communications resources for personal commerce, for fund-raising, or for
partisan political purposes. The State-created University Charter prohibits the Management of
the University to benefit any party, sect, or denomination. Employees may
choose to participate in any of the above activities but cannot use
University resources to support their personal activities.
- Employees must not send chain letters,
pyramid scheme messages, spam or other messages not related to University
business. These are an irresponsible waste of computing resources and an
inconsiderate nuisance. Chain letters and pyramid scheme messages are
also a violation of federal law.
- Employees must not send sexually
explicit, offensive, demeaning, insulting or intimidating
e-communications, ethnic or racial slurs or anything that harasses or
disparages others. Sending such messages is grounds for disciplinary
action, including termination of employment.
- Employees must not violate copyright laws, trademark
laws, or other laws in sending e-communications, publishing web pages or
posting to newsgroups and discussion lists.
- Employees may use University of Delaware institutional mail lists only with
appropriate authorization.
- Messages sent out over the Internet or
World Wide Web (e.g., e-mail messages sent to people other than those on
a University computer system) are not routinely
encrypted before leaving the University. Although the probability of an
Internet e-communication being intercepted (and possibly disseminated
publicly) is small, sensitive communications and documents should not be
sent through the Internet without being encrypted. Questions concerning
encryption should be directed to consult@udel.edu.
Submitted by: Information Technologies
Copyright, © 1996,
2000, University of Delaware. All rights reserved.
Please direct questions to the Executive VP
office.