Electronic mail (e-mail) is a service provided by Central Piedmont Community College as an aid in the transfer of information and may be used for a wide variety of on- and off-campus communication relating to College business. This policy addresses the expectations for and use of electronic mail. This policy applies to all electronic mail services established by the College for faculty, staff, and students and any other users of College electronic mail services.

I. Policy

Users of electronic mail must respect the rights of others and conduct themselves in a lawful and ethical manner. Users of the College's e-mail services are required to comply with applicable local, state and all state and federal laws and all College policies and procedures.

Generally, a user's electronic mail will not be censored or  monitored except in the following types of situations:  the user gives prior consent, the College needs to ensure the security or operating performance of its systems or networks, the College has a reasonable concern that a violation of College policy or applicable law has occurred, or the College is complying with a valid subpoena or search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. While general content review will not typically be undertaken, monitoring of electronic information may occur for these reasons and others as necessary. For these reasons, the College cannot guarantee the privacy of electronic communications.

Users of CPCC e-mail  who are found to have purposely engaged in the unacceptable uses of College e-mail will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension of access to technology resources, discharge, dismissal, suspension, expulsion, and/or legal action.

II. Expectations

E-mail access is provided to support College business.

Users may expect reasonable access to e-mail; however, this cannot be guaranteed to be available at all times and in all circumstances.

In certain circumstances an individual's e-mail account may have to be accessed for routine management or maintenance purposes.

Distribution of messages to the entire College community will be managed by the office of the Assistant to the President for Community Relations.

Users are expected to manage their e-mail storage space either by deleting or transferring messages to another medium.

Employees on extended leave from the College are expected to make arrangements to manage their e-mail accounts during their absences.

The College will backup e-mail messages solely for the purpose of disaster recovery and retain these backups for a period of 30 days before recycling the backup medium.

Electronic mail users must accurately identify themselves in their electronic correspondence.

Upon dismissal or resignation, faculty and staff will make all e-mail files related to College business available to the appropriate College administrator who will authorize termination of the account. When an employee leaves in good standing, the College will make provisions to forward e-mail for a period of 90 days. Dismissal for cause or expulsion will result in immediate termination of e-mail accounts.

III. Acceptable Uses

Central Piedmont Community College recognizes that electronic mail facilitates both College business and academic pursuits. Examples of acceptable use of e-mail include:

Official College business

Academic research

Occasional non-commercial personal use

Instruction

Service on behalf of the College

Professional development

IV. Unacceptable Uses

Examples of unacceptable uses for electronic mail include:

Commercial ventures, personal profit, solicitations for contributions for non-College sponsored activities

Chain letters

Pyramid schemes

Any illegal activity or unlawful purpose

Harassment, intimidation, or libel of others

Breaking into another user's electronic mailbox or reading someone else's electronic mail without permission

Unsolicited mass mailings (spamming)

Posting, sending, or intentionally accessing pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive material

Posting, sending, or intentionally accessing material that is contrary to the mission of the College

Intentional distribution of computer viruses, Trojan horses, time bombs, worms, or other rogue programming.

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