Policy:

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance and procedures for the use of large-volume email messages to the campus community. A "mass email" is any single or group of identical mailings that goes to more than 1,000 individuals, other than via self-subscribed mailing lists. Nothing in this policy is intended to interfere with faculty or collegiate communication with students.

Under Iowa law, the email addresses of public employees are public records. Release of student email addresses are governed by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The university complies with Iowa and federal law in fulfilling requests for email addresses, including the charge it imposes for the costs incurred in providing the information.

Although individuals and/or organizations outside of the university may legally obtain university email addresses, our email system is not for mass delivery of non-university-related messages. The university uses services and techniques to protect against malicious email, unsolicited (“spam”) advertising, and targeted “phishing” scams. We reserve the right to take appropriate action to protect our systems and community members, including but not limited to blocking the delivery of email and the sources that violate this policy.  

The Office of Strategic Communication (OSC) will serve as the manager of officially administered mass email lists in consultation with campus partners.  Use of those lists is governed by the Mass Communication Policy. Individual administrative areas may, in addition, apply more restrictive rules on the frequency, acceptable purposes, approval procedures, and recipients of any campus communication.

Any faculty, staff, or student who initiates a mass email is accountable under this policy, the Mass Communication Policy, and the policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources, specifically section 19.4.a Use Resources Appropriately. 

Enforcement
Failure of university faculty, staff, or students to follow this policy and associated procedures may result in interruption of mail messages, loss of mailing privileges, and/or fees assessed for the cost of correcting any problems.

Faculty, staff and students are to use the Mass Email Service rather than requesting data files of email addresses, or sending mass emails themselves using the university directory. Email addresses may not be sold, copied, distributed, or used for other than their intended purpose. Failure to protect this information is covered by the "Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources" policy, including the sanctions defined therein.

Mail Originating Outside the University
To protect the integrity of the university's e-mail infrastructure, anti-spam and anti-malware protection is used to delete, reject, clean, and/or quarantine messages that are determined to have high probability of causing a negative result to the service or persons using it. All email messages delivered to the university are subject to these protections. The university email system is not intended to be used for mass email messages to community members for purposes that do not apply to our academic, administrative, or research missions.

Related Policies, References and Attachments:

This collection of University of Iowa information technology policies and procedures contain acceptable use, security, networking, administrative, and academic policies that have been developed to supplement and clarify University of Iowa policy.

They are incorporated into the University of Policy Manual by reference, per the policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources.

• Mass Communication Policy
• Mass E-Mail Support Center
• Mass E-mail Request Form 

Requests for an exception to IT Policies & Standards can be submitted via the webform link here: Request a Security Exception