This Policy clarifies the applicability of law and certain other University policies to electronic mail. Users are reminded that all usage of KSU's information technology resources including electronic mail is subject to all University policies including the Information Technology Usage Policy found at http://www.ksu.edu/uauc/docs/usage.html.
The University encourages the use of electronic mail and respects the privacy of users. Nonetheless, electronic mail and data stored on the University's network of computers may be accessed by the University for the following purposes:
For items a-g, the extent of the access will be limited to what is reasonably necessary to acquire the information and/or resolve the issue.
* The system administrator will need approval from the Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology or the appropriate designee to access specific mail and data for these purposes.
To the greatest extent possible in a public setting individuals' privacy should be preserved. However, there is no expectation of privacy or confidentiality for documents and messages stored on University-owned equipment. Users of electronic mail systems should be aware that, in addition to being subject to authorized access, electronic mail in its present form cannot be secured and is, therefore, vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification by third parties. Receivers of electronic mail documents should check with the purported sender if there is any doubt about the identity of the sender or the authenticity of the contents, as they would with print documents. Users of electronic mail services should be aware that even though the sender and recipient have discarded their copies of an electronic mail record, there may be back-up copies of such electronic mail that can be retrieved.
University electronic mail services may, subject to the foregoing, be used for incidental personal purposes provided such use does not interfere with University operation of information technologies including electronic mail services, burden the University with incremental costs, or interfere with the user's employment or other obligations to the University.
Electronic mail may constitute a public record like other documents subject to disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act or other laws, or as a result of litigation. However, prior to such disclosure, the University evaluates all requests for information submitted by the public for compliance with the provisions of the Act or other applicable law. In addition, electronic mail may constitute University records subject to the University's Retention of Records Policy (PPM, Chapter 3090). As such, they may need to be retained for longer than an e-mail system is capable of retaining them. It is the responsibility of the sender/recipient to determine if a particular e-mail message constitutes a university record.
If an e-mail message is a university record (as defined in PPM, Chapter 3090) it is subject to the same retention period as the paper equivalent. E-mail messages which require long-term retention should be either retained electronically on retrievable media or printed, including all header and transmission information, and filed with their electronic or paper equivalents by the sender/recipient.
Incidental personal electronic mail which is not subject to the Retention of Records Policy may be destroyed at the user's discretion.
Faculty and staff may not suppress publication (i.e., unlist) their University Computing ID in the on-line white pages, K-State Phone Book, or other official publication of Kansas State University. Exceptions for special circumstances must be approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology (VPAST) or official designee.
Students may un-publish their e-mail address by contacting the University Information Technology Help Desk and requesting that their University Computing ID be unlisted. Faculty and staff who are also students may not suppress publication of their University e-mail address.
Violations of University policies governing the use of University electronic mail services may result in restriction of access to University information technology resources in addition to any disciplinary action that may be applicable under other University policies, guidelines or implementing procedures, up to and including dismissal.
Approved September 16, 1997. Revised June 24, 1999. Revised March 15, 2000.