20
General University Policies
20.3
Electronic Communication Policy for Students and Applicants
20.3 Electronic Communication Policy for Students and Applicants
The University of Alberta uses and will use electronic communication with its students and applicants in lieu of many paper-based processes. “Electronic communication” includes anything that is created, recorded, transmitted or stored in digital form or in any other intangible form by electronic, magnetic or optical means or by any equivalent means. Currently, this most often includes information communicated by e-mail and via a website.
All references in the Calendar and in other University policies to any method of communication by the University by any media, shall be deemed to include the right of the University to make such communication by electronic means.
It is important to note that communication by electronic means between the University and its students and applicants remains at the option of the University. Some Faculties, Departments or other offices of the University may maintain policies to communicate by non-electronic means, in certain cases, or generally. The following determine what form of communication students and applicants should use in response to communications from the University:
if a specific method of response (such as by e-mail, a web-based form, or a paper form) is stated as being required in the communication from the University, use that method; | |
if an option to use different methods of communication is provided, any of the options may be used; | |
if no specified method or option for response is stated, respond using the same method in which the communication was made. That is, if an e-mail is received, respond by e-mail; if a letter or other communication in paper form is received, reply in paper form. |
All students and applicants will be assigned a University of Alberta Campus Computing ID (CCID) with e-mail privileges (see §24.1).
Where the University chooses to communicate by e-mail, the communication will normally be directed to the e-mail address that was originally assigned by the University.
Important note: Academic Information and Communication Technologies allows students and applicants to change their originally assigned University e-mail address to a preferred University e-mail address. If students or applicants choose to change their originally assigned e-mail address to a preferred e-mail address, the preferred e-mail address will become the one used by the University pursuant to this policy, and e-mail will not be received at the original address. It is the responsibility of all students and applicants to ensure that it is possible for them to receive, access, read and act upon all e-mail from the University in a timely fashion. The University is not responsible for failure to receive communications as a result of students or applicants having changed their originally assigned e-mail address to a preferred e-mail address. If students or applicants choose to forward their University directed e-mail to other non-University e-mail addresses such as those offered by Hotmail, Yahoo, Shaw, Telus, etc., they do so at their own risk.
Electronic communications sent by the University will be deemed received the next University business day after the day the e-mail was sent, regardless of any error, failure notice, internet service provider problem, virus, e-mail filters, or auto-reply related to students’ or applicants’ e-mail, unless the error or problem originated with the University of Alberta. Students and applicants are expected to check their e-mail account frequently in order to stay current with University communications. Academic Information and Communication Technologies must be advised of any problems encountered with e-mail accounts immediately by contacting the Help Desk at (780) 492-9400. Failure to receive or read in a timely manner University communications sent to the e-mail address does not absolve students and applicants from knowing, responding to or complying with the content of that communication.
While the University of Alberta may require students and applicants to use electronic communication, they must nonetheless continue to exercise prudence and common sense in their electronic communications with the University, recognizing that:
great care must be taken to ensure that the e-mail is addressed only to the intended recipients; | |
caution should be exercised when copying or forwarding information to others; | |
the use of file attachments with e-mail communications is discouraged unless the sender has verified that the attachments will be accessible to and readable by all intended recipients and that they are virus-free; | |
students and applicants should check their mailboxes regularly to ensure there is enough available space for new messages; | |
students and applicants must inform Academic Information and Communication Technologies immediately by contacting the Help Desk at (780) 492-9400 if their e-mail is not working; | |
if students and applicants do not have the ability to access e-mail communications or the web, they must inform the Office of the Registrar and Student Awards in order to make alternate arrangements. |
Electronic communication will be subject to the same policies on information disclosure as other methods of communication (see §20.4 on Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy). The laws of Alberta will apply to all electronic transactions and communications involving the University of Alberta.
