Sinclair Email Policy

Sinclair Community College recognizes that principles of academic freedom, freedom of speech, and privacy hold important implications for electronic mail and electronic mail services. Sinclair Community College provides all electronic mail services in support of the learning, research, and community/public service mission of the College and all administrative functions that support this mission. The College encourages the use of its electronic mail services to share information, to improve communication, and to exchange ideas in support of these purposes.

All electronic mail systems and services, including email messages, are the property of Sinclair Community College. Accordingly, the College reserves the right to access its email system, including a user’s mailbox. College ownership of specific email message content may be superseded by intellectual property and copyright laws. Use of electronic mail systems and services should be undertaken with the knowledge that email messages are public records and may be subject to disclosure under Ohio’s Public Records Act, Ohio Rev. Code §149.011, and that communications with students may be defined as “educational records” subject to the nondisclosure provisions of the Family Educational and Privacy Rights Act, Title 20 U.S.C. §1232g.

Sinclair’s electronic mail services may not be used for unlawful activities, to send offensive, demeaning, harassing, or disruptive messages, or for personal monetary gain, unless pre-approved in writing by the President or his designee.

The President or his designee will promulgate procedures to implement this policy. Such procedures will apply to all electronic mail systems and services provided by the College, all users, holders and usage of the College email services, and all College email records in the possession of all users of electronic mail services provided by the College. Such procedures will assure that:

• The Sinclair Community College community is informed about the applicability of policies and laws as related to electronic mail services.

• Electronic mail services are used in compliance with those policies and laws.

• Users of electronic mail services are informed about how concepts of privacy and security apply to electronic mail.

• Disruptions to College electronic mail and other services and activities are minimized.