Why is an Email Policy required?
Email is essential for supporting the University's teaching, learning, research, and approved business activities. The Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail (2024) defines what is and is not acceptable within The UWI while using an official UWI email address. It is an official UWI Policy developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, finalised by the Office of the University Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the University ICT group, and approved at University Finance & General Purposes Committee (UF&GPC) with effect from August 1, 2024.
What is an official UWI email address?
Official UWI email addresses are those that originate from infrastructure owned and or managed by the various Campus Computing & Information Technology Services. They are recognised by the suffixes: “@uwi.edu”, “@cavehill.uwi.edu”, “@global.uwi.edu”, “@uwimona.edu.jm” and @sta.uwi.edu
What is the purpose of the Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail (2024)?
This Policy informs members of the UWI community (staff, students, alumni, and partners), including visitors, about the University's position, rights, and obligations concerning the acceptable use of UWI email, related services, systems, and facilities.
Why is there an update to UWI’s Email Policy?
The UWI has updated its Email Policy with the Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail (2024) replacing the Electronic Mail & Messaging Services Policy (2008). A lot has changed since 2008. Among the reasons for the update include: increased enforcement of existing privacy laws, updates to existing privacy laws that change the required Privacy Policy disclosures, passage of new privacy laws, and changes to privacy practices. This Policy is scheduled for review 24 months after it has been ratified and accepted for promulgation.
What key points does the Policy contain?
The Policy on the Use of Electronic Mail (2024) emphasizes the following key points:
I/My department have/has been using an external email (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo etc.) to communicate with clients. How do I/we manage switching clients to communication with UWI official email?
If you or your department have been using external email services to conduct official UWI business (i.e., Gmail, Hotmail Yahoo etc.), the following steps must be taken as of August 1, 2024.
Implement an automated redirection of all UWI correspondence to an alternative official UWI email.
Implement an auto response to indicate to the sender that the email has been redirected to: <official UWI email> and request all subsequent correspondence be sent to the email account.
Should you require help, contact your respective Campus IT Service helpdesk.
The Policy states that UWI reserves the right to access any email account via UWI-authorised officers. Does this mean that UWI-authorised officers are reading all my emails?
No. UWI Officers do not routinely access the email accounts of departments, staff or students. There are circumstances under which it may be necessary for the IT email administrators or designated officers of the UWI to access or otherwise manipulate an email account, such as:
Will I be informed beforehand if my email is to be accessed by the designated officers, Including the reason(s) for the access?
The email assignee will be informed of cases where the mailbox is accessed by an agent of the Campus Computer and Technology Services. The notification will however not always precede access. i.e., In cases where the mailbox is the centre of activities that adversely affect the IT operations of the UWI, IT administrators will effect changes to mitigate any disruption before notification. Likewise, if the email account in question is at the centre of legal investigations, the assignee may only be notified once investigations have been concluded.
The Policy states that conducting personal business via The UWI email is not prohibited but is dissuaded. Why is it dissuaded?
Personal activity is discouraged for the protection of individuals and the University. As mentioned, the UWI reserves the right to access any and all email as it is the official record of the University. Individuals using UWI email for personal interactions run the risk of exposing their personal data should any Campus IT Service representative be required to access/manipulate their assigned mailbox.
Also, should employment/enrolment to the UWI cease for whatever reason, access to the email account is rescinded as a matter of protocol resulting in the loss of access to any personal information therein.
What can I use my official UWI email for?
Your UWI assigned email account is to be used in official communications that relate to duties undertaken on behalf of the UWI or any activities, internal or external, that may identify you as a representative of The UWI.
What are the procedures for alerting of perceived misuse of the UWI email and what are the penalties?
If misuse of the UWI email facilities is suspected, your immediate supervisor is the first point of contact.
The penalties for misuse of the email facilities will depend on the magnitude of the transgression and be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Should the activity in question bring the UWI’s reputation into disrepute, the penalties could escalate to the point of dismissal.
Why are The UWI’s email addresses being changed?
The rollout of the Policy coincides with the University-wide adoption of the Microsoft365 cloud-powered productivity platform and the transition to UWI.EDU email addresses. This means that users University wide will be migrated to the new ‘OneUWI’ email platform—implemented on a phased basis by the respective Campus Information Technology Services teams
For example:
jane.doe@cavehill.uwi.edu will transition to jane.doe@uwi.edu
jane.doe@sta.uwi.edu will transition to jane.doe@uwi.edu
jane.doe@uwimona.edu.jm will transition to jane.doe@uwi.edu
N.B. UWI personnel/agents with the same first and last name will be distinguished by adding the middle name to their email addresses, i.e., janesdoe@uwi.edu.
For more on Microsoft365 and the transition to UWI.EDU email addresses, please see the Microsoft365 FAQs.
