Mass Email

Policy Statement

This policy provides key requirements and guidance for the use of mass email at Adelphi University. It is designed to help the Adelphi community reduce the number of nonessential emails and give alternative options to communicate messages internally and externally at Adelphi.

Reason for Policy

Adelphi provides central email services to the Adelphi University community for purposes of furthering its educational mission and conducting University business. Email is a powerful communications tool and must be used responsibly, consistent with law and the policies of the University.

This policy is intended to ensure that the University remains in good standing with the CAN-SPAM Act, a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.

Who Is Governed by this Policy

Faculty, Staff and Administrators

Policy

Specifications

All mass email messages must adhere to the following standards:

• Sender must use an Adelphi University email address.
• Sender must provide contact information. Minimally, the contact information must include a valid University email address.
• All recipient addresses must be concealed through the use of a mailing list or use of the BCC field.
• The message must include a subject line that is relevant to the message’s content.
• The message must be accessible, composed in either plaintext or multipart plaintext/HTML.
• Accompanying files, if any, must be provided through a web link in the body of text of the message, not attached to the message itself. In cases when this is not possible, attachments must adhere to Adelphi brand standards.
• Unless it has been classified as essential, the message must include a valid option to unsubscribe from future mailings from the sender/department.
• Refer to Style Guide and Brand Center to ensure that your email, including subject line and signature, is in compliance with Adelphi brand standards.

Use of External Email Services

Use of external mass email services, including but not limited to MailChimp and Constant Contact, must fully comply with this policy and must provide recipients with a legitimate option to unsubscribe from future mailings.

AU LISTSERVES and Mailing Lists

The Department of Information Technology provides audience-specific AU LISTSERVES to assist the Adelphi community in reaching the most relevant audiences for their communications.

• The Office of University Communications and Marketing has access to all AU LISTSERVES for essential communications (See section on Essential Communications.)
• ENTIRE_CAMPUS includes all faculty, students, and staff. This list is reserved only for essential communications.
• FACULTY_ADMIN_STAFF includes all Adelphi employees. Distribution to this list must be approved by University Communications and Marketing.
• FACULTY includes all Adelphi faculty. Distribution to this list or sublist (e.g., ALL FULL-TIME FACULTY) must be approved by the Office of the Provost.
• STUDENTS includes all current Adelphi students. Distribution to this list or sublist (e.g., ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS) must be approved by the Division of Student Affairs.
• PARENTS includes all parents of current Adelphi students. Distribution to this list or sublist must be approved by the Division of Student Affairs.

School- and college-specific audience lists are available for use by the schools and colleges. Use of these lists for communications must be approved by the dean of each of the schools.

In addition to the AU LISTSERVES, individual departments maintain audience-specific lists (e.g., Admissions, for prospective students and parents; Advancement, for alumni and donors; Individual
schools and programs, for advisory boards). Usage of these lists is determined by the department owning the list and will follow their established protocol.

Follow the University’s List Management Guidelines when developing, maintaining, sharing and using lists for communications. Emails sent to AU LISTSERVE lists through Adelphi’s email system are exempt from offering an unsubscribe option.

Essential Communications

What are essential communications?
Messages of broad interest, usefulness, importance or need to our community:

• Essential to the mission or operations of the University
• Essential for student academic performance
• Pertains to an urgent health or safety situation
• Required by law

Here are some examples of essential communications:

• Presidential announcements
• Emergency notices
• Changes to University policy
• Notices to all about special events or observances, such as Commencement, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans Day, other holidays
• IT announcements about our website or securing our data
• Healthcare changes or updates

The Office of University Communications and Marketing is charged with determining whether a given message qualifies as an essential communication.

Messages to the internal community from the University’s president and messages pertaining to urgent health and safety situations will automatically qualify as essential communications and do not require approval from the Office of University Communications and Marketing. These emails are exempt from offering an unsubscribe option only when sending the emails through Adelphi’s email system.

Alternatives to Mass Email

The Office of University Communications and Marketing routinely publishes the Adelphi Insider, a weekly email to faculty, students and staff to announce events and update the community on news and initiatives. eCampus, the Adelphi University portal, can be used to publicize events to the internal community. You can sign up for push notifications on AU2GO and you can also utilize Adelphi’s eCampus message center.

Definitions

Mass email is defined as identical or substantially similar messages sent to more than 50 email addresses.

Forms

This policy does not have forms associated with it at this time. Upon periodic policy review this area will be evaluated to determine if additional information is needed to supplement the policy.

Related Information

CAN-SPAM Act (The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003)

Document History

• Last Reviewed Date: January 30, 2023
• Last Revised Date: January 30, 2023
• Policy Origination Date: September 1, 2017

Who Approved This Policy

Kristen Capezza, Vice President, Enrollment Management and University Communications