1. Introduction

Greenfield Community College (GCC), under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, provides users with electronic mail communication access. GCC assigns employees and students an email account that is used as the official mode of communication. It is not recommended that emails be forwarded to personal email accounts.

Email communication is intended for educational and business communications. Use of email constitutes acceptance of the following GCC email policies, and all applicable state and federal laws including laws relating to copyright and the laws relating to obscenity. The College President is responsible for the administration of this policy.

2. Users

This policy applies to employees (faculty and staff), students, and contracted personnel who access a GCC email account(s) through any device.

3. Acceptable Use of Email

GCC encourages users to use email for educational and business communications in the following ways. When using email, there are several points users should consider: Email
addresses identify the organization that sent the message (@gcc.mass.edu, @stuemail.gcc.mass.edu), users should consider email messages to be the equivalent of letters sent on official letterhead; although many users regard email as being like a telephone or text message in offering a quick, informal way to communicate, users should remember that emails can be stored, copied, printed or forwarded by recipients. As such, users should not write anything in an email message that they would not feel just as comfortable putting into print.

The "all_users" (all employees) email group should be used for college related business pertaining to most members of the college community. Vice Presidents, Directors, Deans, the President and certain key accounts designated by the President may send email to all_users. Messages to all_users will be sent by blind carbon copy. For employee, non-business related information, please use the group called “bulletin”. Approved senders have discretion on what should be sent to all_users.

The "students@stuemail" (all students) email group should be used for college related business pertaining to most members of the college community. Vice Presidents, Directors, Deans, the
President and certain key accounts designated by the President may send email to students@stuemail. Messages to students@stuemail will be sent by blind carbon copy.

For guidance on appropriate use of all_users and students@stuemail consider if the message is applicable to one or more of the following:

- emergency information

- impacts operations at the college and/or its properties

- interrupts or changes services for students or staff/faculty

- time-sensitive information that applies to the campus community

- information on events that will significantly disrupt campus operations

4. Unacceptable Use of Email

It is unacceptable for any person to use GCC’s email system:

- In furtherance of any illegal or unethical act, including violation of any criminal or civil laws or regulations, whether state or federal;

- for any commercial or profit-making purposes;

- for political activity;

- to send threatening or harassing messages;

- to access or share sexually explicit, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate materials;

- to infringe on any intellectual property rights;

- for any use that causes interference with or disruption of network users and resources, including propagation of computer viruses or other harmful programs;

- to intercept communications intended for other persons;

- to misrepresent GCC or a person’s role at GCC;

- to distribute chain letters;

- to libel or otherwise defame any person.

5. Passwords

The policy regarding passwords on campus is:

- MyGCC is used to change network / email passwords.

- Mandatory security questions will be created upon initial login to MyGCC.

- After the above, you have the ability to change your password from the random generated to your own.

- You should change your password if you feel your password has been compromised.

- All email, MyGCC, and Moodle systems use the same login/password combination for access.

Passwords must meet the following criteria:

- Be between 12 and 100 characters in length.

- Consist of at least 3 of the following 4 items:

o Uppercase letter(s)

o Lowercase letter(s)

o Number(s)

o Special character(s) such as !@#$%^&*

6. Account Expiration and Termination

Network and email accounts are deleted on a periodic basis. Individuals who leave employment will have their email account deactivated and deleted upon separation. Email accounts are backed up and those backups are retained. Emeritus faculty will retain their GCC email address for life. After 12 months of registration inactivity, students’ accounts are deactivated and deleted. Students will be notified of this impending deactivation and given instructions for how to export their data.

7. Data Confidentiality

In the course of performing their jobs, GCC employees often have access to confidential or proprietary information, such as personal data about identifiable individuals or commercial information about business organizations. Under no circumstances may employees acquire access to confidential data unless such access is required by their jobs. Under no circumstances may employees disseminate any confidential information that they have rightful access to, unless such dissemination is required by their jobs. The confidentiality of student educational records shall additionally be subject to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

8. Privacy

GCC’s computer resources are the property of GCC and/or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and are to be used in conformance with this policy, with the Acceptable Use Policy, and in compliance with all applicable laws. Users should be aware that the President authorizes network administrators to monitor network traffic, and may authorize the network administrator to inspect any GCC owned computer, any data contained in it, and any data sent or received by that computer, on a case by case basis, in order to ensure proper network operations. Users shall have no expectation of privacy in any email sent or received over a GCC computer or network.

9. Policy Violations

Subject to all terms and conditions applicable to collective bargaining agreements and/or college policies:

a. All violations of this policy and/or the Acceptable Use Policy may subject the violator to disciplinary action;

b. If any user is found to have violated this or any other applicable IT policy, GCC has the right to suspend or revoke the use of college email and/or college computing facilities.

Revisions:

May 4, 2015 Employee Email Policy approved by the assembly

September 28, 2015 Student Email Policy approved by the assembly

November 22, 2024 College Council approves consolidation to Email Policy