First Class Email & Conference

Acceptable Use Procedure For Educational Staff

Background

This policy outlines the principles governing the use of the First Class electronic mail ("Email") application for educational staff of the Grand Erie District School Board.

The objectives of this policy are to encourage the use of Email in a positive way to enhance communication, to use corporate resources effectively, and to prevent legal liabilities.

Email is just another way to communicate, and the same principles apply as with other forms of communication, for example, courtesy, respect for other people, clear and concise expression, and responsiveness.

First Class allows users the ability to read and post messages within public and private conferences. Public conferences are similar to a bulletin boards where everyone can read what is posted. Private conferences are limited to specific users who are given access by the conference moderator. Messages that are posted in private conferences are accessible to only authorized users.

Expectations and Guidelines

• All First Class Email users are expected to communicate in a professional manner. Inappropriate activity could result in the suspension of Email privileges and the notification of that individual's supervisor.
  
• All Staff of the Grand Erie District School Board are eligible for accounts on the First Class system.
  
• Students will be eligible for accounts following the creation of guidelines for acceptable student use.
  
• Information posted within conferences is to be professional, result-oriented, and intended for public viewing. Private
  messages should remain private and should not be placed in a conference area.
  
• Requests for the creation of a new conference will require conference Moderator(s). The responsibilities of a Moderator are detailed in separate document entitled "First Class Guidelines for Moderators". All conference creation requests will be review by the T.D.A.C. academic committee for approval.
  
• Anything of a highly private or confidential nature should not be posted on First Class, even in private Email. Discussions of a sensitive nature should use another form of communication to ensure privacy.
  
• Email involves corporate resources such as computers, software, network capacity, and people's time. Limited, reasonable personal use is permitted.
  
• Practices that waste network or hardware resources, such as chain letters, "spamming" (electronic junk mail) and introducing electronic viruses are prohibited. These practices are harmful and discourteous to other First Class users and are contrary to the Board's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
  
• First Class users are responsible for all activities, messages and postings made with their assigned account.
  
• Large file attachments should be placed in a compressed format before uploading. Files created in Wordperfect or Quattro-pro are automatically compressed and should not be a concern. Remember that attachments created in other formats may be unreadable unless the recipient has appropriate software that may open the attachment.
  
• Personal or corporate advertisements either selling, donating, or requesting products is not permitted.