Email Policy

E-mail is an official means for communication at Center for Allied Health Education (CAHE). There is an expanding reliance on electronic communication among students, faculty, staff and administration at the institution. This is motivated by the convenience, speed, cost- effectiveness and environmental advantages of using e-mail rather than printed communication.

Purpose/Authority

Implementation of this policy ensures that students have access to this critical form of communication. For the majority of students, this will not represent any change from what is currently done; it will, however, ensure that all students can access, and be accessed by e- mail as the need arises.

Use of E-mail

Email is a mechanism for official communication for our institution, which has the right to expect that such communications will be received and read in a timely fashion. Official email communications are intended only to meet the academic and administrative needs of the CAHE community. Students are expected to check their CAHE e-mail account on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with communication.  CAHE recommends checking e- mail every other day at minimum; in recognition that certain communications may be time-critical. Not checking email, an error in forwarding mail and email returned to the institution with “Mailbox Full” or “User Unknown” are not acceptable excuses for missing official institution communications via email.

Assignment of student email

Center for Allied Health Education has established e-mail addresses based on the following template:

Students:                <firstname>.<lastname>@student.caheny.edu. In the event of a repeated name, there may be a modification to this formula. E-mail addresses are issued to students prior to orientation.

Staff:                         <firstinitial>.<lastname>@cahe.edu

Redirect of email

If students wish to have email redirected from their official CAHE e-mail address to another email address (e.g., @aol.com, @hotmail.com), they may do so but at their own risk. CAHE will not be responsible for the handling of email by outside providers. Having email redirected does not absolve students from the responsibilities associated with official communication sent to their student email accounts.

Authentication for confidential information

It is a violation of school policy for any user of official email addresses to impersonate a school faculty/staff member or student.

Privacy

Users should exercise extreme caution in using email to communicate confidential or sensitive matters and should not assume that email is private and confidential. It is especially important that users are careful to send messages only to the intended recipient(s). Particular care should be taken when using the “reply” command during email correspondence.

Etiquette

Students enrolled in Center for Allied Health Education are expected to conduct all communication (electronic and otherwise) in a professional manner and in accordance with the Professionalism Policy outlined in the institutional catalog. Timely review and response to email messages is vital to student success.

Students are expected to use appropriate etiquette when communicating with others. This applies to in person, telephone or electronic communications (emails, discussion board posts, coursework, etc.). Manners matter in professional communication. Appropriate etiquette should adhere to the guidelines below:

• Open with a salutation (e.g., Hi, Hello, Dear Dr. or Ms. X) and finish with a closing (e.g., Best, Regards, Thank you, your name). Introductory emails should address faculty and staff more formally (Dear Dr. Smith or Hello Ms. Jones) unless the faculty or staff member has given permission to use their first name. It is appropriate to include a simple, “What would you like me to call you?” or “Is it ok to call you X?” question.
• Use complete sentences and avoid jargon, especially text-type words (e.g. C U). This is especially important when sending messages from mobile devices.
• Be careful with humor and sarcasm; in written form humor does not always translate well. Sarcasm should be avoided.
• Avoid typing a message in CAPSLOCK-this conveys anger or frustration just as raising one’s voice conveys such emotions over the telephone or in-person.
• Do not use swear words or pejorative terms (e.g., calling someone stupid or a lousy faculty).
• Maintain a professional tone; remain neutral when discussing an issue or problem. This helps to engage the reader in finding a solution by avoiding negative emotions. Using “please” and “thank you” are appropriate, and another way to engage the reader.
• Include complete information about the question or concern at hand. Emails should be brief; if it takes more than 3 paragraphs to communicate about the issue or topic, an appointment to discuss on the telephone or in person is a more appropriate reaction.
• Avoid sending email in anger or frustration. Walk away from the computer and wait at least 24 hours. Email communications cannot be “taken back” and the damage caused by an ill-advised email can be permanent. In high-stress or emotional situations, ask a trusted friend or colleague to provide feedback before hitting “send”. Messages sent in anger may be interpreted as disruptive, abusive or threatening, making the sender subject a Student Code of Conduct violation.
• Everyone makes mistakes. If an email was sent in frustration or anger, email an apology as soon as possible. A simple, “I am sorry and should not have sent that email. I apologize for my wording …” will go a long way to repair the damage to the relationship.
• Proofread! Reread each email message to ensure it is clear and without grammar or spelling errors. Remember that email is simply another professional behavior and a poorly crafted message is a negative reflection on one’s ability to communicate effectively.
• Remember any email you send can be forwarded to others.
• Use the “CC” and “reply all” functions sparingly. All students are expected to adhere to the chain-of- command communication tree.

Suspension of CAHE E-mail account

Students will be assigned an email address prior to enrollment and will keep the e-mail address for one quarter following graduation. Anyone wishing to prolong the use of their e-mail address can make that request by e-mailing IT@cahe.edu

CAHE Helpdesk

For issues or Tech Support with your e-mail or CAHE device, submit a ticket at www.cahe.edu/helpdesk