Policy Statement

Ramapo College faculty and staff are provided with e-mail accounts for the purpose of conducting official college business to meet the academic and administrative needs of the college and it shall be the college’s policy that electronic mail (email) be the official communication mechanism with faculty, staff, and students. All faculty, staff, and students are “required to maintain a traditional @ramapo.edu” or optional gmail @ramapo.edu”. Broadcast e-mails and the broadcast voice mail system will be used to communicate official College information.

Reason for Policy

To set forth policy and procedure relative to communicating official College information, and transacting College business.

To Whom Does the Policy Apply

The policy applies to all current members of the college including staff, faculty, students, adjunct faculty, eligible retirees, and college volunteers such as Board of Trustees members, Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors members, and any others who may have been granted access to college systems.

Related Documents

Responsible Use of Electronic Communications Procedure

Contacts

Communications and Public Relations
(201) 684-7537

Broadcast E-Mail & Voice Mail Policy

The broadcast e-mail and voice mail systems are important communications tools for disseminating information to a large part of the campus or a specific targeted group. The system should only be utilized when a minimum of seventy-five percent of the campus or a specific targeted group needs to be made aware of the information. It is essential that the system not be overused whereby the community feel overwhelmed and begin to ignore its messages. Announcements are limited to information about emergencies, health and safety; presidential communications; major campus events approved by the Cabinet; critical alerts related to human resources, facilities and technology; and key internal processes, procedures and deadlines that affect the majority of the campus or a specific targeted group.

Major campus events include, but is not limited to: Opening Convocation, State of the College Address, Founders’ Day, Holiday Celebration, Diversity Convocation, Remembrance Day, Honors Convocation,, Commencement, Picnic at the Pavilion, Summer Concerts, letter-writing campaigns, athletic championship events, requests for major nominations, dedications, groundbreakings, topping-off ceremonies, significant college accolades and fund-raising news.

Other event announcements should to be submitted to the Daily Digest.

For guidelines regarding emergency communications policy and procedures, please refer to Procedure for Sending an Emergency Notification.

Broadcast E-Mail, Voice Mail and Targeted E-Mail Procedures

Audience Groupings

Three audience groupings are designated for broadcast voice mail and targeted e-mail: faculty, employees and students. Campus members are assigned a role according to the Banner database. Individuals may have multiple roles.

Faculty: All campus members who teach a course (full-time or part-time faculty, adjuncts, staff who teach). Also included in this designation are advisors, staff in the provost’s office, deans, and unit secretaries from the schools.

Employee: All campus members who receive a paycheck (full-time or part-time staff, faculty, and Ramapo student employees.) Also included are volunteers, dining services managers and campus store managers.

Student: All campus members with active student enrollment status (full-time or part-time students, and staff who are enrolled in courses).

Message Format

1. Broadcast E-Mail FormatThe subject line of official broadcast e-mails should lead with the word “Official” followed by a colon and the specific topic of the announcement (e.g., Official: Opening Convocation). The first line of the text before the body of the message should address to whom the message is being sent (e.g. “To: Faculty and Staff” or “To: RCNJ Students”). The message must also contain a contact name, office name and phone number or e-mail address. It is important to know who sent the message and to whom to reply for further information because the default sender for Luminis e-mail is announcements@ramapo. edu, which cannot receive a reply.
2. Broadcast Voice mail FormatThe greeting in all campus-wide broadcast voice mails should state “This is an Official Campus Broadcast Voice mail about _____(fill in topic)_______.” If the announcement targets a limited number of audience groupings, this should be stated (e.g., “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Faculty/Staff…” or “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Students…” or “This is an Official Broadcast Voice Mail for Students in Maple Hall…”).
3. Targeted E-Mail FormatThe subject line of official broadcast and targeted e-mails should lead with the word “Official” followed by a colon and the specific topic of the announcement (e.g., Official: Message from the Dean). The first line of the text before the body of the message should address to whom the message is being sent (e.g., “To: Faculty” or “To: RCNJ Students”). The message must also contain a contact name, office name and phone number or e-mail address. It is important to know who sent the message and to whom to reply for further information because the default sender for Luminis e-mail is announcements@ramapo.edu, which cannot receive a reply.

Authorized Designees

The Administration has authorized primary and secondary designees to send broadcast e-mail and voice mail announcements through the Luminis and phone system. When primary designees are not available, secondary designees may be contacted.

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Has the authority to access the Luminis announcement Web site or other vehicles to broadcast official messages from the president, including messages from the trustees and some bereavement messages.

COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (Institutional Advancement)

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site or other vehicles to broadcast official messages from the vice president for institutional advancement; additionally, serves as secondary authority for messages from the Office of the President. In its official “college spokesperson” role, the Office of Communications and Public Affairs has authority to broadcast official messages about campus safety and emergencies.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send targeted messages and broadcast messages about: critical alerts related to human resources, key internal processes, procedures and deadlines, bereavement, benefits information, and other information as appropriate.

DEANS

Have the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a targeted message to conveners, faculty and students within the School.

CONVENER/PROGRAM COORDINATORS

Have the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a targeted message to faculty and students within the major or program.

FACULTY MEMBER

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a targeted message to students within a class.

FACULTY ASSEMBLY

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a targeted message to faculty.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a targeted message to students.

PROVOST

Has the authority to access the Luminus announcement Web site to send a message to faculty or students.