Email Policy

1.0     Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to facilitate effective email communications and to reduce risks relating to email usage.  The policy describes the rules for using, managing and constructing emails for the protection of the university and all other interested parties.

2.0     Scope

This policy applies to all users of the University of Ghana email system. The policy concerns all electronic mail sent or accessed from the University of Ghana network.

3.0     Policy

The university community shall use the approved official email of the university to conduct university related business at all times.

3.1       Proper Use of University of Ghana Email Systems

For the purpose of this policy, UG community members are classified into the following five (5) categories.

• Junior Members (Students)
• Junior Staff
• Senior Staff
• Senior Members
• Guests (national service personnel, attachment personnel, temporary staff, visiting scholars)

The official suffix for University of Ghana email is “ug.edu.gh” for all categories except junior members and guests. For students, the suffix is “st.ug.edu.gh”.  Guests’ accounts may be created on “staff.ug.edu.gh”

Upon joining the University, a member is given a University of Ghana email account and address. This email account is used by the University for a variety of essential and official communications with members of its community.

Members of the community are responsible for operating and managing their email accounts and are required to exercise good judgement when sending or receiving email on the University’s network. The following are guidelines for the proper use of the University email system.

3.1.1    Sending Email

• Email is an official document which must be carefully composed, addressed and sent to only the appropriate recipient(s).
• Members of the university community must therefore be very careful when inserting or typing in addresses.
• Members of the university community must avoid attaching large documents more than 10Mbytes. Users are advised to place large documents in a shared folder and send the link of such documents to the recipient(s).
• Members of the university community can send official emails to distribution groups to which they belong.
• Personal marketing and advertising emails must be sent to info@ug.edu.gh. Interested users should subscribe to this list to view such communication.
• To subscribe to info@ug.edu.gh send a mail with the word “subscribe” as a subject of the mail to info@ug.edu.gh
• To unsubscribe to info@ug.edu.gh send a mail with the word “unsubscribe” as the subject of the mail to info@ug.edu.gh
• Group mails targeting all staff of the university community must be authorized by public affairs while those intended for all students must be authorized by the Dean of Students.
• Large-scale e-mail communications within groups or units, including surveys, announcements, etc. require the implicit or explicit prior approval of the administrator of that group or unit. If such emails are from outside the unit, the approval must always be explicit. It is the responsibility of the sender / requestor of a group e-mail to obtain the necessary approval from the administrator of that group or their designee.
• A group owner or administrator is responsible for, keeping list member addresses current and active and managing issues with their list. Any list that fails to have an identifiable University of Ghana user as an owner/administrator may be shut down without notice.
• Staff who retire from the University of Ghana may keep their email address until HRODD notifies UGCS otherwise.
• University staff who abandon their posts or resign, or whose contracts have been terminated, will have their accounts disabled immediately and deleted after ninety (90) days per HRODD notification.

3.1.2    Personal Use and General Guidelines

Personal usage of the University email system is permitted so long as such usage does not interfere with the user’s job responsibilities or expose the University to security risks. 

3.1.3    Business Communications and Email

Members of the university community are expected to check and respond to emails in a timely manner during business hours. Email must be handled like formal letters and memos.  

3.1.4    Email Signature

Users are encouraged to use email signature. Signature should include:

• User’s full name
• Job title
• Institution
• Telephone number
• Email address. 

3.1.5    Opening Attachments

Members of the university community are cautioned not to open mail attachments from unknown senders and to be careful when opening email attachments, as malware can easily be attached to emails. It is recommended that members of the university community download such attachments onto the computer and scan each file with University approved anti-virus software before opening it. If you are unsure of safety of the file attachment, please contact UGCS service desk.

3.1.6    Monitoring and Privacy

Users must bear in mind that the email system is the property of the University and that it may monitor emails sent or received on the University’s network without the prior knowledge of the user to ensure compliance with this policy.

3.2       External Email Accounts

Using personal external email accounts to conduct University of Ghana business is explicitly prohibited.

3.3       Emailing Confidential Data

All email containing confidential information must be properly encrypted in accordance with   University of Ghana Encryption and other applicable policies.

3.4       Email Disclaimers

The following disclaimer will automatically be included as a suffix to all e-mail messages to addresses external to the University. Users should take into account the implication of the disclaimer.  

E-Mail Disclaimer:

---------- DISCLAIMER -------

This e-mail, its attachments and any rights attaching hereto are, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the property of University of Ghana. It is confidential and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the addressee and have received this e-mail by mistake, kindly notify the sender and delete this e-mail immediately. Do not disclose or use the email in any manner whatsoever. Views and opinions expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender unless clearly stated as those of the University of Ghana. 

The University of Ghana accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damages, however incurred, resulting from the use of this e-mail or its attachments. The University of Ghana does not warrant the integrity of this e-mail, nor that it is free of errors, viruses, interception or interference. 
 

3.5       Email Deletion

The official storage space allocated for user mailbox is 2GB.   This may be increased on a case by case merit. Please ensure this storage is utilized efficiently by deleting non business related emails.

3.6       Accessing Another User’s Email

A User must never access another user’s account without authorization.

3.7       Account Standard and Format

Email and Active Directory accounts must be constructed in line with the User’s preferred name at time of registration. Accounts must be in accordance with the Standard and Format below:

• Standard User Accounts: FirstnameInitialLastname@ug.edu.gh for individual accounts.
• Group or Departmental List: groupname@ug.edu.gh  for group accounts.

*** See Appendix for further details of the naming standard

3.8       Account Termination

Members of the university community who leave the university must have their accounts disabled or de-activated for ninety (90) days and thereafter deleted to preserve information security.  The HRODD must inform UGCS in the event of the dismissal, death, retirement, suspension, graduation, or resignation of any user. 

3.9       Prohibited Use

Members of the university community must never use the University’s email system to:

• Send emails that may be detrimental to the University or its users.
• Conduct non-University of Ghana business.
• Email University confidential data to external email accounts without authorization.
• Circulate information that is discriminatory, provocative, abusive, obscene or inappropriate in any way.
• Send information that violates someone’s privacy.
• Send spam, chain letters, or pyramid schemes.

4.0     Review

This policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary.

5.0     Enforcement

This policy will be enforced by UGCS. Violations may result in disciplinary action, which may include suspension, restriction of access, or more severe penalties including termination of employment.

6.0    Definitions

Email:  electronic letters and other communication sent between networked computer users.

Spam: Unsolicited bulk email.

7. Appendix
   1. Naming Convention

8. Document Revision History