Broadcast E-mail Guidelines

Tulane Technology Services (TS) maintains a number of campus-wide e-mail lists, such as "all faculty," "all staff," "all students" and "deans, directors and department heads." Given the phenomenal growth of e-mail as a means of communication, there are many requests to use the lists in order to communicate quickly and efficiently with large numbers of people. As demand is great, and because the university cannot and should not accommodate all requests, guidelines are necessary for the use of these lists. They are:

1. Use of TS lists is restricted to members of the Tulane community.

2. The proposed e-mail message should be related to the business and mission of the university.

3. The message should be of significant and urgent interest to a large segment of the campus community.  In addition, events publicized over the TS lists must be of a high-profile nature.

4. Usually only one e-mail will be sent per event.  Due to the high number of submissions, the number of e-mails sent per group or department may be limited per semester.

5. Each e-mail must identify an individual as its sender unless a departmental e-mail address is available.

6. Messages should be short and concise.  For topics that require more information, consider a summary e-mail message that contains a link to more detailed information.

7.  Messages will be sent to the lists in plain text format.  Messages containing HTML, graphics or attachments will not be sent. Instead of an attachment consider linking to further information.

8. E-mails of a personal nature, such as notices of items for sale, lost or found items, and solicitation of goods or services are not allowed.

9. E-mails soliciting employment opportunities are not allowed.

10. Messages that publicize or endorse relief efforts for victims of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, etc. normally are not allowed.

11.  During certain times, during weather emergencies or due to extraordinary circumstances, all broadcast e-mail (except those related to the extraordinary circumstances) will be suspended at the discretion of the Office of Public Relations.

12. Proposed e-mail messages should be submitted to zweaver@tulane.edu for approval at least 5 working days in advance of the desired distribution date. E-mails should be submitted in plain text (no HTML, no graphics) in the body of an e-mail message.

The usefulness, expediency and low cost of e-mail are attractive. However, should a request for a broadcast e-mail be denied, other quick and effective ways to communicate include an update to a web page, publication in New Wave, and/or posting of events in the Calendar of Events.  See also the guide to Promote Your Tulane Event.

For help in developing a complete communications strategy for a particular project or simply deciding how to get a single memo out ASAP, assistance is available through the Department of University Communications.

Contacts include:

• Zack Weaver, Departmental Administrtor; 504-865-5210
• Mike Strecker, Director of University Public Relations; 504-865-5210
• Rachel Hoormann, Director of University Web Communications; 504-865-5210
• Carol Schlueter, Executive Director, University Publications; 504-865-5714
• Fran Simon, Managing Editor, University Publications; 504-865-5714