Background University at Buffalo (UB), in collaboration with Google, offers a special version of Gmail tied to a UB Mail address (buffalo.edu address) for new students entering UB in the Fall 2009 Semester. These students also have access to Google's other services, including Google Docs, Google Chat, and Google Calendar. Google Apps services are provided free of advertising while the user remains a student. Upon graduation, students may elect to keep their Google Apps account, however, Google reserves the right to advertise to alumni. Google services are administered off-site on Google-run servers. Google provides its own assurances of privacy (see Google's Privacy Policy) and standards of use (see Google's Terms of Service). While the University at Buffalo has no authority to enforce these standards, UB staff do manage access to these services and have limited administrative access as well. Electronic Communication and Responsible Use In addition to adhering to Google's Terms of Service, students are expected to follow UB's standards for electronic communication and responsible use: See UB's Computer and Network Use Policy. UB neither sanctions nor censors individual expression of opinion on its systems. The same standards of behavior, however, are expected in the use of electronic mail as in the use of written, telephone, and other oral communications. Therefore electronic mail, like telephone messages, must be neither obscene nor harassing. Similarly, messages must not misrepresent the identity of the sender and should not be sent as chain letters or broadcast indiscriminately to large number of individuals. This prohibition includes unauthorized mass electronic mailings. For example, email on a given topic that is sent to large numbers of recipients should, in general, be directed only to those who have indicated a willingness to receive such email. University at Buffalo's Information Security Policy UB community members - student, staff, and faculty - encounter sensitive information every day: information such as student grades and evaluations, staff evaluations, credit card numbers, bank accounts, salaries, and other personal information. This information is considered confidential by the University and by the person the information is about. Everyone at UB has a responsibility for proper handling and protection of confidential information. The University has developed a general information security policy and standards for securing confidential information to provide direction on the protections that must be employed. It is up to all members of the UB community to be aware of the confidential information they have and threats to its security. These threats include, for example, receiving confidential data on an open fax machine, storing confidential information on a laptop, or leaving paper files on a desk overnight. As a matter of policy, all confidential information must be encrypted when transported/sent across any network. Sending unencrypted plain text email messages, including Gmail messages, is not a secure way to send confidential information and should never be done. Contacts Please contact the following office if you have questions or comments about this policy and procedures: IT Policy Officer Office of the CIO 517 Capen University at Buffalo 716-645-7979 peters@buffalo.edu