Printed on: 01/09/2025. Please go to policy.umn.edu for the most current version of the document.
University of Minnesota  Administrative Policy

Using Email as Official Student Communication

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Policy Statement

The University provides students with an email account upon matriculation to the institution. This account is free of charge and remains available at minimum while the student is enrolled or is active in their degree program.

The University-assigned student email account is the University's official means of communication with all students. Students are responsible for all official information sent to their University-assigned email account. If a student chooses to forward messages to another account, the student is still responsible for all information, including attachments.

Reason for Policy

Email is the primary method of communication between students and the University. It is imperative that students understand that information will be communicated to them via their University-assigned email account while they are students. New students are informed that their University-assigned email account is the primary means of communication from the University community and that they will be held responsible for the information in the email.

Procedures

There are no procedures associated with this policy.

Forms/Instructions

There are no forms associated with this policy.

Appendices

There are no appendices associated with this policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Are other forms of communication (e.g., social media, texting, or websites) considered official communications?

    While the content found in these forms of communication should match information included in emails sent to students, the email is considered the official information.

  2. Can faculty or staff use an alternative email address for students?

    In order to be certain that private student information is secure, any messages that contain private student data need to be sent to the student’s umn.edu email account, which meets the security and authentication standards. Similarly, staff and faculty should use their umn.edu accounts for business purposes.

  3. May students forward their umn.edu email to another email address?

    Yes. However, students are still responsible for the official communications sent to their University email account and should be aware that email forwarding could cause information to be missed due to spam filtering or other forwarding issues. 

Contacts

SubjectContactPhoneEmail
Policy InformationStacey Tidball612-626-0075[email protected]
Twin CitiesStacey Tidball612-626-0075[email protected]
CrookstonJason Tangquist218-281-8424[email protected]
DuluthTracey Bolen218-726-8795[email protected]
MorrisMarcus Muller320-589-6011[email protected]
RochesterParry Telander507-258-8023[email protected]
Responsible Individuals
Responsible Officer Policy Owner Primary Contact
  • Associate Vice Provost - Academic Support Resources
  • Associate Vice Provost - Academic Support Resources
  • See Contacts Table above

Definitions

Student

Any undergraduate, graduate or professional student. Student status starts upon matriculation.

Matriculation

The time when a student has met all conditions to enroll such as submitting any required deposits or final transcripts.

Responsibilities

Faculty and staff

Communicate information to students via email with sufficient time for the student to act upon/respond to the information included in the message.

Student

Routinely check assigned University of Minnesota email account to review relevant information.

Registrars on each campus

Maintain policy. Respond to student requests.

Related Information

History

Amended:

January 2019 - Comprehensive Review: Changes to clarify language about the reason for the policy and language about when this policy applies (timing of when the email account is available, when students should expect this account to be used.)

Amended:

December 2013 - Comprehensive review, minor revision. Improves the clarity of the policy by minor adjustments to the language and a new FAQ.

Amended:

April 2008 - This policy now applies University Wide, rather than to the Twin Cities Campus Only.

Effective:

September 2001