1. Check it twice. Moving the locus of responsibility for broadcast email messages to each division means messages will no longer be reviewed by ITS prior to being sent. In the past, ITS served as a final editor.  The elimination of this step requires extra caution on the part of authorizers.

2. Know your audience. Authorizers should consult with the distribution Listserv lists available. Messages should be sent to populations for whom the information is relevant. All senders have access to all Listserv lists with the exception of Voting Faculty. The Senate is the only group that uses this list, so it is owned by Academic Affairs.

3. Be patient. Authorizers and senders should be aware that delivery of a broadcast email message can take much longer than you may be accustomed to. In theory, a message could be delayed up to a period of hours if there is a great deal of traffic on the University network, or if multiple messages have been sent to the lists at the same time. Most messages will be delivered in under 30 minutes.

The system is designed to acknowledge that a message has been sent. Authorizers should refrain from asking posters to resend a message if confirmation was received. Please note that broadcast email messages are not recommended as the only means of communication for disseminating emergency or particularly time-sensitive information.

4. Timing is everything. If a message is not time-sensitive, consider sending it during off-peak hours, which will likely result in faster delivery. Network (email) traffic tends to be heaviest at the following times:

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

5. Keep it simple. Approvers should encourage brief, plain text messages and discourage the use of graphics, embedded images and/or attachments. The best way to provide details is to direct recipients to a web site where they can obtain more information. Special formatting and fancy fonts will not be viewable by many recipients and should be avoided.

6. Use resources wisely. Email is a university resource which should be used judiciously. The more complex a message, the more space it takes up on the University network and in recipients' mailboxes. Sending a message to too broad an audience may be viewed as a nuisance or even spam.

7. When in doubt, ask! ITS welcomes your comments about this new protocol and best practices. Please share your ideas with us about how we can improve our service.