Policies and Procedures
Policy EGAEA- Electronic Mail
It is the policy of the Board of Education to encourage the use of Electronic Mail (Email) throughout the district. Electronic mail is an electronic message that is transmitted between two or more computers or electronic terminals, whether or not the message is converted to hard copy format after receipt and whether or not the message is viewed upon transmission or stored for later retrieval. Electronic mail includes all electronic messages that are transmitted through a local, regional, or global network. In relation to the utilization of Email by employees of the district, the following guiding principles are applicable:
1. All district electronic mail systems are owned by the district and are intended for the purpose of conducting official district business.
2. Employees should have no expectation of privacy when using a district electronic mail system. Correspondence of any employee in the district using the form of Email may be a public record under the public records law and may be subject to public inspection under C.R.S. §24-72-203.
3. Certain uses, including but not limited to pornography, obscenity, harassment, solicitation, gambling are prohibited. Violations of this paragraph may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
4. The Department of Technology Services (DoTS) shall be responsible for the implementation of an operation and maintenance system to protect the integrity of the district's Email system, which shall include the monitoring of all Email communications throughout the system.
5. In order to keep district electronic mail systems secure, users may not
leave the terminal "signed on" when unattended and may not leave their
password available in an obvious place near the terminal or share their
password with anyone except system administrators.
The Board of Education recognizes that any and all Email transmissions may be a public record. Therefore, all Email transmissions that have been reduced to hard copy and filed shall be considered a public record unless otherwise excepted hereinabove. Although it is the intent of the Board to allow access to all Email transmissions, the Board will not require that copies of Emails be made by any employee for record purposes, nor will the Board require the Emails be stored or maintained for future retrieval.
LEGAL REFS.: CRS 24-6-401 et seq. (Colorado Sunshine Act)
CRS 24-72-201 et seq. (Colorado Open Records Act)
CRS 24-72-204.5 (Adoption of electronic mail policy)
CRS 24-80-101 et seq. (State Archives and Public Records)
CROSS REF: KDB, Public's Right to Know/Freedom of Information
Adopted: June 19, 1997
Revised: September 4, 1997
Revised: January 18, 2001
Revised: August 16, 2001
Revised: March 21, 2002
