This policy outlines parameters for external communications and sharing college's contact lists, which includes adherence to the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 when communicating to external audiences via email (Slate).
The vice president for marketing and communications will respond to questions and provide guidance regarding interpretation of this policy.
This policy applies to individual, group or organizational requests for information from both internal and external constituents.
Wofford College provides electronic communications resources to faculty, staff and students in support of its mission and core values. External electronic communications — primarily email, the website and social media — should directly support the work of teaching, scholarship, research, public service, philanthropy, enrollment, retention and constituent engagement while always mindful of institutional advocacy. Communications shall be coordinated to provide relevant and timely information to appropriate audiences and crafted with the needs and email preferences of the audience foremost.
College electronic communication services are to be used responsibly within the normal standards of professional and personal courtesy and conduct. The use of electronic communication services is a privilege, not a right, and it should be treated as such by all users.
This policy is written with an understanding that all communicators at Wofford College are part of a larger ecosystem in which constituents represent multiple types and affiliations. Communicators shall recognize the depth and complexity of relationships that constituents have with the college and use college communications to create meaningful, engaging communications that strengthen constituent relationships with the college. Communications must have a strategic purpose that fits into the larger college ecosystem.
All communication graphics shall be crafted in adherence with college branding standards. To request a special template, email WoffordNews@wofford.edu. Please allow at least two weeks for template design, message review, formatting and scheduling.
Wofford College must abide by the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 when communicating to external audiences via email. The CAN-SPAM Act is aimed at controlling misleading and fraudulent activity by unscrupulous spammers; it applies to commercial businesses as well as nonprofit organizations such as Wofford.
When sending email messages to off-campus audiences, such as groups of alumni or donors, all communicators must comply with the regulations of the act, including providing opt-out opportunities and notices, a functioning opt-out option in every email, a valid physical postal address in every email and other requirements. Outlook or other similar email programs that do not provide these elements are not compliant with CAN-SPAM for communicating with external groups.
Wofford uses Slate, a database management system, for official communications with outside audiences, including alumni, parents/former parents, friends, donors and others. Slate tracks each communication sent to each recipient. The system provides the college with the ability to know who is communicating to external constituents and how much email each recipient is receiving from a Wofford source. This allows the college to manage/control external messaging, in part to be cognizant of unnecessarily flooding in-boxes, potentially creating frustration for the recipients.
The Office of Philanthropy + Engagement owns the data stored in Slate, and only a limited number of staff members in that office, the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Director of Constituent Management Systems and Process Improvement are authorized to distribute email messages through Slate. Academic and administrative departments may send messages to targeted audiences via Slate through the Office of Philanthropy + Engagement (engage@wofford.edu) in compliance with this policy.
Email addresses and other information stored in Slate cannot and will not be provided to other campus offices or to alumni or other outside parties. Alumni and campus organizations may contact the Office of Philanthropy + Engagement about sending messages and using lists. Class reunion chairs are the exception to this, but they must sign a volunteer confidentiality agreement. This allows Wofford to protect constituent privacy; to protect from an overload of unwanted emails; to track communications from college sources to our constituents; and to ensure that all mailings from Wofford comply with CAN-SPAM.
Slate is primarily used for external communication. Using Slate to communicate with internal constituents – students, faculty and staff – requires express approval from the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Office of Philanthropy + Engagement.
FERPA privacy flags shall be respected in all communications; constituents with these flags shall only receive email messages related to educational business. Audiences defined by protected classes shall be excluded from communications as deemed appropriate. Other federal laws, including HIPAA, shall be respected in content and execution.