Office of the Registrar and Student Awards

20

General University Policies

20.3 Electronic Communication Policy for Students and Applicants

    The University of Alberta uses and will use electronic communication with its students and applicants in lieu of many paper-based processes. “Electronic communication” includes anything that is created, recorded, transmitted or stored in digital form or in any other intangible form by electronic, magnetic or optical means or by any equivalent means. Currently, this most often includes information communicated by e-mail and via a website.

    All references in the Calendar and in other University policies to any method of communication by the University by any media, shall be deemed to include the right of the University to make such communication by electronic means.

    It is important to note that communication by electronic means between the University and its students and applicants remains at the option of the University. Some Faculties, Departments or other offices of the University may maintain policies to communicate by non-electronic means, in certain cases, or generally. The following determine what form of communication students and applicants should use in response to communications from the University:

(1)

if a specific method of response (such as by e-mail, a web-based form, or a paper form) is stated as being required in the communication from the University, use that method;

(2)

if an option to use different methods of communication is provided, any of the options may be used;

(3)

if no specified method or option for response is stated, respond using the same method in which the communication was made. That is, if an e-mail is received, respond by e-mail; if a letter or other communication in paper form is received, reply in paper form.

    All students and applicants will be assigned a University of Alberta Campus Computing ID (CCID) with e-mail privileges (see §24.1).

    Where the University chooses to communicate by e-mail, the communication will normally be directed to the e-mail address that was originally assigned by the University.

    Important note: Academic Information and Communication Technologies allows students and applicants to change their originally assigned University e-mail address to a preferred University e-mail address. If students or applicants choose to change their originally assigned e-mail address to a preferred e-mail address, the preferred e-mail address will become the one used by the University pursuant to this policy, and e-mail will not be received at the original address. It is the responsibility of all students and applicants to ensure that it is possible for them to receive, access, read and act upon all e-mail from the University in a timely fashion. The University is not responsible for failure to receive communications as a result of students or applicants having changed their originally assigned e-mail address to a preferred e-mail address. If students or applicants choose to forward their University directed e-mail to other non-University e-mail addresses such as those offered by Hotmail, Yahoo, Shaw, Telus, etc., they do so at their own risk.

    Electronic communications sent by the University will be deemed received the next University business day after the day the e-mail was sent, regardless of any error, failure notice, internet service provider problem, virus, e-mail filters, or auto-reply related to students’ or applicants’ e-mail, unless the error or problem originated with the University of Alberta. Students and applicants are expected to check their e-mail account frequently in order to stay current with University communications. Academic Information and Communication Technologies must be advised of any problems encountered with e-mail accounts immediately by contacting the Help Desk at (780) 492-9400. Failure to receive or read in a timely manner University communications sent to the e-mail address does not absolve students and applicants from knowing, responding to or complying with the content of that communication.

    While the University of Alberta may require students and applicants to use electronic communication, they must nonetheless continue to exercise prudence and common sense in their electronic communications with the University, recognizing that:

(1)

great care must be taken to ensure that the e-mail is addressed only to the intended recipients;

(2)

caution should be exercised when copying or forwarding information to others;

(3)

the use of file attachments with e-mail communications is discouraged unless the sender has verified that the attachments will be accessible to and readable by all intended recipients and that they are virus-free;

(4)

students and applicants should check their mailboxes regularly to ensure there is enough available space for new messages;

(5)

students and applicants must inform Academic Information and Communication Technologies immediately by contacting the Help Desk at (780) 492-9400 if their e-mail is not working;

(6)

if students and applicants do not have the ability to access e-mail communications or the web, they must inform the Office of the Registrar in order to make alternate arrangements.

    Electronic communication will be subject to the same policies on information disclosure as other methods of communication (see §20.4 on Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy). The laws of Alberta will apply to all electronic transactions and communications involving the University of Alberta.

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Table of Contents

Calendar Home Page
Notices, Errata, Addendum, 2013-2014 PDF Calendar, 2012-2013 Calendar, Previous Calendars, University Policy Gateway

Welcome from the President

Inquiries

Academic Schedule
 11Major Deadlines from the 2013-2014 Academic Schedule
 11.1Academic Schedule 2013-2014 (monthly listing of academic events on campus)

Undergraduate Application Deadlines for Admission and Readmission

Undergraduate Admission
 13 Admission to Undergraduate Programs
 14General Admission Requirements
 15Admission Requirements by Faculty
 16Admission for International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Students
 17Admission from Outside Alberta

University Regulations and Information for Students
 20General University Policies
 21Classification of Students
 22Registration and Fees
 23Academic Regulations
 24Student Services
 25Code of Student Behaviour
 26Code of Applicant Behaviour

Programs
30Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences
40Faculty of Arts
50Augustana Faculty
60Faculty of Business
70Faculty of Education
80Faculty of Engineering
90Faculty of Extension
100Faculty of Law
110Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
120Faculty of Native Studies
130Faculty of Nursing
140Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
150Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation
160School of Public Health
170Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
180Faculté Saint-Jean
191Faculty of Science

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 200The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 201Members of the Faculty
 202General Information
 203Regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 204Graduate Program Regulations
 205Graduate Programs
 210Graduate Financial Aid

Open Studies

Course Listings
 230Details of Courses
 231Course Listings

Glossary

General Information
 241University History and Traditions
 242Constitution of the University
 243University Libraries
 244Alumni Association
 245Affiliated Colleges

University Staff
 250Continuing Academic Staff
 251Emeriti
 252Associate and Adjunct Staff
 253Honorary Degree Recipients