FAQ on Acceptable Use of Berkeley Email by Student Groups

Students sometimes find navigating policy related to their use of Berkeley email to be complex and question the limitations on student organizations’ use of Berkeley email. The purpose of this FAQ page is to help frame the applicability of email policy for student organizations.

When student organizations use Berkeley email (aka bMail), this provides the impression, especially to those outside the organization, that they are representing, giving opinions, fundraising, recruiting, or otherwise making statements on behalf of the Campus. Therefore, policy defines when Berkeley email can and cannot be used, even in the context of incidental personal use.

Q1: Can I use my personal Berkeley email account to communicate on behalf of my student group?

Yes, but use of your Berkeley email account must follow UC Berkeley and UC Systemwide policy. Please note these policy rules of thumb:

  • Use a personal or organizational email address, not a Berkeley email address, if you are selling goods or services, or fundraising for your group, even if it’s a non-profit organization.
  • Send email only to addresses who have provided their consent. (No mass unsolicited mailings. No harvesting of email addresses from the campus directory or other campus systems.)
  • When communicating from a Berkeley email, always make it clear that your student group is a separate entity from the University and does not represent the University. (One way you can do this is to include a note in the by-line under your signature to that effect).
  • All of this applies to other forms of messaging, not just email.

To learn more about the policies supporting these “rules of thumb,” see details in the appendix section below. Please contact your student group advisor if you have further questions.

Q2: What happens if I or my student organization does not follow UC Systemwide or UC Berkeley policy around email?

Per the UC Berkeley Email Service Policy, student misuse of Berkeley email may result in referral to the Student Conduct Office and/or action restricting access to the campus email service.

Policy References

The following policies provide the basis for the guidance in this FAQ.

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Policy Excerpts

Below are selected policy excerpts that specifically relate to the guidance in this FAQ.

The UC System’s Electronic Communications Policy restricts campus email from being used for outside commercial purposes or personal financial gain. Specifically, it restricts campus email (actually, all campus electronic messaging services) from use for,

"...• Commercial purposes not under the auspices of the University;

• Personal financial gain (except as permitted under applicable academic personnel policies);

• Personal use inconsistent with Section III.D, Allowable Uses...[Further,]...Users of electronic communications resources must abide by University and campus policies regarding endorsements. References or pointers to any non-University entity contained in University electronic communications shall not imply University endorsement of the products or services of that entity."

UC System's Electronic Communications Policy (ECP)

Berkeley email users cannot give the impression they are representing or endorsed by the University unless authorized. Note the following conditions from the ECP:

“4. Representation. Use of the University's name and seal is regulated by the State of California Education Code 92000. Users of electronic communications resources must abide by this statute as well as by University and campus policies on the use of the University's name, seals, and trademarks (see Appendix B, References). Users of electronic communications resources shall not give the impression that they are representing, giving opinions, or otherwise making statements on behalf of the University or any unit of the University unless appropriately authorized to do so.

“5. Endorsements. Users of electronic communications resources must abide by University and campus policies regarding endorsements. References or pointers to any non-University entity contained in University electronic communications shall not imply University endorsement of the products or services of that entity.” 

UC System's Electronic Communications Policy (ECP) 

Berkeley's Email Service Policy asserts consequences for violations of this policy, stating:

"...action restricting a user's Campus Email Service in response to suspected misuse will follow relevant procedures that assure due process, such as Student Conduct Policies, Faculty Code of Conduct, Staff Contracts or Policies, or other Affiliation Agreements".

UC Berkeley’s Email Service Policy

Berkeley's Terms and Conditions on Appropriate use of Berkeley email include the following:

  1. “Users of bMail shall not give the impression that they are representing, giving opinions, or otherwise making statements on behalf of the Campus or any department or unit of the Campus unless appropriately authorized to do so.” Additional steps are provided for incidental, personal use of bMail to avoid giving this impression.
  2. Users must not use their bMail account for any commercial use for personal profit, including publishing their bMail address for such commercial activity contacts. Users must not use their bMail account for any commercial use on behalf of other individuals or on behalf of groups, unless authorized by campus administrative officials as being in support of the campus. (See Campus Online Activities Policy: Sponsorship, advertising, or other forms of acknowledgement.)

Specifically regarding mass mailings, Berkeley's Terms and Conditions on Appropriate use of bMail state,

"5. bMail mailing list owners must:

A. Obtain consent from all addressees to be included on their lists, except for lists used to conduct official campus notifications (See Campus Online Activities Policy: Mass Mailings.)

B. Inform list members and new subscribers what the purpose of the list is and the rules governing posting to the list

C. Enforce appropriate use of their lists….

Examples of Misuse:

Specific examples of violations of these Terms and Conditions [that relate to this FAQ] include but are not limited to:

  • “sending unsolicited mass mailings without the consent of all addressees, unless authorized on behalf of the campus by an appropriate administrative official (See Campus Online Activities Policy: Mass Mailings.)
  • forging messages or masking the identity of an account
  • any commercial use for personal profit"

UC Berkeley’s Terms and Conditions of Appropriate Use for bMail