Email is an essential component of day-to-day communication. It’s how we reach our colleagues and reach out to our audiences.
When we communicate electronically, we create and reinforce a professional persona. We act as representatives of our departments and organizations. We reflect the values of Mizzou. Respect, professionalism, thoughtful word choice and careful proofreading can help us put our best foot forward.
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Email Signatures | Email Generator | Email Services
Mass Email Policy | Mass Email & Social Media: External Tragedies or Concerns
Email Invitation Guidelines
Email Signatures
An email signature is a digital business card and like your physical business card, represents your official association with the University of Missouri. Email signatures should comply with the University’s identity standards and guidelines.
Use the email signature generator to ensure your signature meets identity standards and content requirements. Email signatures may only include information contained in the fields of the email generator, and any confidentiality notice as needed.
Content Guidelines
Phone Numbers
Format as 555-555-5555.
Email
Only official university email addresses should be used.
yourname@missouri.edu, yourname@health.missouri.edu, yourname@mail.missouri.edu
Websites
Only official university websites may be used. External URLs are not allowed. Websites URLs may not include “http://”. They should not include “www” unless excluding it results in a “Page not found” error.
✓ ps.missouri.edu, hes.missouri.edu, coas.missouri.edu
✗ www.ps.missouri.edu, http://www.google.com, www.linkedin.com
Promotional Messaging
University or College level promotional messages can be included but must be approved by unit leadership and Licensing and Brand Management. Each promotional message must be submitted to identity@missouri.edu with proposed text and/or graphic, plan for distribution and expiration of the promotion. Each addition must meet visual and editorial brand guidelines and must be relevant to the university’s core mission. Examples: Giving Day, Engineering Week, US News & World Report badges.
Email Services
The MU Division of Information Technology oversees all University of Missouri email and provides email services to MU students, faculty and staff. Services include:
- Remote email access
- Email encryption
- Discussion and distribution lists
- Mass email services
Mass Email Policy
If you plan to send an email message to a large targeted audience, please refer to the university’s mass email policy.
The policy applies to using the University of Missouri email system to send unsolicited email to more than 250 internal or external email addresses. MU Administrative Services reviews all mass email requests. If approved, each request is forwarded to the Division of Information Technology for distribution. The MU email system automatically blocks mass email messages that have not been approved by Administrative Services and DoIT.
MU’s mass email policy addresses the origin, content and execution of mass email. Please review the policy before sending mass email.
Mass Email & Social Media Policy: External Tragedies or Concerns
The University of Missouri and UM System universities will only on rare occasions send leadership mass emails and social media messages about external tragedies in the nation and world. Those rare occasions will include external tragedies that have become dominant challenges in the daily lives of our communities.
Why don’t university leaders send emails every time tragedies or concerns occur in the world?
- Tragedies or concerns that affect individuals or groups occur with great frequency. A practice of emailing after every tragedy is not practical. Selecting some tragedies and not others is exclusionary and lacks consistency.
- Mass email is a poor vehicle for processing complex and painful topics and university stakeholders have different perspectives about how tragedies and impacts to people should be described. A one-size-fits all message provides one-way communication to thousands of individuals and is a poor replacement for other modes of communication that allow for better engagement for understanding, empathy and support for those impacted.
- Mass emails about external tragedies and concerns can be seen as lacking action or sincerity.
- Frequent messages about tragedies around the world can heighten fears or mental stress.
How will rare messages be sent and by whom?
If an external tragedy does not have a particular direct connection to a university in the UM System and a decision is made to send a rare mass email, a joint email or social media message from UM System leaders will be sent. For tragic events or concerns that occur on individual campuses, each university will determine whether mass email is a suitable communications method, or if other options should be considered.
Other ways to support our community.
University leaders at all levels and members of the campus community can help address a great variety of concerns and pain felt by members of our community in more personal ways. Options after tragic and disturbing events include the following:
- Listening sessions for those struggling with grief, pain or in need of support.
- Events that unpack external tragedies, such as panel discussions, information sessions, or opportunities to hear points of view or historical context.
- Vigils or events that allow those affected by a tragedy to share support and be heard.
- Information sessions or training about resources available to our community, as well as ways to report incidents of discrimination, bias or violations of our values, codes of conduct or the law.
- Ensuring mental health resources are available and known.
- Reaching out personally to those affected by a tragedy or event to check on their well-being.