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Intent | How USFconnect Messaging Works
| Policy | FAQ
Intent
This policy is designed to:
- Assist the USF community in the transition from conveying information primarily
via email to the more versatile web portal-USFconnect. This is a living document
and it will continue to evolve as our use of USFconnect grows.
- Reinforce USFconnect messaging as the primary means for the distribution
of messages regarding academic and social events, promotion and retirement
of colleagues, and other academic program or general information.
How USFconnect Messaging Works
Over the years one of the most consistent complaints from students, faculty,
and staff has been the lack of a centralized place to access information about
the USF Community. USFconnect is the first step in realizing this goal.
Messages can be sent in two ways using USFconnect messaging tools:
- Posting to the USFconnect My Connection/Personal Announcements or Campus
Announcements pages.
- Email to USF email accounts.
Messages can be both posted and sent to email at the same time.
Having a central location for announcements (such as notices of events, current
news, deaths, awards, etc.) is designed to replace the use of email for sending
such messages. Therefore, students, faculty, and staff who do not check the
USFconnect My connection/Personal Announcements or Campus Announcements page
will miss important messages.
Policy
All messages should be posted to the USFconnect My Connection/Personal
Announcements or Campus Announcements pages.
The USFconnect announcements pages provide a one-stop place to view all
current announcements. All postings automatically disappear (this timeframe
is chosen when the annoucement is created); therefore, it is not necessary
to manually delete postings.
Only the following kinds of messages should also be sent to email, in
addition to posting to the USFconnect announcements pages:
- Academic requirements
- Employment information deemed essential by USF Human Resources
- Major policy or emergency staffing announcements from the president,
vice presidents, or deans
- Notices of USFconnect, USF network, or other essential Information
Technology systems down time
- Security and safety notices
All messages (postings and emails) should be targeted as precisely as
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USFconnect Messaging FAQ
Who can send USFconnect Messages?
Only trained "Power Users" have the authority to send USFconnect
messages. Click here for a list of USFconnect Power
Users.
If none of the representatives listed are appropriate for your request, you
can submit your request via email to usfconnect@usfca.edu.
Be sure to send your requests at least 48 hours in advance, as we cannot guarantee
a posting can be made immediately.
To have a department representative added to the Power Users group, a department
head should email the request to usfconnect@usfca.edu. Before individuals are
given Power User access they must attend training on the proper ways to send
targeted messages.
Why is sending email so restricted?
Since we launched USFconnect, messaging has become so easy that we are using
it quite heavily, much more so than before. This is great, but it also means
we are overwhelming USFconnect users with email. We have received numerous
complaints about USFconnect "spam," and many users are beginning to
disregard the email they receive from USFconnect.
In order to keep users from ignoring their USFconnect mail entirely, we need
to stop sending regular announcements to email. Therefore, unless an announcement
meets the requirements noted above for email messaging, only the My Connection
delivery method should be used.
What do you mean by "Targeting"messages?
One of the features of USFconnect is the ability to send messages to particular
groups of users. When appropriate, messages may be targeted to USFconnect users
by role (student, faculty, staff), major, enrolled course, or other characteristics.
Messages should be targeted as precisely as possible.
How do I create a special group of users I want to target?
Webservices can import particular groups into USFconnect for specific messaging. If you have such a group, email webservices@usfca.edu and let them know you would like assistance setting up a targeted group. DO NOT email them a list of names you want imported. You will be contacted by someone in Web Services to work with you on getting the group imported into USFconnect.
Please allow 72 hours for creation of custom groups.
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