Broadcast E-mail Policy

1. Authorization for broadcast e-mails must come from the President; one of the vice presidents; the CEO of the VCU Health System; the COO, VCU Health System; or the COO, Clinical Enterprise for their area of responsibility. (Note: These executives may authorize a designee to manage the broadcast e-mail process on their behalf.)
2. Broadcast E-mails require a minimum lead time of two working days.
3. The format of the e-mails should include:
1. The recipient group(s) for the broadcast;
2. The subject line of the e-mail;
3. The date to be sent;
4. The sender and sender’s e-mail address. If the sender is different from the replier (the person who is being directed to answer questions), this information should be noted in the text of the message;
5. The exact wording of the text;
6. A note that copies are sent to the President and all vice presidents. VCU Health System executives also should be copied when appropriate;
7. A signature block at the end of the text noting the sender’s name and title;
8. No attachments. Attachments cannot be sent via the e-mail broadcast process. Such information needs to be incorporated in the body of the text or linked to an appropriate website.
9. No special formatting. The system cannot consistently display columns that will line up in all mailers. For example the following would not necessarily show up correctly in all e-mail programs:




Event	Time	Presenter
Automobile Raffle	2:30	Frederick Smith
Worker of the decade	3:30	Wilma Smith
Pancake Griddle	4:30	Elizabeth Jones

Some people would see it like this:

Event                   Time    Presenter
Automobile Raffle      2:30  Frederick Smith
Worker of the decade 3:30  Wilma Smith
Pancake Griddle       4:30   Elizabeth Jones

Once the broadcast e-mail is approved by the President; a vice president; the CEO of the VCU Health System; the COO, VCU Health System; or the COO, Clinical Enterprise, the message and distribution details will be sent to the mail administrator.

The mail administrator generally distributes the broadcast messages during the evening hours, but distribution might be immediate for emergencies as designated by the President or a vice president.

Process within Academic Affairs

For Broadcast e-mails being sent to the entire VCU Community

• Sender will format the document as described in the Broadcast E-mail Procedures and send the document to the Provost for approval.
• Once approved by the Provost and edited by his Communication Coordinator, the e-mail is sent to massmail@vcu.edu.
• Massmail will create a draft e-mail and send to the Chief of Staff and the Provost for their approval.
• Upon receiving approval the document is distributed.
• The President and all VP’s are cc: on the final e-mail and receive a copy of the final e-mail.

• Sender will format the document as described in the Broadcast E-mail Procedures and send the document to the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services for approval.
• The Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services working with the Provost’s Communication Assistant assures the accuracy and content of the material and sends the document to massmail@vcu.edu.
• Massmail will send a draft document to the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services and the Provost.
• Once approved by the Provost and edited by his Communications Coordinator, the e-mail is sent to massmail@vcu.edu.
• Upon receiving approval the document is distributed to students.
• The President and all VP’s are cc: on the final e-mail and receive a copy of the final e-mail.

• Sender will format the document as described in the Broadcast E-mail Procedures and send the document to their Dean for approval. The Dean is responsible for the accuracy of the content of the e-mail.
• The Dean will send the document to the Provost for approval.
• Once approved by the Provost and edited by his Communications Coordinator, the e-mail is sent to massmail@vcu.edu.
• Massmail will create a draft e-mail and send to the Chief of Staff and the Provost for their approval.
• Upon receiving approval the document is distributed.
• The President and all VP’s are cc: on the final e-mail and receive a copy of the final e-mail.