As the bursar, I am not restricted in contacting students and graduates about tuition and fee payments by the DNC laws. However, these communications, including e-mails, are still subject to other relevant consumer protection laws.
There were many key take-away points that I got regarding communication. 1) I need to be upfront and disclose as much information as necessary. My name, my company, my purpose, my address and phone number; 2) the postal address; 3) an opt out option and then 4) make sure to take action on the opt out options within 10 days.
I liked your suggestion of making a template and that is what I will do henceforth to ensure that my communications are in compliance.
The most revealing take-away was the opt out option action within 10 days. As a consumer myself, I now know why I always get a message back after opting out which states “you have successfully unsubscribed; but, it may take up to 10 days to take affectâ€. Now I understand why it takes so long.
Quite revealing section and I am taking many key points away with me.
Sandra,
Hi! I am so glad that you were able to take back tools to assist you in improving your communication with students. Communicating clearly, effectively and compliantly generally helps to avoid issues.
Cindy Bryant
I am glad to know that there is a 90 day requirement for the opt out option and this is also helpful for other spam emails. Letting the receiver know what you are emailing about in the subject line can also very informative.
defiantly the opt is something I learned
Deyanira,
Thank you for joining the forum. It is good to know that you were able to learn more about the CAN-SPAM Act. Having the opportunity to "opt out" of nuisance emails is important for the consumer.
Cindy Bryant
The single most important thing that I have learned is the opt out option. I email students all the time. I even had a student ask me not to email her any more and I had to stop. However now I will include that option. This is really helpful for me because I communicate with the student majority of the time via email.
Kimberly,
It is great that you learned about the 'opt out' process. This will help you maintain the lines of compliance.
Cindy Bryant
That the physical address needs to be on it and opt out options need to be on it
Similar to other responses to this question, I was surprised to find out that a postal address must be included. I will definitely ensure that this is included.
I didn't know that the opt-out option must be acted upon within 10 days. I haven't had any students want to opt-out but when I do I will know the associated time constraints.
I know that I can not send out commercial emails, without the appropriate subject title that accurately represents the information in the body of the email. The email needs to have an opt-out option, and the email must have the address of the institution in the email.
You need to understand the difference of a commercial-style email. Following the guidelines in the module will really help in identifying whether or not an email is of commercial nature.
I will ensure to have all my emails comply with the regulations, as well ensure there is an opt out section for someone to opt out.
Knowing about the opt-out option and the fact that your address must be clearly identifiable has changed the way I think about emailing students.
E-mail is an effective means to communicate so being familiar with the need for a physical postal address,opt-out option, 90 day requirement, etc. is valuable to know.
The 90 day opt out is an important piece of information
I believe the single most important item I learned about emailing students is making sure to remain compliant by including all the necessary elements that include: non-misleading heading and not deceptive subject lines, identify ads clearly, define where I am located, how a recipient can clearly opt out, and honoring these opt outs. In addition, when handling inquiries or referrals make sure to always include my name and what institution I am representing, the purpose of my email, and a brief description of the program and service I am offering.
The most important item I learned was the rule about having the opt-out statement at the end of all emails. I was aware and of and following the other guidelines but didn't have the actual statement contained in the email. As a practice we always remove anyone who replies and asks to be removed from mailings immediately.
The most important thing I learned was that an opt out option must be included in all email correspondence.
