Policy Number: I-55
Last Reviewed: December 10, 2020
Responsible Dept.: Vice President of Academic & Workforce Solutions; Vice President of Financial & Administrative Services; Vice President of Student Affairs
A signed copy of this policy is available in the President’s Office.
The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) has established e-mail as a primary vehicle for official communication with students. An official VCCS e-mail address has been established and assigned by the VCCS and Virginia Western for each registered student, and current faculty and staff member.
When communicating legally required information, personal identifiable information, grades, or any FERPA-protected information, faculty and staff must use Virginia Western email and VCCS student email or other VCCS authenticated method.
Virginia Western expects that students will receive and read e-mail in a timely manner. Students are expected to maintain their accounts and check their e-mail periodically so that new mail will be properly received and read. A student’s failure to receive and read official college communications delivered to his or her VCCS e-mail address in a timely manner does not absolve that student from knowing and complying with the content of such communications.
While students are allowed to redirect e-mail from their official VCCS e-mail address to another address (e.g. @hotmail.com, @aol.com), they do so at their own risk. The VCCS is not responsible for the handling of e-mail by other service providers. Having e-mail redirected does not absolve students from knowing and complying with the content of the communication sent to their official VCCS e-mail address.
