Messages from the eCommunications Team
Top Ten Tips
at The University of Iowa
1. Attend an ITS class.
- ITS offers classes on the Top Ten Tips *Email and more for E-mail at The University of Iowa, Introduction to Outlook E-mail, Introduction to Outlook Calendaring, Advanced Outlook E-mail and Advanced Outlook Calendaring. For the syllabus and current schedule go to: Class Schedule.
2. Use your University of Iowa standard e-mail address when sending professional correspondence. 
Don't be a goofus with your e-mail
- Everyone at The University of Iowa is provided with a standard University of Iowa e-mail address, most commonly in the form of firstname—lastname@uiowa.edu
- This address should be used for all professional correspondence and for university related publications.
- This address looks professional and rarely changes, even if you change e-mail accounts.
- This address allows you to select the spam level acceptable to you by using Anti-Spam Tool available on the Webmail and Outlook Web Access (OWA) login screens.
- Students should use this address when sending e-mail to their professors.
- Do not use your UI address or e-mail account for political or personal business (Operations Manual 19.4g).
- For more tips go to: Best Practices for E-mail at the UI
3. There are risks to using a non-University e-mail account for University-related correspondence. 
Use at your own risk!l
- Your return address may not be professional and may confuse or irritate your professors or colleagues.
- The University cannot guarantee delivery of required correspondence.
- Every student is required to register an e-mail address with the University of Iowa in order to remain enrolled. Official correspondence from the University may be sent to students by e-mail.
- All faculty, students and staff individuals are required to provide an accurate, current destination e-mail address for University-related academic and administrative transactions, unless exemption from so doing is allowable by law or business necessity.
- Students can update their routing address by logging onto ISIS and going to My UIowa -> My E-mail -> Update E—mail Routing Address.
- Faculty and staff can update their routing address by logging onto HR Self Service.
- For more tips go to: Best Practices for E-mail at the UI
4. You can protect your computer from viruses and spyware. 
Protect your computer from viruses
- Prevent viruses with anti-virus software. Symantec Anti-Virus is available from the ITS Software Download site for free to all students and most faculty and staff.
- Information about spyware protection is available from the ITS Help Desk at the Spyware Security Center.
- To fully protect your computer go to: Protect Your Computer !
5. What you publish on the web today may haunt you later. 
Don't be haunted by your web presense
- Employers are using sites like Facebook, Myspace, LiveJournal and Friendster to check on potential hires.
- Anyone can "google" your name or email address.
- Spammers can find e-mail addresses that are published on the Internet.
- Persons may find and use your personal information for unscrupulous purposes.
- There have been reports of identity theft as well as stalking and even sexual assaults - Crime Prevention News
- To avoid falling prey to predators or possibly damaging your career before it even starts go to: Web Best Practices
6. You can reduce the amount of spam you receive. 
Pound Out Spam!
- Say "no" to spam by using the Anti-Spam Tool available on the Webmail and Outlook Web Access (OWA) login screens.
- Students can limit the amount of bulk e-mail received from UI organizations by logging into ISIS and going to My UIowa > My Email > Email Account Filter.
- You can set filters or rules in your e-mail client.
- Do not publish your e-mail address on web sites because it can be harvested by spammers.
- For more tips go to: Best Practices for Dealing with Spam Electronic Mail
7. There are better ways than e-mail to save and share files. 
Better Ways Than E—mail
- Home Drive (H:) (faculty/staff), SAFE (students) and MyFiles allow users access to their personal network space from any Internet connection.
- Xythos is a web-based utility for saving and sharing files inside and outside of The University.
- MyWeb provides space for publishing individual, academic-related web sites.
- ICON Locker tool for saving personal or class related files.
- MyTeam enables project-oriented teams to create web sites for information sharing, document collaboration and team organization (faculty and staff only).
- UI Web Server for Research and Instruction, UI LAMP Server Pilot and Media Asset Management provide space for research and instruction.
- Iowa Courses Online (ICON) provides space for course websites.
- Students - For a comparison of services go to: Best Practices of Saving and Sharing Files Students
- Faculty/Staff - For a comparison of services go to: Best Practices for Saving and Sharing Files Faculty/Staff
8. Powerful e-mail clients are available to all faculty, staff and students for little or no cost.
- Eudora, Outlook and Entourage are available to all faculty, staff and students. Eudora is available for free from the ITS Software Download site and Outlook and Entourage are available from the IMU bookstore as part of the Microsoft Office suites.
- Each of these clients offer on-line and off-line access to e-mail and the ability to manage contacts, search the UI Directory and easily create e-mail lists.
- For more information to go: Best Practices for Selecting Your E-mail Client
9. Mobile devices are more than just MP3 players. 
Mobile Devices
- Mobile devices can provide access to your e-mail and calendar while you are away from your desk.
- For details go to: Help Desk Mobility Support Center.
10. E-Etiquette can make your e-mail more effective. 
Be Polite!
- Keep the subject line brief and relevant.
- When sending an attachment 1) attach it! 2) write the message 3) add the subject and 4) add the recipients.
- For more tips go to: Best Practices for E-Etiquette at The University of Iowa.
Electronic Communications Review *Email and more Home Page