About RamMail

Colorado State University uses email for official University communications. This decision was not adopted lightly. Efficient and effective communications are fundamental to facilitate University business and help to build a sense of community. This is especially so in a place as large and complex as Colorado State. We have observed that email communications are more efficient and timely, and overall are more effective than "paper" communications. In addition, email communications of this type are the next logical step in offering additional electronic services at Colorado State. Thus, the decision to use email for official University communications was deemed in the overall best interests of the University.

The implementation of this mail system has been designed to achieve the best overall balance between too little communication and too much communication. Indeed, ONLY authorized University personnel can send email using these services. Messages are sent only to registered students who have an existing relationship with Colorado State University.

RamMail employs two services, RamFYI and RamSelect. Each service is designed to efficiently get the message out to the appropriate group of students.

The first service, RamFYI, is used by University personnel to get general information out to all students. RamFYI sends one email message per day to each undergraduate and graduate student. Instead of receiving many messages throughout the day, a student receives a single message containing a synopsis of all individual messages for that day. The individual messages may be accessed via clickable links to the complete messages. A similar system has been in place for about a year for faculty and staff, who appreciate it very much.

The second service, RamSelect, allows only University personnel to send messages to selected groups of students, such as business majors or graduating seniors. For example, an instructor could email class members that they would not be meeting the next day, or departments could inform their majors of upcoming speakers or events. This service is intended to ensure that students do not receive messages about subjects of no interest to them.

These messages DO NOT meet the definition of "unsolicited bulk electronic mail" as defined by the E-mail User Protection Act of 1999. Since these messages contain official University business and are considered the same as sending a letter to a student's postal address, there is no provision to "opt out" of RamMail.

Note that Colorado State University does NOT provide postal or email addresses to third parties. However, third-party businesses can use the University's printed or web-based directories to develop their own mailing lists. Unfortunately, the University has no control over the actions of third parties. In accordance with the Family Education and Privacy Act (FERPA), you may exclude your email address from the University's directories (both printed and electronic) by visiting the Colorado State University eID website. Go to http://eid.colostate.edu/ and select the link "Modify Information Related to my eID." However, this will only remove you from the Universities' directories; you will still continue to receive official University communications via email.

In addition, if you want University communications sent to an email address other than the one you originally provided in your eID, you can use the eID web pages to effect such a change. Go to http://eid.colostate.edu/ and select the link "Modify Information Related to my eID."

Colorado State University will continue to reassess and adjust the implementation of this mail system to be in the best overall interests of all at Colorado State University.

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