Re: [MSUNAG] Outgoing employee's email...
I’m not saying we should restrict personal devices or personal use; I’m just pointing out that an expectation of privacy with employer equipment is at best misguided. With the mechanic’s tools example I would not expect to own a personal tool; at the same time, I would expect to own the product of those tools when they were used to accomplish a work task. The same with the university phone stipend — personal calls on a personal phone are none of my concern, but I would indeed be expected to subpoena you in any kind of legal proceeding.
I think the general point we’ve all been making is that our email at work can’t always be considered private, even with personal messages sent over it — and that allowing former employees to take it with them completely unrestricted may not be a great idea.
Oh, and since I am at UR — our YouTube channel is operated under an agreement with Google which respects the University’s privacy and intellectual property rights. (We have an agreement as a campus for Google services — this is why Google Docs accounts using MSU email addresses got wonky a few months back.) In addition, information that would be covered under the AUP isn’t released to YouTube and as such can be disclosed in many other ways as well — before YouTube, those videos were typically hosted directly on the server responsible for news.msu.edu.
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Jack Kramer
Computer Systems Specialist
University Relations, Michigan State University
w: 517-884-1231 / c: 248-635-4955
> From: Alexander Hawley <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: "[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:10:19 -0400
> To: "[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Outgoing employee's email...
>
>> email account isn’t purchased by the user, it’s provided to the user as a
>> tool by the employer. If I handed you a drill while you were working for me
>> on a construction site
>
> apples oranges.
>
> Some mechanics need their own tools.
>
> The univ pays part of my mobile bill, so I can be on call. It's my phone,
> though. They can subpeona me.
>
> The larger point. Talent is going to follow the best employers. If you start
> cracking down, your only going to retain those who can't leave. No personal
> devices, no headphones, no music, no beverage, no internet, no desk frames.
> Your in competition with other employers. The best employees will find better
> environs.
>
> Granted. Balancing all the law, policy, market, personal issues is extremely
> complicated.
>
>
> -AH
