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Harvard Was Shocked and Appalled that Emails Weren’t Private: Now Comes the Aftershock

Byuclafaculty

In an earlier post, we noted a brouhaha at Harvard in which a dean authorized a search of other deans’ emails to determine if any of them had leaked some information about a cheating scandal. Faculty at Harvard were shocked and appalled that such a search could occur. We noted that at public universities, emails you may think of as private really aren’t.  Apparently even at private institutions, the same cautionary note applies, although for other reasons.

Even if you use a private email account such as gmail to send messages to recipients at UCLA or any public university, the messages become part of the public record.  Our earlier post on the Harvard affair is at http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2013/03/harvard-is-shocked-and-appalled-that.html

Why mention this episode again? Inside Higher Ed today carries a note that the administrator who authorized the search is stepping down and returning to teaching, an event some see as related to the search.  See http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/05/29/harvard-deans-departure-spurs-talk-e-mail-dispute.

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Follow Up: Harvard B-School Says It is Improving Itself

Byuclafaculty

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Another of our periodic email cautionary notes

Byuclafaculty

From time to time, we have provided reminders about email problems.  One problem – which we have noted – is that at a public university, your emails may be subject to public documents requests. Another problem is that hackers may try to get into your email account through “phishing,” probably to use it to send out scam messages to your contacts.  Such an event seems to have occurred at UC-Davis: Hackers compromised the email accounts of three UC Davis doctors last month, potentially gaining access to personal or medical information on as many as 1,800 patients, the university announced Monday… …

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Ahead of the Curve

Byuclafaculty

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Someone may want to see what you are doing

Byuclafaculty

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Unsolicited Advice for All UCLA and UC Faculty

Byuclafaculty

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Scary Thoughts for Halloween

Byuclafaculty

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