Body
Third-party vendor email usage and spam bypass guidelines
As the University continues to partner with third-party vendors for various services and functions, there will often be requests or requirements from the vendor to set up spam-bypass or allow list updates to ensure that messages are properly delivered to SJU recipients. In addition, there may at times be a request or requirement by the associated business unit that the third-party vendor be able to send emails from an sju.edu email address directly.
Generally speaking for any new vendor engagements, any questions or concerns around email configurations are handled during on-boarding as process of our Technology Acquisition and Adoption Policy. During this process it will also be determined whether the new system qualifies as being eligible to send emails on behalf of the sju.edu email domain. There are strict requirements to allow a third-party to send on behalf of our email domain, as it does potentially increase the risk for phishing or social engineering attacks by appearing to be coming from a legitimate source.
Updating existing email configurations with third-party vendors
There are also times where existing third-party partners may communicate with you about changes required with our existing email configuration (changes to their domain, IP, and allow lists, etc.). In these cases, please open a ticket here and a member of IT will assist with updating our existing email configuration to accommodate the vendor required changes.
Enforcement of email security for vendors sending emails on behalf of the sju.edu email domain
Important: Saint Joseph's University (as well as Google themselves) have begun to implement an email security and authentication protocol (known as DMARC). Any messages sent from unauthorised third-party vendors that are being sent from an sju.edu email address will be sent directly to spam. All of our existing third-party partners have already been brought into compliance and will NOT be sent to spam.
If you are attempting to use an unauthorized vendor or system, your message may end up being sent to spam or blocked outright. It is for this reason that it is critical to only use approved services for sending emails, and to follow the Technology Acquisition and Adoption Policy for on-boarding any new vendor or service.
Currently, the University employs Gmail for routine communications, Technolutions (Slate) for enrollment recruitment purposes and Encompass for internal, alumni and/or parent communications.
However, there may be certain scenarios where there may be an urgent or unexpected need to allow a system or vendor to send messages from an sju.edu email address, or otherwise bypass existing spam or allow list filters. In these cases, please submit a ticket here and a member of IT will assess the situation and assist if possible.
Additional Information and Resources:
As a reminder, the following communications vehicles are available to use to communicate information internally:
University Events
Submit your event to request that it be posted on the Saint Joseph's University Events Calendar. A calendar editor will review your event. Saint Joseph's University reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar, style, accuracy, and objectionable content.
All events should be submitted more than two business days before the event to ensure timely approval. Events will be approved within 72 hours of submission.
It is your responsibility to reserve the room(s) for your event and secure the necessary resources (e.g. technology) with the appropriate campus offices.
If you need to make a change or update your submission, please submit a ticket at sju.edu/UpdateEvent.
Announcements @ SJU
Your announcement can be submitted to Announcements @ SJU, a platform that allows members of the SJU community to easily share announcements while lightening email traffic.
A selection of these announcements – along with a lineup of the week’s events – will be shared through This Week @ SJU, a weekly digest sent to all employees and students every Monday at 8:30 a.m. All are encouraged to bookmark Announcements @ SJU and check back often for updates.
If you have urgent information to share with the University community, please contact the SJU News team with the details.
University Newsletters
The Office of Marketing and Communications writes and edits multiple newsletters for various audiences within the University community: Faculty and staff, students, parents, alumni and friends. The University newsletters are distributed to a large audience on a regular cadence, which boosts readership.
- This Week @ SJU: Distributed most Mondays during the academic year to students and throughout the entire year for employees.
- Hawk Headlines: A monthly editorial newsletter sent to employees, parents, students and alumni that highlights media hits, news stories and highlights from our campus community. This newsletter deploys on the first Wednesday of every month.
Have news you feel is worth sharing with the SJU community? Submit news to the SJU News team.
Digital Signage
Digital signage messaging can be tailored to any of the SJU community’s unique settings. It can be used to deliver targeted messages and media to specific campus locations, or broadcast the same display campus-wide. It can also display greetings, instructions and updated scheduling throughout the day.
For more information and to submit your digital signage, please visit sju.edu/DigitalSignage.
Google Mail Merge
SJU supports the usage of Google Mail Merge for internally-targeted adhoc email campaigns. This will allow for informational email messages to be sent to a targeted/curated email list, which will bypass any spam restrictions, and ensure that your message is delivered properly.
More information on how to utilize Google Mail Merge, as well as guidelines on appropriate usage can be found here.