Using Email - Quick Overview

Highlights for Researchers

All official research, education, and business electronic correspondence must use your official TTU email address (@ttu.edu)
You may transmit confidential information from one TTU email address to another, providing both parties are authorized and have a legitimate research, education, or business purpose.
You may not send or attach confidential or sensitive information to a non-TTU email address.
Transfer confidential information to an external authorized party with a legitimate interest using our Large File Transfer Service.
Student email address is not FERPA Directory Information at Texas Tech; email addresses are a protected component of the student educational record.
Mass research recruitment to TTU faculty, staff, and students is not permitted at Texas Tech University. With IRB approval, researchers may post to the campus announcement system (TechAnnounce - see service information below) or create a Lyris Mailing List.

Further Guidelines and Information

Please note in all email use for research purposes, the researcher must have IRB approval, and must adhere to TTU Operating Policy 52.01, section 3:

Per Texas statutes, TTU information resources* are strategic assets of the State of Texas that must be managed as valuable state resources.†
1. Use of functional mailboxes is required when provisioning services such as subscriptions, departmental social media accounts, etc. to ensure the strategic management and continuation of the service for the university in the event of personnel changes. Non-TTU email addresses are not allowed for use when conducting university business.
2. Use of TTU information resources is subject to university OPs and other applicable laws. Unauthorized use is prohibited, usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring, misuse is subject to criminal prosecution, and users have no expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.‡

Emailing Prospects and Participants: TechAnnounce

Many entities on campus have a business need to communicate with large groups. Mass communications to internal constituents, by policy, should be sent via TechAnnounce. Sending mass emails from TTU email addresses to recipients outside the university can be perceived as "spam", i.e. unexpected and/or unwanted email. This could cause TTU to be placed on a "blacklist" and blocked by external email systems such as Yahoo, Gmail, and Outlook.com mail. One instance of a mass emailing from a TTU mail account can cause an inconvenience that impacts the entire university. For further assistance with options for mass communications methods, please contact IT Help Central at (806) 742-4357 (HELP) or ithelpcentral@ttu.edu.

Traveling with Email

When traveling, you may need to access TechMail. The TTU IT Division recommends the following steps to help ensure smooth TechMail access while you are away from your office:

Before leaving, check your email client settings, and verify that you can connect to your email from an off-campus location (instructions available online);
Familiarize yourself with Outlook On the Web.
In the event that you cannot connect with your email client, Outlook On the Web is a viable alternative for accessing your TechMail account through a current web browser;
If your eRaider password is set to expire, consider changing it prior to your trip. You can check the status of your eRaider password online at https://eraider.ttu.edu;
Before leaving, verify that your wired and/or wireless connections are fully functional on the device you plan to take with you. If you plan to use a mobile broadband card, verify that you can connect before your trip; and
Have a second device as a back-up, if feasible. Following these steps can significantly improve your TechMail experience when traveling

Common Email Scams

Internet criminals continue to find email to be an affordable and easy means of deceiving consumers and profiting from those email scams. As long as people continue to respond and provide information, the scams will continue to increase.

Examples of common email scams:

Requests for donations to charitable organizations - These scams appear during a current national or international crisis. The message may request that you donate online, by providing your personal banking information or credit card information
Requests for financial information - These appear to be from a reputable bank, mortgage brokerage, or financial consulting firm. The message will request your personal banking information for the use of verifying your account or confirming a transaction
Promises of financial gain - Claims such as "Make money in your spare time," "Earn thousands per week!" or "Guaranteed income" are almost always sure signs of a scam. The sender usually requests that you make a small investment with your credit card in order to "earn your fortune"
High pressure tactics - For example, "Sign up now or the price will increase." Again, a legitimate deal with such a restricted time line will probably not be conducted over email
Prize notifications - Countless scams require that you pay a small fee to claim your prize. The fee is often allegedly for transaction costs, shipping, handling, or pre-award taxes
"FREE" goods, services, and opportunities - Offering free items is used to lure you into additional purchases, such as other products and fees associated with the "free" items
Internet auctions that require pre-payment - In a world comfortable with online stock trading and eBay purchasing, illegitimate Internet auctions have become a popular venue for criminals
Requests to be added to your "friends" list - Criminals pose as new contacts on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social media sites by requesting that they be added to your "friends" list

Clues to help you recognize a phishing scam

Requests for your username and/or password – credible institutions and organizations will not request personal information via email
Time sensitive threats (e.g., your account will be closed if you do not respond immediately)
Spelling and grammar mistakes
Vague or missing information in the "from" field or email signature
"To" field contains multiple random email addresses or is alphabetized
Impersonal or awkward greetings, such as "Dear Mr. account holder"
Unexpected files or downloads
Links that don't refer to the sender or sender's organization
Emails about accounts that you don't have, such as Amazon or PayPal, or banks that you don't have accounts with
Emails "from" celebrities
Asks you to reply in order to "opt out" of a service or
Plays on human emotions to evoke sympathy, kindness, fear, worry, anxiety, or excitement.