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SMS Messaging Policy

1. Purpose

Short Message Service (SMS) is an additional communication tool which can be used to inform students of important or critical information. The purpose of this policy is to provide staff policy guidance for communicating with students by sending bulk text messages, utilising SMS messaging to mobile phones.


2. Scope

This policy relates to any ɬÀï·¬employee given authorisation to communicate via SMS with ɬÀï·¬students.


3. Principles

3.1 The use of the ɬÀï·¬SMS system is limited to use that is in accordance with the ACT Government Acceptable Use of ICT Resources policy. The policy principles are:

  1. Authorised ɬÀï·¬staff will only send messages to ɬÀï·¬students where a student has given their mobile phone number to the ɬÀï·¬class teacher or to ɬÀï·¬at the time of enrolment, for the purposes of official communication;
  2. As per the Information Privacy Act 2014, a student’s mobile number is to be used by ɬÀï·¬for the purpose for which it was provided. That is, a student would expect to be contacted by ɬÀï·¬via SMS if the message was directly related to their study at CIT, (e.g. "Your Thursday 3:30pm class CRN 62341 has been postponed");
  3. Under no circumstances will staff send advertising materials via SMS without the authorisation of the ɬÀï·¬Chief Executive or delegate.

3.2 There are several levels of user access within the ɬÀï·¬SMS system. Staff will be assigned a user account with the appropriate level of access restricting the number of student mobile numbers to which an SMS message can be sent.

3.3 ɬÀï·¬Staff will usually use SMS as an additional communication channel rather than as a primary means of communication. ɬÀï·¬Staff will not make key decisions affecting students solely based on the assumption that students have been sent an SMS message.

3.4 The costs of SMS messaging will be borne by the Department of the SMS author unless another ɬÀï·¬area agrees to incur the cost.


4. Documentation


5. Definitions

Terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the ɬÀï·¬Definition of Terms.


6. Policy Contact Officer

Senior Director ICT Operations and Strategy.

Contact ɬÀï·¬Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.


7. Procedures

Nil.