The importance of using Dot Edu

Phil Vogel

Some Saddleback College students show no interest in using their Saddleback school email addresses, but a federal law that prevents the sharing of academic information may make the usage of the provided email address beneficial.

History professor Beverly Wirtz expresses concern about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and lists it as part of her syllabi. A Virginia Tech case in 2009 has documentation( according to the Public Interest Law Journal) of possible prevention of 32 people being shot and killed and 17 being wounded, if the law was put into practice.

During the time of the incident, faculty members failed to share critical information about the shooters violent tendencies because they did not adhere to FERPA’s emergency exception law of sharing information that’s allowed in certain cases.

(FERPA) is a federal law that protects student privacy which prohibits using any email address other than your dot edu Saddleback and Irvine Valley College email address, including information given to parents.

” If you send me an email from another account and don’t hear back from me, it’s not because I’m ignoring you, it’s because I am legally prohibited from doing so! I am also prohibited from leaving phone/voicemail messages,”states Wirtz.
Wirtz mentions that not all her colleagues adhere to the law as strictly as she does.

“I realize that not all Saddleback College faculty follow these guidelines and that you regularly receive mail from them at your non-campus email addresses, but as written, I WILL NOT respond to you via a non-Saddleback email address,” Wirtz said.

Many students at Saddleback are unaware of the aforementioned regulations.

“I have never heard of the FERPA laws. I usually use my personal account, and I’ve never had problems”, Anissa Medina, 19, Business major said. “I think It’s good protection, but I don’t really care who sees my academic records” continued Medina, after being informed of the FERPA act.

“I never understood the reason why, but one of my professors explained the dangers of using personal email, “said Emily Limebrook, 18, history, “I always use my Saddleback email, and I always get a response.”

Some students say they have always garnered responses using personal email, and intend not to change their habits.

“I always use my personal email, and always get a response, so I will continue to do so. The law sounds like a pain in the butt,” said Teddy Hung, 18, undecided.

Several students have found a way to tie in personal email, with the security of their Saddleback dot edu.

“My personal email is linked to my Saddleback College account. I like my privacy,” said Emily Limebrook, 18, History.

” I also have my emails linked, I don’t really care who sees my grades, but I understand why FERPA is necessary for the school” said David Villaescusa, 20, Undecided.

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