The University of Southern Mississippi has more than 12,000 e-mails per day pass through our technology system. iTech, the university's technology support division, does not monitor e-mails. The e-mails monitored for the hearing were done so in accordance with university policy and state law. The monitoring was limited in its scope and time. No monitoring is occurring at this time. We encourage faculty, staff and students to review the university's information technology use and security policy, which can be accessed at http://www.usm.edu/infosec/policy.
While the monitoring of emails may not be right, it is my understanding that it is legal that an employer may do this to an employee. I don't know how students stand in this. . . . Any lawyers out there?
I am not sure what the laws are as they relate to students...but if my name comes up in an open hearing and my e-mails are read to everyone, I will contact a lawyer and file a suit!
So what was the scope and what was the time? The Hattiesburg American has filed a public records request for just that information. I'm guessing it was limited to everyone they were interested in for as long as they were interested.