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 CIT employee given authorisation to communicate via SMS with CIT students.

3. Principles

3.1 The use of the CIT 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 CIT staff will only send messages to CIT students where a student has given their mobile phone number to the CIT class teacher or to CIT 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 CIT for the purpose for which it was provided. That is, a student would expect to be contacted by CIT 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 CIT Chief Executive or delegate.

3.2 There are several levels of user access within the CIT 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 CIT Staff will usually use SMS as an additional communication channel rather than as a primary means of communication. CIT 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 CIT area agrees to incur the cost.

4. Documentation

Public Sector Management Act 1994

Information Privacy Act 2014

ACT Public Service Code of Conduct

Acceptable Use of ICT Resources Policy

5. Definitions

Terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definition of Terms.

6. Policy Contact Officer

Senior Director ICT Operations and Strategy.

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

7. Procedures

Nil.