Online Exclusive

Students aren’t the only ones frustrated by the constant flow of spam cluttering UGAMail accounts.

University officials are just as annoyed as students are about the “internet harassment” when they receive messages claiming to hold the
mystical secrets behind genitalia growth or stock market success, said Tom Jackson, vice president of public affairs.

However, Georgia’s 2001 Open Records Act requires public agencies and offices, like the University, to provide companies and individuals with
files such as letters, photographs and directory information upon request, he said.

The University has three working days to comply with the request unless an outstanding, documented reason prevents the University from complying,
Jackson said.

Typical requests call for the e-mail, home and University addresses of students and University employees.

In past legislative terms, the University attempted to push legislation through Georgia’s legislature to prevent companies and individuals from sending spam to University students and employees via their University accounts.

The proposed legislation failed because state officials deemed it unlawful to determine the intent of an open records request prior to the divulgence of the solicited material, he said.

To minimize the amount of spam in inboxes, students and University employees have the option to remove themselves from the University’s
directories.

Under the “Student Records Main Menu” and the “Change Address” options on OASIS, students can choose to remove themselves from directory records.

Employees can make a request to the Office of Public Affairs to be removed from the employee directory, Jackson said.

However, few students and employees choose to remove themselves, he said.

“Removal from the directory list may cause unintended side effects,” said Ed Mirecki, assistant director of student programs. “Student-run programs use directory information to contact students about upcoming events at the
University.”

University officials are unable to confirm attendance, enrollment or graduation status to employers or other universities if students are not on directory lists.

Removal from directory lists would make it difficult for government-related agencies and other universities to contact University
employees.

“There is no middle road when it comes to directory information listing,” Jackson said. “Students and employees have to make a tough decision.”

However, some students wish there were some sort of middle ground.

“I don’t mind receiving information about clubs and activities,” said Deborah Choe, a freshman from Tucker. “However, I am extremely aggravated
when companies send unsolicited mail.”

Despite not being able to change Georgia’s law, the University’s Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS), continues to combat the amount of spam students receive in their inboxes.

“We know how annoying it is for students and employees to have their inboxes littered with junk mail,” officials from the EITS help desk said.
“While we cannot change the law, we can and have put more filters in UGAMail accounts to identify spam and place it in the junk mail folder.”

On Dec. 7 2006, EITS implemented MailHurdle, a new anti-spam software tool, as the next step in an ongoing comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing the amount of spam reaching UGAMail inboxes, Bert DeSimone announced in a Dec. 6 news release.

EITS plans to continue researching new ways to keep spam out of UGAMail accounts, the news release stated.