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Zach Klein/Old Gold and Black

E-mail: for your eyes only?
By Phil Glynn
Perspectives Editor

Many students may just think University Police exists to manage parties, cut parking tickets and provide event security.

The truth is that the men and women who patrol this campus are a well-funded, well-trained group of officials whose authority is recognized outside the university as much as inside it.

The department has a number of investigative techniques at its disposal.

University Police practices traditional investigative procedures, but also takes advantage of some aspects of campus life to further those investigations.

In many situations, University Police Officials can read e-mails sent to and from university accounts, sometimes without any clearance from a higher court.

UP can also track student movement by the use of the Deacon OneCard. Police Chief Regina Lawson said none of this should come as a surprise to students.

For starters, the tracking of Deacon OneCards is clearly outlined in the card brochure.

And as for the e-mails, she said, as long as its from a university account it is not secure.

"Any electronic transmission is public information," she said. "Students, faculty and staff need to know that."

Editor’s note: this is the first installment of a four-week series exploring student’s rights on campus. See Perspectives on Page A10 for a more in-depth look.