Jacobs School Listserv Policy and Guidelines

Jacobs School listservs are electronic mailing lists that allow users to send messages to list subscribers. Listserv use is reserved for high-priority, time-sensitive communications that advance the mission of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and align with the dean’s strategic plan. Messages should serve a broad audience and reflect institutional purpose. The Office of Communications, in collaboration with the dean’s office, reserves the right to refrain from sending messages not deemed of sufficient interest for the Jacobs School community.

1. All listserv communications should have a clear and direct connection to the Jacobs School, its mission, and its faculty, staff, students or trainees.
2. Listserv communications should align with the strategic priorities of the Jacobs School, be of interest to a large audience, and have institutional significance.
3. Messages should relate to academics, research, clinical work, student life, or major institutional announcements or opportunities.
4. Messages must be professional, respectful, and aligned with institutional values. Content must not include offensive, disparaging, or inappropriate language. While complex or controversial topics may be shared, attacks or bullying are not permitted.
5. To avoid email fatigue and overload, most listserv messages should only be sent once.
6. Third-party, self-promotional, and other external marketing messages or advertisements are not permitted.
7. Effective July 1, 2025, emails sent via the listserv are subject to a university-approved disclaimer that message automatically appended to messages that views or opinions may not reflect the views of the Jacobs School or the State University of New York at Buffalo.
8. The Office of Communications, in consultation with the dean’s office, serves as the central coordination point for listserv communications and acts only as a facilitator, not a content owner, for distributed messages.

1. All listserv requests should be directed to the Office of Communications at smbs-webteam@buffalo.edu or submitted through the Communications Request form.
2. Submissions must include clear, concise content suitable for email distribution, a clearly identified target audience, and contact information for follow-up questions. Please reach out to smbs-webteam@buffalo.edu if you are unsure about the most appropriate listserv to request for your intended audience.
3. Supporting graphics or images provided in PDF or other formats must meet accessibility requirements (alt text provided, compatible with screen readers or other accessibility devices, etc.).
4. Requests should be submitted with at least 3 days’ notice to allow for proper review, editing for tone, relevance and style, and to clarify any elements with the requestor.
5. The Office of Communications reserves the right to decline, defer, or redirect messages not aligned with the policies listed above or that do not align with institutional priorities. 

1. Many Jacobs School-owned listservs are moderated, and messages are subject to review from list moderators before being released to the intended listserv.
2. Please allow up to 3 business days for messages to be reviewed. In most cases, messages will be reviewed the same day, although response times may vary outside of normal business hours.
3. List moderators reserve the right to reject, defer or redirect messages not deemed of sufficient interest to the intended listserv audience, or do not align with institutional purposes.
4. Requests submitted for posts to the Student Information Portal (SIP) are also subject to review and should be submitted with at least 3 days’ notice, although most messages will be posted the same day. Response times outside normal business hours may vary. Requests should be sent to smbs-webteam@buffalo.edu or submitted through the Communications Request form.