Zotmail Policy

School of Humanities Zotmail Policy

Updated: 5 April 2023
This Zotmail policy is intended to help guide departments and centers in determining the best format and audience for Zotmails. Recognizing the important function Zotmails play on campus, these policies are designed to support targeted outreach to specific communities across the UCI community. The Communications team is here to help support you in this outreach; should you want to discuss your message and/or intended audience with the team, please schedule a consultation with Erica Winter at erica.winter@uci.edu.

UCI’s ZotMail Use Guidelines

1. General
Senders should target specific audiences by using the most directly related mailing list. This helps avoid unnecessary network traffic and unwanted messages. Each ZotMail message should be also created with accessibility best practices to ensure equal access by all communities.

2. Announcing Campus Activities and Events
  • The preferred vehicle for announcing activities and events is CampusGroups.
  • If ZotMail is used to announce an activity or event, the message must be sent outside of the regular work day (send after 6:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m.).
  • Sending duplicate or reminder messages is not allowed unless the second message is to correct information contained in the first message.
  • Sending reminder messages is prohibited.
  • Messages sent on behalf of registered student organizations must have written approval from the Vice Chancellor-Student Affairs.
3. Content Restrictions

Electronic messages must adhere to all University policies. No materials delivered through the ZotMail system shall:
  • advocate an individual's or organization's political or religious position;
  • imply University or campus endorsement, support, or opposition to a political, religious, or civic issue, or any non-University products, service, organization, or activity that has not been appropriately authorized by the Chancellor or designee (a copy of the authorization shall be sent to the ZotMail Communications Coordinator); or
  • be of a commercial nature that solicits, or would provide, personal and/or financial profit to a University employee or to a profit-making organization.
School of Humanities Specific Zotmail Policies

1. Format for all Zotmails
  • Must be HTML
  • No flyers embedded in the HTML. Only images and text.
  • No QR codes. Only links or linked words and images.
  • All images must have alt text.
2. Determining your target audience
  • Listed below are the potential audiences that you can select to receive your Zotmail. When you send your Zotmail in, please identify which of these audiences should be included. Please keep in mind the overall policy guidelines.
  • Please note there are other ways to reach audiences other than through Zotmail.
    • For affinity groups, for example, we recommend reaching out to individual staff on campus to ask for their support in sharing this information.


3. Please allow the communications team at least 2 weeks to proof and get a draft back to you prior to the date you’d like the Zotmail sent. This will provide ample time to ensure the adherence to all policy guidelines and allow our team to schedule Zotmails from across the school in a way that doesn’t inundate our audiences.

4. Zotmails can be sent M-F after 6pm, but we strongly urge that Zotmails are NOT sent out on Friday’s.

5. Please note that if you are looking to send out a Zotmail for an event, we already email audiences the weekly events digest every Friday. We promise: If your event is listed on the events page, it will be shared in this digest.
  • If there is an important event where you need a higher attendance rate, please send us a draft and we will give you insight on how to move forward.
  • If this is an extremely high profile event we will entertain a campuswide Zotmail. But please be prepared to justify why the entire campus of 33,000+ individuals should receive it. 
  • We also suggest that you update your events listing page on your department’s website to direct viewers to upcoming events.