Columbia’s e-mail server, CubMail, is a valuable resource through which students, administrators, and faculty communicate. Columbia e-mails, however, have proven to be vulnerable to spam specifically targeting college students—a problem which, if not rectified, could erode CubMail’s utility. Columbia University Information Technology should investigate the source of unsolicited e-mails and ensure the privacy of Columbia e-mail addresses.
CubMail is a necessary component of daily life at Columbia and serves as the main e-mail service of student academic use. Yet outside establishments, such as Ivy Insiders and Collegeboxes, also take advantage of the server’s ubiquity on campus. Most CubMail users have received unsolicited messages from outside companies which are directed towards Columbia students. The presence of junk mail in many CubMail inboxes raises uncomfortable questions about the privacy of Columbia e-mails. Student groups can request to use CUIT’s mailing-list options or the Majordomo listserv, but administrators assure that they carefully guard school listservs. It is unclear how outside solicitors like Collegeboxes, Ivy Insiders, and Oral Cosmetology are gaining access to students' e-mails addresses. However, it is unlikely that companies are wading through individual directory listings to gather such a large number of addresses.
CUIT should work to ensure that its technology can protect students’ privacy by restricting external access to listservs. Because all students receive these e-mails, as opposed to only those who have been involved with the external companies, responsibility lies with the University rather than individual students. CUIT must determine how companies are gaining access to personal addresses and increase protection of e-mails. Determining the source will not only stop current companies from continuing to send unwanted mail, but also will prevent more dangerous scenarios, like phishing.
Students should feel that their e-mail accounts are safe in the hands of the University. Given that most students use CubMail for academic purposes, they must be sure that their online information is protected. CUIT should correct this faulty system if CubMail is to retain its status as a protected, valid portal for University communications.
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