Email Best Practices for Students: Protecting Your Personal Information

Overview

Email is a convenient way to communicate with the College, but it is not always the appropriate method for sharing sensitive information.

This article explains:

  • What is appropriate to send through standard email

  • What should never be sent through standard email

  • Why email is not fully secure

  • Secure alternatives for sending sensitive information

Protecting your personal information helps safeguard your identity and prevents delays in processing your requests.

Audience

Students

Question

What types of information can students safely send through standard email, and what information should always be sent using a secure method instead?

Answer

What Is Appropriate to Send via Email

Standard email is appropriate for general, non-sensitive communication such as:

  • General questions about services or processes

  • Appointment scheduling

  • Requests for basic information

  • Clarifying non-sensitive account issues

  • Follow-ups that do not include private documentation

If your message does not contain personal, medical, financial, or highly confidential information, standard email is typically acceptable.

What Should NOT Be Sent via Standard Email

Do not send the following through regular email:

  • Medical documentation

  • Disability records or accommodation documentation

  • Forms that contain your Social Security Number (SSN)

  • Documents containing financial information

  • Tax documents

  • Copies of government-issued identification

  • Any document containing health, financial, or highly personal data

For example, students requesting accommodations through Disability Services must upload documentation directly to their secure accommodation platform (such as Accommodate) rather than attaching documents to an email.

If you are unsure whether something is sensitive, assume it is and use a secure method instead.

Why Standard Email Is Not Secure

Standard email is not encrypted end-to-end by default. This means:

  • Messages may travel across multiple systems before reaching the recipient

  • Emails can be forwarded (intentionally or accidentally)

  • Emails can be sent to the wrong address

  • Copies of emails may be stored in multiple places

Even when emailing a College address, your message may not be fully protected in transit. Sending sensitive information via email increases the risk of identity theft, fraud, and privacy exposure.

Best practice: Only send sensitive information through approved secure platforms.

Secure Alternatives

1. Upload to Department Platforms (Preferred Method)
Many departments provide secure systems for document submission.

For example, Disability Services requires students to upload documentation directly to their secure accommodation platform rather than sending attachments through email.

Important: Not all departments have a defined secure document submission process. If the department you are working with does not provide a secure method, contact ITS Cybersecurity for assistance. They can help facilitate secure file transmission.

2. Use SecureMail for One-to-One Communication
The College provides an encrypted email option called SecureMail for situations where sensitive information must be shared directly with a specific individual (such as a counselor or advisor).

SecureMail:

  • Encrypts your message and protects sensitive content during transmission

  • Should only be used for one-to-one communication

  • Should not be used to send sensitive information to general departmental mailboxes (e.g., registration@cpcc.edu)

If a department does not provide a secure upload option, contact them or submit a ticket to ITS to arrange secure submission.

SecureMail can be accessed at securemail.cpcc.edu/encrypt. Additional guidance on using SecureMail is available in the articles linked below.

When in Doubt

Before sending documentation:

  • Ask yourself: Does this contain health, financial, government ID, or Social Security information?

  • Check the department’s website or instructions for a secure upload option

  • Contact the department to ask for their secure submission process

  • If no secure process exists, reach out to ITS Cybersecurity for assistance

Protecting your personal information protects you.

Further Reading

SecureMail: Sending and Receiving Encrypted Emails

Setting Up a SecureMail Account with an External Email Address

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Related Articles (2)

SecureMail: Sending and Receiving Encrypted Emails
SecureMail is Central Piedmont’s encrypted email service for securely sending and receiving sensitive information. This article explains what SecureMail is, when to use it, and how to access and read encrypted messages.
Setting Up a SecureMail Account with an External Email Address
External recipients must create a Proofpoint SecureMail account in order to open and respond to encrypted emails sent by Central Piedmont staff. This article explains how to create and activate your SecureMail account.