Vanessa Arriola
The topic of e-mail etiquette was discussed at a Nov. 19 Pierce College Academic Senate meeting. With the many topics discussed at the meeting, student e-mail addresses was amongst the most talked about by the teachers on the Senate. Gail Hobbs, an anthropology and geography instructor, said Pierce should provide students e-mail addresses if not require them to crate a policy requiring students to have professional-sounding e-mail addresses. “If we can’t provide it, let them know,” said Hobbs. This comes up on the heels that many other campuses provide students with an e-mail address. These e-mails are basically the student’s name followed by the campus they attend. Richard Skidmore, an English teacher, said that between 2002 and 2003 Pierce did have a student e-mail server but was disposed by the budget committee. “They decided we didn’t need it,” Skidmore said. Tessa Moss, president of the Associated Students Organization, said she definitely agreed with the teachers. “We don’t understand that this is important,” Moss said. Hobbs mentioned that with non-professional e-mails, teachers don’t know whether it is from a student or not. Many times these e-mails are sent to the spam box because they aren’t recognized. The fact that students have these cute and cool e-mail addresses isn’t the only thing irritating teachers. Poor grammar and ill written e-mails, such as writing in all lowercase letters or without punctuation, are getting to them. “It takes away credibility,” said Hobbs. Hobbs wasn’t only making reference to e-mails being sent by students but also to those being sent around campus through other offices with grammar mistakes. Whether Pierce decides to offer e-mail adresses to students or not, be professional and get a professional e-mail.