Email: Guidelines, Templates and Samples

Resources for IS&T Staff

Email Signature Blocks

Email has become integral to and engrained in our daily work and we use it to communicate for various issues and to many different audiences. To that end, it is important that our communications via email are clear and concise. For many client communications, an important component of clarity is for us to identify ourselves and our organization.

In IS&T the following criteria and guidelines have been identified for use of email signature blocks (when unsure, use the signature blocks):

Staff SHOULD use email signature blocks:

• On ALL email messages to clients in the community regarding IS&T services (example: new software releases, upgrades, etc.)
• On ALL email messages going to the community, vendors, other Universities or external entities on behalf of IS&T (example: informative email to AAC-AOQUERY, IT-Partners, Apple, IBM, Stanford, CSG, Educause, other associations, etc.)
• On initial correspondence with project teams, client interactions, etc.

Email signature blocks are OPTIONAL:

• On email exchanges among IS&T colleagues
• On repeat or multiple interactions with project teams, client interactions, etc.

Below are acceptable sample email signature blocks (these will be posted to a communications web site in the near future). You can also create your own, provided that it includes your name, the functional area in which you work (Client Support Services, Administrative Computing, etc), the Information Services and Technology (IS&T) department name and at least one piece of contact information (phone, email address).

Sample #1 (preferred as it aligns well no matter which email client is used)
Diana D. Hughes
Communications Administrator - Administrative Computing
Information Services and Technology (IS&T)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room W92-210
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-3460
dhughes@mit.edu

Sample #2
Angie Milonas
Senior Financial Officer and IS&T Financial Services Team Leader

Information Services and Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room 10-256
77 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 253-0773 - Tel
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 (617) 253-0750 - Fax

http://web.mit.edu/ist

Sample #3 (minimum acceptable signature)
Jag Patel
Operations and Infrastructure Services
Information Services and Technology
jag@mit.edu

This effort in conjunction with many other activities, including the new IS&T logo, are all part of an overarching effort to enhance communications for IS&T, both internally and externally. These email signature blocks will help your clients understand who you are and what you are representing -- showing that IS&T stands behind the information and the services provided in these communications.

If you have questions about any of the information, please contact ist-comm@mit.edu.

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