Eastern Michigan University sent a mass email dismissing to the entire student body and an unknown number of recent EMU graduates. Julie Baker at AnnArbor.com reports that the message dismissed the students from the university and canceled all further enrollment. The article says the mass email was sent from the email of Associate Director of Academic Advising Molly D. Weir. EMU says it is investigating how it happened. The dismissal message said in part;
“As a result of your Winter 2012 academic performance, you have been dismissed from Eastern Michigan University … you will be ineligible to register for classes … you will not be eligible to resume coursework at EMU until Summer 2013 at the earliest.
Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin emailed a statement addressed to students, faculty and staff read: “I deeply apologize for the incorrect email many of our students received this evening indicating they were dismissed from the University. This message was a terrible mistake and I regret the undue alarm and concern it caused.”
Vice President of Communications Walter Kraft denied any claims that this event was the result of a breach of security or a hack. EMU is pointing the finger at a contractor. Mr. Kraft said; “An outside company that we contract with for this notification process, GradesFirst, sent the dismissal message to the entire student body instead of the file of 100 or so students who were supposed to receive it,” he said. “GradesFirst has offered an apology for its role in this matter.”
VP Kraft added EMU will continue to investigate to find exactly what went wrong and take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it never happens again according to AnnArbor.com.
rb-
We are not amused
Why are they outsourcing their communications with their customers? Goes to show that if you let others control your message, they will screw it up.
Didn’t Longfellow say “If you want something done right; do it for yourself?”
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.