Digest Emails

The University of Alberta compiles and sends weekly email digests to all students and employees. Digest emails include information, events and opportunities from across the institution and are distributed beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays.

Digest emails are sent to recipient’s U of A email addresses based on their current affiliation with the institution. Recipients cannot opt-out of receiving digest emails, however they can manage the kind of information they receive.

Messages within digest emails are organized by category and recipients can choose which of these categories they would like to receive. Recipients can visit the Digest Category Subscription to choose their categories. Recipients can also visit the Digest Archive to view an archive of email digests they currently receive.

The email digests are a means of conducting and administering the business of the university. Messages in digests must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Messages support learning, teaching, research and administration.
  • Messages promote a U of A program, event, initiative or service. They do not promote personal initiatives or non-U of A events that may have U of A students, faculty or staff participating.
  • Messages that mention costs (i.e., ticket sales) are related to a U of A event or program.
  • All student group events and activities are approved by the Office of the Dean of Students. This approval occurs at the planning stage of the event and prior to any advertising or announcement of the event. All student group events must be registered in Bear’s Den in order to be included in the Digest.
  • Due to the volume of requests, individual for-credit courses are not included, but more general notices (e.g., Spring/Summer Studies or Study Abroad) are encouraged.
  • Professional development opportunities are internal to or in partnership with the university.
  • Calls for research/survey participants include a statement that the study or research has been approved from the Research Ethics Board along with an identification number.
  • Job postings of any type (internal or external) are not included in any digest unless hiring relates to an institutional priority or partnership.
  • Messages comply with the University of Alberta Information Technology Use and Management Policy and the Official Email List Procedure.

Submitting messages to email digests

The digests are helpful tools to communicate with internal audiences at the U of A. All members of the university, with an active CCID, can submit information, events and opportunities to be included in email digests.

Consider submitting a message to a digest when:

  • The content is relevant and applicable to the majority of the audience you would like to reach
  • The content is timely and actionable
  • The content meets the guidelines listed above

Frequency for submitting messages

  • Events/Seminars/Lectures: To ensure digests are as concise as possible, the deadline of a call or date for an event must occur within 30 days of the digest being sent. Save-the-dates and advanced event announcements may be submitted once per month prior to the 30 day mark.
  • Ongoing opportunities: Due to the high volume of submissions the digest receives, ongoing opportunities may be promoted monthly or biweekly, depending on the nature of the opportunity and timeline of its occurrence. For example, for a message promoting something that exists year round (i.e., a service, library exhibition, call for club members), may be submitted once per month. Opportunities occurring between two months to a year, may be submitted every two weeks.

Messages are moderated by the Internal Communications team in External Relations. All posts are subject to final approval by External Relations. For general inquiries about the digests, contact digest@ualberta.ca.

Visit the Digest Submission guidance to learn more and submit a message.