skip to main content
Caltech
Information Management Systems and Services
IMSS  /  Services  /  Email, Calendar & Messaging  /  Email Features  /  Updates to Forwarding and Retiree Accounts

Updates to Email Forwarding and Retiree Accounts

Effective June 2025, the Institute policy regarding email forwarding and retiree accounts has been updated as follows:

  • Email Forwarding - The Caltech Cybersecurity Committee, in collaboration with the Institute Computing Advisory Committee (ICAC) and the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), is developing a new campus-wide email forwarding policy. To align with legal and regulatory compliance requirements, the previous email forwarding option will be revised accordingly. In the meantime, only faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars, and academic visitors may continue to request email forwarding, subject to approval.
  • Retiree Accounts are no longer being offered. Accounts will follow the standard termination procedure.

Risks Associated with Email Forwarding

  • Data Dispersal: Forwarded emails may be stored in external or personal accounts, complicating data retrieval and preservation.
  • Loss of Control: Forwarded content may not adhere to Caltech's retention and security policies.
  • Incomplete Records: Metadata and attachments may be lost, impacting eDiscovery and legal holds.
  • Increased Data Leakage Risk: Forwarding to external accounts increases the likelihood of unauthorized data exposure.
  • Lost Email - To fight spam, service providers (e.g. Gmail, Yahoo, Apple) have tightened restrictions on sending and receiving email. This may result in email being tagged as spam or outright rejected. Caltech cannot guarantee 100% delivery nor determine what happened to an undelivered message after it leaves our email servers.