Using Blackboard to Send Email

The university's Blackboard system allows you to send emails to anyone (or everyone) in our Forum class. To use it:

1. Go to http://blackboard.syr.edu/. Note that there's no "www" at the beginning.
2. Log in using your SU NetID. If you're not sure what yours is, click on the "New Users" link at the left side of the main Blackboard page.
3. Once you're in, you'll see a list of some of your classes. Don't be alarmed if some classes are missing: you will probably only see the ones for which your instructor has specifically enabled Blackboard access.
4. Click on the link for First Year Forum. It will take you to a Blackboard page about the class.
5. After that, it's pretty obvious: click on "Communications" and then choose "Send E-mail". That will take you to a page where you can choose recipients for your message. Ignore the options related to groups, teaching assistants or observers: they don't apply to our class.
6. Be aware that messages sent to "all users" go to everyone, including me. Messages sent via "select users" go only to the recipients you choose; I won't see any of those emails unless you include me in the list of recipients.
7. For whatever it's worth, a good rule of thumb in life is never to put anything in an email that you wouldn't write on a postcard. You can never be sure that your recipient won't forward it to someone else.