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SDSU Navigate Communication Standards

SDSU Navigate is the university’s centralized advising, communication and student support platform. Its text and email tools are intended only for advising-related use that supports student success and academic progress. Using Navigate for outreach beyond this scope, such as general event advertising or non-advising announcements, threatens its effectiveness and may diminish student engagement.

Advising communications are understood as communications from a CCA or degree program advisor (including faculty advisors (including chairs & directors), tutors, and mentors) directly related to course registration and satisfactory academic progress towards completion of curricular degree requirements, including unenrolled or underenrolled students, students on academic notice, etc.

To ensure intentional and effective communication, all users of SDSU Navigate are expected to adhere to the standards and guidelines below.

A Note on Communication Fatigue

Students receive communications from many sources across campus. When messages are frequent, unclear, or unrelated to advising, students can become overwhelmed and tune out important information — a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “communication fatigue.” To respect students’ attention and improve the impact of advising outreach, please plan communications carefully and use SDSU Navigate only for messages that are relevant to advising and student success. According to EAB reasearch:

Statistics on how often students open emails

While some events may be advising-related, Navigate should only be used when the communication is clearly connected to advising engagement or student support and is targeted to the appropriate advising population. If an event is advertised through Navigate, only one message per event may be sent per day—please avoid sending multiple reminders, frequent updates, or informal last-minute messages.

To help reduce the likelihood that overcommunication leads to a reduced effectiveness of the SDSU Navigate communication tools, we ask that all SDSU Navigate users follow intentional communication plans and adhere to the following Communication Standards.  

NOTE: SDSU Navigate automatically sends appointment notifications to students at the time of scheduling and reminders via email (24 hours prior) and text (60 minutes prior).

 

Certain types of outreach through SDSU Navigate require pre-approval to ensure they align with advising purposes and student needs:

  • All campaigns (coordinated communications to groups of students) require approval from SDSU Navigate Campus Leadership, unless they are part of a mandated, campus-wide advising initiative (e.g., CCA outreach and curriculum, Unified Advising Calendar campaigns).
  • Mass communications (email or text) must serve a clearly advising-related purpose and require approval if they include students outside of a unit’s typical cohort or assigned advising caseload.

To submit an outreach approval request, use the “Request Outreach Approval” form on the SDSU Navigate home page.

Individuals authorized to send email or text messages through SDSU Navigate include:

  • Location administrators, supervisors, and coordinators involved in advising or student support
  • Faculty and professional staff advisors with an advising role
  • Student Affairs and Campus Diversity (SACD) academic coaches
  • Others with explicit approval and role permissions granted by a supervisor and SDSU Navigate Campus Leadership

All users must also comply with broader SDSU email and acceptable use policies.

All communications via SDSU Navigate text or email:

All Navigate Messages Must:

  • Adhere to SDSU policies governing acceptable use of computing and email resources.
  • Include a greeting, the acronym “SDSU,” and the name of the individual or office sending the message.
  • Provide accurate, time-sensitive, individualized, and action-oriented advising content.
  • Use clear language and limit abbreviations to avoid student confusion.
  • Be relevant and appropriate to advising or student support.

Messages Must Not:

  • Be used for non-advising related communication or general informational messaging.
  • Promote student or campus events unless the content is embedded in advising outreach and directly supports advising or student success.

Emails

Email is preferred for less time-sensitive, more detailed advising communications because it supports longer messaging and includes links and additional context. All SDSU Navigate emails are delivered to students’ official SDSU-issued email addresses per SDSU email policy.

Text Messages

Texting through Navigate may be used for brief, urgent, or clearly advising-related updates. Students may reply to texts, and replies will go to the sender’s email or the SDSU Navigate “Conversations” history. Students may also opt out of text communication. When an opt-out occurs or a text-capable number is not on file, texts may be redirected to the student’s SDSU email.

Examples of Allowed Communications

Examples of communications that align with SDSU Navigate standards include (but are not limited to):

  • Reminders about deadlines that require student action within a short timeframe (e.g., clear a hold, apply for graduation).
  • Personalized advising outreach to encourage students to schedule an appointment.
  • Confirmation that a student’s form or document has been received.
  • Directed links to resources essential to advising or academic progress. 

Monitoring and Compliance

SDSU Navigate communications are monitored to ensure compliance with these standards and with university policy. Users are expected to follow both the letter and the spirit of this policy to support a coherent and effective advising experience for students.