This tutorial will show you the difference between Course Messages and Email. Course Messages stay within a course, within Blackboard, while email is a send only tool from Blackboard to the GSU email.
Note: Though Instructors have the ability to hide or delete the Courses Messages tool within the course navigation menu, students will still be able to access from the Ultra Base Navigation menu. As of Fall 2023's Blackboard update, the Messages tool is not editable by users (Faculty nor Student) outside of courses and is therefore all or nothing. Though we have the ability to turn this tool off, we would have to turn off for all users. Since, we do have many faculty who use this tool to communicate with their students, we cannot turn this tool off at this time.
Open the Course Messages text tutorial or the Email text tutorial to learn more.