Google, Microsoft bring IU e-mail

IU announced Tuesday that it has partnered with Google and Microsoft to provide students with commercial e-mail accounts using their IU addresses.\nGoogle and Microsoft offer their e-mail programs to many schools across the country, including kindergarten through grade 12, but IU is only one of two schools that will use both programs in its e-mailing system.\n“We began a selection process of what was right for IU,” said Dennis Cromwell, IU’s associate vice president for enterprise infrastructure. “We realized we could provide the best vendor for students if we provide both.”\nCurrent students will have the choice between a Google, a Microsoft or an IU Webmail account. As new students come in, the Webmail program will no longer be offered. The incoming freshman class of 2012 will still have the Webmail option because many have already set up those accounts. \n“A lot of students are already using these accounts at home,” said Jim Morgan, director of educational technology of the IU School of Medicine. “It’s now going to be part of the IU system.”\nThe two companies are offering their services to IU for free. Not only will IU save money by not having to control Webmail, they will also save money through these two programs. It costs IU about $700,000 a year to run Webmail, Cromwell said, so now the money will be reallocated as needed.\nDuring the summer, a committee of students and faculty was formed to evaluate the two programs and pick the one it liked best. Each company was asked a set of questions, and the committee analyzed their responses and ranked them. They also conducted a web conference and each committee member received a two-week trial of each program. \n“It was very hard for the committee to decide between the two,” Morgan said. “A lot of students liked GMail, but Microsoft is easy to put into the system. So we thought, why not both?”\nEach system provides more storage than Webmail. A Google account can provide 6 gigabytes and Microsoft can provide 5 gigabytes of storage. \n“A big advantage for students is disk space,” Morgan said. “You can e-mail short videos and not worry about running out of disk space. It’s hard for Webmail to keep up with commercial products.”\nThe accounts will be a little different than the normal public accounts. The IU logo will be placed on the e-mail pages, and many features will be available to students. Both programs provide other features besides e-mail, including instant messaging and document and spreadsheet applications.\n“The student focus was to evaluate e-mail from a student perspective,” said senior Scott Albin, a student on the summer committee. “On the student side, there was a preference for Google. I have a GMail account, and it would be easier for a student to switch to GMail because they are used to it.”\nOnce students graduate, they will still be able to continue their accounts and keep their IU address if they choose to do so, Cromwell said. \nIU is also working to establish a more efficient way to transfer from Oncourse to students’ e-mail accounts. Cromwell said administrators hope to find a way for students to log onto Oncourse and go directly to their e-mail account without worrying about logging in again. \nCromwell said information will be sent out around spring break with updates on how students can switch accounts.