Illustration by Max Roberts/The Minaret
TAMPA – Starting March 31, University of Tampa students are being asked to complete their profile for the installation of the new campus e-mail system.
By the end of the spring semester on May 15, e-mails addressed to the old account will be forwarded to the new one. Students are urged to alert friends and family about the imminent transition.
Old e-mail accounts will be discontinued completely by the July 1.
Although a school-wide alert of the impending changeover was sent out not long ago, many students remain ignorant of the changeover and its specific ramifications.
“What new e-mail account?” said UT junior Rachel Palfy when asked of her thoughts on the conversion.
Instead of being followed by the address, student names will now precede the designation.
In terms of efficiency, the new e-mail system will be a great improvement upon the old.
It will grow from the current storage potential of 35 Mb to 10 Gb, include a sizeable Skydrive for personal file keeping, allow full e-mail functionality and compatibility with electronic devices and possess easier forwarding capabilities.
In addition, the account will be assigned to each student for life and not be discontinued after graduation from the university.
E-mail passwords will no longer need to be changed every 90 days but will remain continuous.
Students should be aware that no change will be made to the UT network domain login and that SpartanMail login will remain distinct from that of other school systems like Blackboard.
For those individuals already having e-mails forwarded to a different address than their assigned UT account, they are responsible for their own forwarding adjustment under the new system.
Despite the overwhelming advantages of the new e-mail system, student reactions to the change remain somewhat mixed.
“I’m sure it has its perks and advantages,” said junior Tyler Faulkner, “but I’m kind of peeved at the inconvenience of having to change something so familiar. It’s just one more thing to remember.”
Other students who have already begun to make use of the new e-mail system, however, have embraced it as a tremendous technological improvement.
“I like how huge it is- I’ve already been using it for almost four months and haven’t had to clean it out yet,” affirmed senior Beth Giddens, “You can really personalize the account and it’s lifelong.”
For students seeking help establishing profiles or adjusting to the technicalities of the upcoming transition, the Student Help Desk can be reached via e-mail (still) at studenthelp@ut.edu or at the phone number (813) 253-6255.
All students will receive e-mail notification of password changes and profile setup by the end of the month.
“Transitions are always difficult, “said director of Instructional Technology Stephen Magriby, “but I feel that in the long run students will benefit tremendously from the outcome.”
