New VCU e-mail provider in the works

Rachel Roberts is tired of technical difficulties with her VCU e-mail. As a Blackberry user, Roberts said the VCU e-mail server format requires her to have all her e-mail forwarded to another server to be able to view it on her phone. Roberts said the complicated process means it takes three hours to receive e-mails.

For students like Roberts, a psychology and philosophy major, the university might soon be offering some relief. Google and Microsoft have placed bids to replace the Lotus e-mail server VCU is currently using.

“Lotus takes far too long to load and is far too difficult to navigate,” said Matthew Vaerewyck, a mechical engineering graduate student.

Vaerewyck said a server run by Google would be fantastic.

According to Scott Davis, director of application services at VCU, Google offers seven gigabytes of storage space and Microsoft offers 10. Lotus provides users with only 70 megabytes of storage.

“We can’t compete with those offerings,” Davis said.

Davis said he hopes an increase in storage space will mean a faster, more efficient server.

“Students wouldn’t be dependent on the services here at the university,” Davis said.

Students would keep the e-mail address they have, but access their e-mail though a different server with a different interface. The new server would not be permitted to have advertising. Regardless, the university would not have to pay anything for the service.

The idea to change from the Lotus server came up two months ago when application services realized that Lotus was due for what Davis called a “refresh cycle.” Davis said the procedure was an investment the university was not willing to make.

VCU formed a committee within application services to review what other universities did when switching to an outside server, a concept Davis called “cloud e-mail.”

Davis said it could take from eight to 12 weeks to work out the details with the chosen vendor before they can begin setting up the new server. Davis said application services would start with a small group, most likely newly accepted students. Starting with a smaller group of students would make it easier to handle any adjustments needed, Davis said.

Mark Willis, chief information officer, said he hopes the committee will choose a server within four to six weeks. According to Willis, there should be a Web site up within the next 10 days to receive feedback from students.

Davis is set to meet with the Monroe Park Campus Student Government Association Monday, Feb. 9 to introduce the idea. Afterward, Davis will meet with the faculty senate and said he hopes that by this time next year, a new server will be in place.