The launch of myVCUmail has now come and gone, and VCU Technology Services has converted more than 32,000 students’ Lotus Notes e-mail accounts to new Gmail accounts.
During the week of Sept. 7, existing students were transferred into what Technology Services has dubbed “myVCUmail.” Those new to VCU had their accounts set up over the summer.
Besides the more than six gigabytes of storage space, students will also have access to a calendar tool, Google Talk, and an online office suite that includes word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.
“We are in the final stages of the transition period,” said Scott Davis, the director of application services at VCU. “There are still a number of students, including student workers, that still need to be moved to Google. We are working on finalizing their accounts now.”
A concern for many students is that old e-mails in their Lotus Notes account have not migrated to their new myVCUmail account. This means accessing previous communications requires logging into two separate e-mail accounts. David said Technology Services is currently working with Gmail to use a beta product that would transfer old e-mails to the Gmail account, but he said they are still working out some problems. Regardless, the Lotus Notes server will be turned off on June 30, 2010.
Some students, like graphic design major Jessica Foussekis, said they thought Technology Services did a poor job notifying them of the change.
“I had no idea I wasn’t receiving e-mails up until a few days later,” Foussekis said.
Foussekis said she had been checking her Lotus Notes account because she said she did not receive an e-mail in her old account saying her new account had been activated.
“I wish more notice was given about the change, and that the old e-mails could be seen on the new server,” Foussekis said.
Davis said all students who are not employed by the university received e-mails the second week of September informing them about the new e-mail system.
Students who are employed by the university received an e-mail the day their new account became active. The e-mail was sent by “Doctor Gee,” a group account managed by VCU Technology Services, and it stated that student employees should not conduct work-related correspondence using their personal VCU e-mail.
“Your MYMAIL.VCU.EDU account should only be used for correspondence relating to your role as a student,” the e-mail stated.
Davis said having a separate e-mail for employee related correspondence is important because e-mails where an employee is acting on behalf of the state are the property of the commonwealth. Davis also said having separate e-mail accounts is necessary to ensure student employee privacy and personal files will not be mixed with professional ones. He cites the Code of Virginia and the Department of Human Resource Management Policies and Procedures Manual as the sources of this policy.
The enforcement of this policy has caused problems with some student organizations such as the Student Government Association. Though not employed by the commonwealth, SGA members are paid by VCU.
Stephanie Lynch, the chair of the SGA Senate, said she and fellow SGA members have had problems getting e-mail since the transition began because their Blackboard accounts are set up for the Lotus Notes accounts. Lynch said in the past week and a half e-mails between her and other SGA members have been dropped.
Kanwar Singh Anand, the SGA director of technology, said that all e-mail problems with the SGA have been resolved, and that VCU wants for employers and workers to use official Lotus Notes accounts to communicate. According to Anand, the current policy for SGA goes as follows: for paid SGA members they should use their SGA e-mail accounts, for unpaid SGA members they should just use their personal VCU Gmail accounts to communicate.
Anand said that the problem SGA faced with their e-mails sent from Blackboard have been remedied, and that the SGA is in contact with the VCU Office of the General Council to see about changing the university’s record policy.
Davis said Technology Services is currently looking into whether SGA members can legally use their personal VCU e-mail for SGA correspondence.
Davis said faculty will keep their old e-mail accounts with Lotus for now, but Technology Services is looking into converting them to Gmail as well.
Students and teachers who are having difficulties with the new system should contact the Help Desk at 828-2227 or submit a support ticket at www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk.html.