It’s time to say goodbye to Microsoft Exchange and hello to Google Apps.
Otterbein University is migrating the entire campus from using Microsoft Exchange to a more innovative application, Google Apps, according to Jeff Kasson, executive director of Information Technology.
Google Apps is a web-based system of email, calendars, reminders and a webcam function.
For the past 10 years Otterbein has been using Microsoft Exchange to provide email, calendars and contacts for the campus community.
“Google has the resources to create and evolve these tools at a pace which we could never match,” Kasson said.
The switch will begin in late October and end in early March, beginning with all the graduates of 2011. It will not affect students’ current email addresses.
Kasson said the email address format will remain the same as the current format, with jane.smith@otterbein.edu for students and jsmith@otterbein.edu for faculty and staff.
“When we migrate our campus to Google, all email, calendar items and contacts will be moved to Google,” Kasson said.
Google Apps will be free to Otterbein students; however, additional costs are expected for the university.
“While Google Apps is free to Otterbein, there are costs associated with the support and maintenance of accounts,” Kasson said.
Graduating students will be able to use the Google Otterbein email account.
“It is very important to us that we provide an innovative and fun way to allow people to stay in touch with each other and Otterbein over the years,” Kasson said. “We think that this will help us to feel like a growing family for years to come.”
Otterbein students agree that switching to Google will be beneficial not only for the present, but also for the future.
“I think it’s great that we are moving towards technology that’s more relevant,” senior Spanish major Sarah Hutchinson said. “Especially with those apps and the fact that we can keep it even after we graduate.”
Sophomore international business major Kiersten Curtis said, “I trust that Otterbein has the best interest for its students and if it happens to not work as well, IT will probably fix it as they always do.”
The Gmail accounts will have administrative access similar to the current Microsoft Exchange accounts. It allows Otterbein to create new accounts and support the needs of the campus.
Kasson said the IT department will provide help desk support for the Otterbein community, but will also refer individuals to documentation and short videos that Google provides to clients worldwide.
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