Students Switch from Webmail to Gmail

On October 12, students can party like it’s 1999 (and I’m not dreaming as I write this). 1999 marks the last time Buffalo State switched e-mail platforms to the current Webmail server. Now, 12 years later, we’re making another switch—this time, to Gmail.

Last summer, the United Students Government (USG) approached Computing and Technology Services, proposing the transition to Gmail. “Our current system was a little old-fashioned,” said Judith Basinski, associate vice president of Computing and Technology Services. “The students in USG wanted Gmail…they knew a lot of other colleges used it, and they thought it was time Buffalo State did, too.”

Basinski explained that one of the primary issues that students had with the Webmail platform was a lack of storage.“The current student e-mail quota is only 50 megabytes,” she said. “With Gmail, there is a drastic increase.” Students will be given seven gigabytes of space in their mailbox—140 times more space than the current platform provides.

Gmail doesn’t stop at a larger inbox. “It’s going to be more than just e-mail,” Basinski said. “We’ll be implementing the core Apps for Education package under the SUNY contract. This includes Google Calendar, Docs, and Sites.”

Simply put, Google Calendar provides excellent resources for organization. Google Docs offers an abundance of tools for collaboration and information sharing, and Google Sites allows students to create websites for an organization or project. These apps offer endless opportunities for students. Further, educators can integrate these apps into curricula.

While a lot is changing with the introduction of Gmail, students’ e-mail addresses and user names will remain the same. Computing and Technology Services has archived each student’s Webmail account, and students will still be able to access their Webmail accounts for one year after the switch. While they will not be able to generate new mail from their old accounts, students will be able to read and forward existing messages to their new Gmail accounts.

“So far, the news of the change to Gmail has been well received on campus,” Basinski said, “but it might be a little confusing, at first.” To avoid confusion, students should read the Gmail information page, provided by Computing and Technology Services. On October 12, students will need to remember to activate their new Gmail accounts through Banner. Any additional questions or concerns about switching to Gmail can be sent to GoogleApps@buffalostate.edu.