Email Committee

Committee Charter

To develop plans for a campus-wide, centralized email system. The goal is to:

  • create a solution that allows as many users as possible
  • create a solution that allows as many users as possible
  • consolidates those email service providers that would prefer to defer to a centralized solution
  • not impact those groups that wish to maintain their own email solutions
  • permit a wide range of end user options for email interaction tools

Besides the above implied areas, other important issues to be addressed include:

  • Spam
  • Virus protection
  • Storage space for storing messages
  • Duration of time for messages to be stored
  • Central user naming scheme
  • Interaction with directory
  • Interaction with campus-wide user authentication
  • 24/7 availability
  • Multiple email addresses
  • Encryption
  • Digital signatures
  • Costs
  • Calendaring
  • Alumni
  • Mailing lists
  • Guest accounts
  • Ability for decentralized account creation /administrative control
  • Off-site backup

 

Chair

Robert Kessler, Computer Science

Members

  • Jill Brinton, Media Solutions
  • Jerry Carvalho, School of Business
  • Kay Harward, Student Affairs
  • Dave Huth, ISO
  • Bill Jahsman, NetCom
  • Bret Jordan, College of Engineering
  • Clifton McIntosh, College of Humanities
  • Mark Oberg, Huntsman Cancer Institute
  • Wayne Peay, Eccles Library
  • Caprice Post, NetCom

Staff

  • Kevin Taylor, Office of Information Technology
  • Judy Yeates, Office of Information Technology

Proposals

Campus Email Policy

University of Utah Electronic Messaging Policy (PDF) - approved April 2006

Campus Umail Project

In early 2003, the ITC subcommittee issued an RFP and many vendors responded. After narrowing the field to four vendor solutions, user trials were held in early 2005 and one vendor stood out for ease of use and functionality: Microsoft Exchange. A campus-wide, centralized Exchange-backed email system called UMail will be implemented in 2006. The system will do the following:

  • Replace existing campus and hospital GroupWise and iPlanet email systems with an integrated campus-wide deployment of Microsoft Exchange, including associated gateway services (virus scanning and spam filtering) and client applications.
  • Deliver a unified system for all users that allows seamless operation of system functions, such as calendaring, instant messaging and email.

Additionally, the system will scale to allow as many users as needed, consolidate campus email service providers that prefer a centralized solution, and allow groups that wish to maintain their own email solutions to continue to do so.

All current students, faculty and staff will have email accounts on the new UMail system. Students will be required to move to the new backend system by May 2006, but will not be required to use a new email address. The UMail system will support all current aliases in use with the current campus email system (iPlanet/Webmail). Specific instructions for students and individuals on migrating to the new system will be forthcoming.

Departments interested in being an early adopter can begin using the production system in January 2006. OIT will make 3rd party tools available to migrate GroupWise mailbox data to the UMail Exchange system.

The project is a joint venture between the Office of Information Technology, Network and Communications Services, Health Sciences Information Technology Services and other interested campus departments.

For More

For More Info

More information on the Campus UMail Project

Umail System Design Documents