Student JeffMail Migration to GMail
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Thomas Jefferson University plans to migrate all student email accounts to Google GMail in the fall of 2010.  This initiative follows lengthy discussions with TJU Academic Affairs, students, and their representatives, and reflects a trend among many universities to outsource student email to Google.  JeffMail accounts for faculty and staff will remain unaffected.

The benefits involve increased mail storage and messaging applications for students and decreased overall costs for TJU.  Since informal polls indicate that approximately one third of all current students forward their JeffMail to an outside email service, with GMail being the predominant choice, this move formalizes and accommodates this trend.  Students will continue to use their existing JeffMail account names (first.last@jefferson.edu) which will continue to be managed and administered by Jeff IT.  Existing mailing lists will not be affected. 

Many universities outsource student-only email to Google. In fact, Google recently noted that over 6 million students, in over 145 countries are using university sponsored GMail accounts.  Moving student-only email to GMail will result in capital cost savings and improved email service, while permitting TJU to retain control and ownership of the service.

Students will access GMail through the existing JeffMail access portal (http://jeffmail.jefferson.edu), but will be redirected to the new service when they login.  All existing messages will be migrated and the move should result in no downtime.

date revised 11/17/10


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