Yuma, Arizona - Arizona Western College students will be logging into a new and improved email system beginning Monday, April 2. During Spring Break, AWC’s Information Technology Services and Support (AWC ITSS) staff will be replacing the college’s old server with a modern cloud-based system leveraging Microsoft Office 365. The platform will change the way students, staff, and faculty collaborate with one another, providing new tools for individual and team communications.
The new system will provide integrated calendaring and email, support for mobile device access, and more email and document storage.
“The advantages of moving to the platform that we’re moving to is that we’re completely revamping technology and the way we do technology and what students, faculty, and staff have access to. It’s all part of a larger initiative,” said AWC Chief Information Officer Joe McLain.
Students, faculty, and staff will also be able to download five copies of Microsoft Office to use on their personal Windows, Apple, and Android devices.
Faculty and staff will transition to the new email system soon, with immediate emphasis on improving the quality of technology provided to students.
Students who currently have a ToroMail account will retain the same email addresses. Students will notice their inboxes will be empty when they initially log in to the new server as it is cost prohibitive to migrate the contents of all mailboxes. Student leaders were consulted and made the decision to save the added expense of migrating mailboxes. McLain noted that student leaders have been a great help in partnering with AWC ITSS leadership during this process.
Students will be provided the ability to log in to the old email server, so they can forward themselves any emails they would like to keep. By sending specific existing messages to themselves, students have control over exactly what messages they retain. The old system will be accessible for a limited amount of time, after which it will be retired, and the money being spent to maintain it will be allocated to other uses.
For regular updates on the email replacement and other service improvements, follow AWC ITSS on social media:
- Facebook: @AWCITSS (https://www.facebook.com/AWCITSS)
- Twitter: @AWC_ITSS (https://twitter.com/AWC_ITSS)
- Instagram: @AWC_ITSS (https://www.instagram.com/awc_itss)
- Snapchat: @AWC_ITSS