You've Got Mail! Managing a Campus-Wide eMail Migration

In early 2003, DePauw University recognized the need to upgrade their existing email system, which was rapidly exceeding its capacity. The decision was made to convert the entire campus to Novell’s GroupWise solution for email. This presentation will focus on the options considered as well as some of the issues involved, and then discuss the planning and implementation of a campus-wide email migration. We will look at the conclusions that were reached at the completion of the project, as well as some of the perils and problems encountered along the way. This discussion would benefit anyone considering a major software migration or upgrade on their campus. Background DePauw University is a private, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college located in Greencastle, Indiana. We have an enrollment of just over 2300 students, and 800 faculty and staff members. Technology Resources and 361° A $20 million grant of distinction from the Lilly Endowment supports information fluency and pervasive computing initiatives through DePauw’s 361° programs. Special programs for faculty members and students improve expertise in using computers, electronic information and digital technologies. Workshops, IT fluency certification, and on- and off-campus internships are open to all students. There is campus-wide Internet and network access with a data port for each student in residence. 300 public computers and a 24-hour lab assure students access. More than half of all classrooms are equipped for multimedia and Web-based presentations. Campus-wide wireless Internet access is in its pilot stages. One of the most exciting aspects of 361° is the Information Technology Associates Program (ITAP), which provides DePauw students with an unparalleled opportunity to link a liberal arts education with technology know-how through four years of on-campus internships with a wide range of information technologies.