On Oct. 2, VU Gmail will become the exclusive email service for Vanderbilt University undergraduates. To claim their Gmail account prior to Oct. 2, students should visit http://its.vanderbilt.edu/gmail and follow the instructions. All remaining undergraduate mailboxes will be automatically directed to Gmail by Information Technology Services Oct. 2.
VU Gmail takes advantage of Gmail’s gigabytes of storage, highly effective spam filtering and powerful search while still enabling students to retain an “@vanderbilt.edu” address. Students’ VU Gmail box will appear with a Vanderbilt theme; students can also develop their own custom themes. And, for the first time, graduating students will be able to retain their @vanderbilt.edu address for life.
Through the university’s partnership with Google, students also gain access to Google Apps Education Edition. All services are hosted by Google and are available to users via any internet-connected computer and many mobile devices. In addition to Gmail, Google Apps includes:
- Google Calendar – allows easy coordination of work or class schedules, meetings and events online;
- Google Talk – supports free PC-to-PC voice calls and instant messaging; and
- Google Docs – allows users to create and collaborate on documents and spreadsheets in real-time.
When students create their VU Gmail account, they will no longer receive email via their VUmail account; however, they may still log in and view VUmail for 30 days after signing up for VU Gmail. They can also batch import existing VUmail messages into their VU Gmail account. For instructions, see http://its.vanderbilt.edu/gmail/movingvumail.
More information is available at the Frequently Asked Questions section on the Vanderbilt Gmail website, http://its.vanderbilt.edu/gmail/faq. For additional questions, please call the ITS Help Desk at (615) 343-9999.
Media contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
Melanie Moran, melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu