Chancellor's Unifying Campuswide E-mail Software memo

TO: UT Knoxville Faculty and Staff
FROM: Loren W. Crabtree, Chancellor
SUBJECT: Unifying Campuswide E-mail Software

UT's Office of Information Technology now is working to unify campuswide e-mail and calendaring communications. Not only will the consolidation project support more efficient university administration and collaboration, but also it will ensure that UT students are being educated in an electronic environment that matches the one they'll work in when they graduate.

You'll remember that last fall OIT offered an online survey about Internet use to faculty, staff and students. More than 4000 individuals responded. The results of that survey plus face-to-face interviews with a faculty, staff, and student committee enabled OIT staff to choose a single software program that meets campus needs.

OIT has chosen the Microsoft suite of communication and collaboration products. An online demonstration will be held 2-4 pm Wednesday, June 1. If you can't watch the full demo, then join the session in progress when you are able. The Web address is http://oit.tennessee.edu/exchange

For those whose schedules don't allow viewing the demo Wednesday, OIT will record the presentation for later viewing.

Plans are to convert Andy Holt Tower computers to the new software first, probably beginning late fall semester 2005. Other divisions on campus will follow as time allows. Also, OIT will coordinate the project systemwide to provide the same e-mail solutions across all UT campuses.

This initiative will benefit us all. I encourage you to offer your questions and suggestions to Mike McNeil, executive director of OIT's computing system services. You can reach him at mmcneil@utk.edu or 974-3051.

The results of the fall 2004 OIT survey are posted online for those of you who are interested in more details. Go to http://oit.utk.edu/emailsurveyresults

New computer technology seems to emerge faster than most of us, as individuals, can grasp. We are so fortunate to have OIT professionals to focus on keeping the latest technology within our reach.