E-mail & Calendar

What You Need to Know

The university provides several e-mail options to current students, faculty, and staff. E-mail is an official means of communication, and sometimes that’s the only way information is delivered. Remember to check your e-mail account at least once a week and keep a current e-mail address on file with the university.

Basic e-mail: Even if you already have an e-mail account, ITS recommends that students sign up for a basic university e-mail account. Not only does it identify you as a member of one of the top universities in the country, it’s the best way for us to deliver your mail because other e-mail providers sometimes reject university e-mail.

Premium e-mail & calendar: With premium e-mail, you can securely access, generate, and organize your e-mail, calendar, contacts, data, and more. This account also allows you to synchronize vital information found on your laptop, cellular phone, BlackBerry, and Pocket PC.

Departmental e-mail: Your department may provide its own e-mail accounts. Ask your departmental contact if this is the right option for you.

Getting Started with E-mail

Step 1: Choose an e-mail option: Basic or Premium.

Step 2: Choose how you will read your e-mail and set it up:

Basic E-mail Programs

Premium E-mail Programs

Webmail - Web-based program that lets you access e-mail from any Web browser on any computer with an Internet connection. No download or extra setup required. Thunderbird - Free, open-source e-mail program for Windows, Mac, and Linux. A good choice if you usually check e-mail on your own computer and don't need the features of Outlook or Entourage. Apple OS X Mail - Included with Mac OS X. A good choice if you usually check e-mail from your Mac and don't need the features of Entourage. Outlook - Windows e-mail and calendaring application from Microsoft. Entourage - Mac e-mail and calendaring application from Microsoft. Windows Mail or Outlook Express - Included with Vista and earlier Windows OS. A good choice if you usually check e-mail from your computer and don't need the features of Outlook.

Outlook 2003 - Windows e-mail and calendaring program from Microsoft. Used by many faculty and staff on campus. Outlook 2007 - Windows e-mail and calendaring program from Microsoft. Runs on Vista. Used by many faculty and staff on campus. Entourage - Mac e-mail and calendaring program from Microsoft. Used by many faculty and staff on campus. Outlook Web Access - Access your Premium e-mail from any Web browser on any computer with an Internet connection. No download required. Apple OS X Mail - Included with Mac OS X, this is a good choice if you usually check your e-mail from your own Mac and don't need the features of Entourage.

Step 3: Use your e-mail responsibly! Learn how to prevent phishing and the importance of strong passwords.