Gmail to replace Huskymail soon

Students at UConn will soon see a change in the university's email system. According to the new system's website, google.uconn.edu, UConn's antiquated Squirrel Mail email system will be changed to a university mail system created by Google.

In an email sent before the start of the semester, University Director of Plans, Policies & Operations Steven Wormsley said, "The goal is to have UConn students begin moving to the new e-mail system by the beginning of the fall semester." Clearly, this has not happened yet.

Once students have access to Gmail and the entire Google Apps @ UConn system, they will see a variety of other changes along with their email addresses.

"A larger inbox, instant messaging capabilities, tools for online meetings and several other new features will replace the existing Huskymail system," said Wormsley.

Other features will include a calendar, online access to documents and an online system designed to help users create their own web pages, which will be useful to students for things like clubs and sports.

Students who have been using Huskymail are excited for the change. Meaghan Mahoney, a 7th-semester nursing major, has been using Huskymail since her freshman year.

"I am excited for the change because Huskymail is really unreliable," said Mahoney.

"You never know when an important email wasn't received or you have missed information that you just never got."

According to a university website, the process of converting Huskymail to Gmail is underway and should be completed soon, although the exact date is still in question, and many students still don't know much about the change.

"I really don't know anything about what is going to happen or how the new system will work," Mahoney said. "UConn really hasn't told us much about it so we'll have to find out when it happens."

Although the exact date of the change is unknown, there is an end in sight for all frustrated Huskymail users.