Gmail accounts aimed at strengthening collaboration between students and faculty
By Jessica Luthi
The Guardsman
City College will begin to use student Google mail accounts for all official correspondence between students and the college starting June 1.
Currently, City College delivers mail to personal e-mail accounts, but not all messages can be delivered, said Doug Re, director of Information Technology Services.
“More than 10 percent of all student-supplied e-mail addresses are undeliverable,” he said.
The switch to the Gmail account is intended to insure all students receive important messages from City College, including notices for class registration.
The student e-mail accounts are powered through Google Apps Higher Education Edition, which boasts a package of applications that includes e-mail, word processing and chat at no cost to City College.
GoogleTalk, GoogleCalendar, GoogleSites and GoogleDocs are all included with the e-mail accounts. These services allow students, faculty and other Gmail users to share documents, presentations and calendars. Users can also chat and create websites with Google Apps.
Re said the additional services can be beneficial tools, allowing students and instructors to collaborate more effectively.
Gmail information can be found by logging onto WebStars on the City College website under the student services and financial aid tab, which includes the user name, e-mail address and temporary password.
Google Apps must be accessed separately at www.google.com/a/mail.ccsf.edu. There, students can change their password and setup e-mail forwarding, which will allow them to have all their City College notices delivered to their personal e-mail addresses.
Political science student, Larissa Espada is not sure about the switch to Gmail.
“I think students should be able to choose an e-mail of their choice for use,” she said. “I personally don’t like having to check more than one e-mail.”
Students can get more help and information about the City College Gmail accounts at www.ccsf.edu/gmailfaq or can by calling the Gmail help desk at (415) 239-3987.
Carlos Silva contributed to this article.