Google Apps for Education is Bringing Upgraded Email to Pepperdine

Email communication has been sent out to let the community know that we are moving to Google Apps for Education for email, calendar, and collaboration tools mid-2016.

Take the survey and let us know your thoughts.

Check back here for the latest updates to the Email Upgrade Project. The future starts today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is our email system being upgraded?

In short, we are upgrading to give everyone an unlimited inbox, less spam, email accessibility 24/7/365, and no more archiving.

The Email Upgrade Project aims to give the Pepperdine Community three main benefits:

• Better collaboration
• Better storage for documents and projects
• And Unlimited email

Before the upgrade, Pepperdine students received 250Mb of email storage and faculty and staff received 1Gb of email space. Now when you upgrade, you will receive unlimited space for email and storage in Google Apps for Education through Pepperdine.

2. Where can I get more details about this Email Upgrade Project and the all-University migration?

• Check out our News and Email webpages or Facebook for all the latest updates!
• RSVP for one of the Town Hall Meetings in Malibu or West LA.

3. Can I use Microsoft Outlook with the upgraded email and calendar?

For best user experience, IT recommends using a web browser (e.g. Firefox, Chrome) to access your Pepperdine Gmail inbox. Windows Outlook for PC works as you would expect, but with a few small variations. All other personal computer mail client softwares work well for email but may have some calendaring limitations. Pepperdine IT will have a list of supported email clients closer to the switch.

4. Can I upload my mail archives?

• Yes. Assistance and automation for uploading .pst files and other archives will be made available. During the immediate switch, you will still be able to access the emails with your existing email software.

5. Can I move my current Outlook folders to the upgraded email?

• Yes. This will be provided for as part of the all-University email migration. Your folders will be loaded into Gmail as “Labels,” which provide better organization and flexibility.

6. Will there be any training opportunities on how to best use Gmail and to assist during the transition?

• Yes, there will be many opportunities both in-person and online. Those resources will become available closer to the campus-wide launch.

7. Will my Pepperdine email address change?

• No. Everyone will continue to use their institutional email address - firstname.lastname@pepperdine.edu

8. Student emails can be moved at any time before everyone is moved mid-2016, should I move to the upgraded email now?

• Staff and Faculty are encouraged to wait for the all-University migration. Migrating before the all-University migration will put you on a different calendar system from most other staff. If you or your department rely heavily on a calendar that stays always in sync with your co-workers, you should not move at this time. Once the entire university is on the same system, all calendars will stay in sync.
• Students are encouraged to move to the new system sooner rather than later, because the benefits are huge and there is little concern with staff calendar functions or archived messages. Follow the instructions for migration and transfer of existing email on the Email upgrade for students instructions.

9. How long is the process to move to Gmail?

• We are currently working on a way to make the change almost instantaneous. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, but to anyone signing into Google Apps to access email for the first time on the day on the switch, the large majority of your inbox will already be there.

10. Can I use my mobile phone or tablet with the upgraded email and calendar?

• Information Technology suggests using the free Google apps for email, calendar, docs, etc. since they handle multiple accounts (personal and work) very smoothly. Click on the links below to learn how to get your Pepperdine email on your mobile device:

• How to setup email on a iPhone or tablet
• How to setup email on an Android device

11. Is my email going to be read and indexed by Google for marketing?

• Absolutely not. The contract with Google Apps for Education excludes the use of the core applications (Email, Calendar, Drive/Docs, Hangouts) from being used for marketing as part of the enhanced privacy provided to Education accounts. Your work is not searchable by the Internet at large and is NOT USED FOR MARKETING.
• Openly published work (e.g. Google Web Sites openly) and social media (Google+) are treated in the same manner as non-Education users.

12. Isn’t Google bad for security?

• Security is actually increased as email and file data are encrypted in transit with the Google Apps for Education, where the current University email and file shares are secure, but not encrypted.
• Google email and drive are secure and suitable for Public and Confidential University data. Storing or sending RESTRICTED University data in email is prohibited with our current email and fileshare system and likewise is prohibited with all Google Apps for Education. Use only the University's Secure Attachments, Secure Sync and Secure Cloud Backup applications for RESTRICTED data now and after the email upgrade.

13. Will the upgraded email allow group distribution lists and shared calendars?

• Yes.

14. I already have a personal Gmail account. Is that going to be a problem?

• Not at all. Your Google Apps for Education account and any personal Gmail accounts will be completely independent. When logging into Google Apps, you will need to make sure that you are logging in with your Pepperdine credentials.

15. Can I just use my personal Gmail?

• No. The current policy will continue and reads as follows: staff and faculty are expected to use University email for business confidential communications. Students will be responsible for monitoring their University email for important academic and administrative communications.
• Some privacy protections and security enhancement provided in our Google Apps for Education (GAFE) accounts are not present in consumer Gmail/Apps.

Happy New Year!

Pepperdine IT is excited to continue our efforts in upgrading the email at the University in this new year. After holding 17 focus groups across the Malibu Campus and West LA Campus in late 2015, Pepperdine IT is almost ready to announce our decision.

The Focus Groups brought a lot of fantastic ideas to the table that we are considuring during the planning process. We thank everyone that participated and look forward to sharing more with the community through town hall meetings and additional focus groups later this spring.

More information will be coming soon with large scale testing in the works. If you have any question, feel free so send us a message in the contact section below.

Pepperdine IT