The Kent State faculty/staff email system will be migrated
to a new cloud-based version of Exchange referred to as
Microsoft Office 365.

Kent State University has embarked on a multistep, multiyear process to improve communication and collaboration tools used throughout the university.

A first step in that ongoing effort is to upgrade the university’s email system for faculty and staff. With dedicated support from the Division of Information Services, they will be migrated to a new cloud-based version of Exchange referred to as Microsoft Office 365.

Users of Kent State Gmail, including student email, will not be affected by this change.

The migration will take place between April and October 2012. Improvements available in the new system include an enhanced Web interface that works equally well on Windows and Mac, and the migration will preserve the look and feel of the current system for desktop email users.

Support During Migration Process

Information Services will provide dedicated support during the migration process. An Email Migration Team will be available in each building to assist faculty and staff with any issues that might arise. The team will focus on helping users set up their PCs, mobile phones and tablets for the new system. Users may also access the migration guides themselves at http://office365.kent.edu.

“When changes are made to critical campus systems, our users appreciate on-site support so they can get back to work quickly,” says Jay Frye, manager of Federated Desktop Support. “In addition to local IT support, our team will be available in each building, wearing green shirts, so they can be easily identified,” Frye says.

What to Expect

The email migration will be carried out in phases. All Kent State Exchange users will receive an email reminder before their account is migrated. Staff and faculty using mobile devices and delegation features should pay special attention to these notifications.

Frye notes that while some systems, such as Apple Mail and mobile phones will need reconfigured, many desktop clients will transition to the new system seamlessly.

Users with questions or concerns may contact their local or regional IT support person (list available at http://support.kent.edu/localsupport), call 330-672-HELP (4357) or visit http://support.kent.edu.