Student Email FAQs

The following FAQ is only for the initial Student Email Project that began in Q3 2011, and is not representative of the current Student & Alumni Email Service.

Instead please refer to the Student & Alumni Email Service FAQ here.

 

Eligibility to use the new email service

Security of new email

Switching from Interchange to the new email service

Choosing a new email address

Contacting instructors using my new email account

How the new email service looks and works

Alumni concerns

 

Eligibility to use the new email service

Am I eligible for the new email service?

Current students and alumni are eligible for email forwarding. Active students will be eligible for a mailbox. "Student" is defined in Part 1 of the University Act and includes those enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies or in a course for academic credit, as well as medical residents.

"Student" means a person who is presently enrolled at a university in a credit course or who is designated by resolution of the senate as a student. See University Act (278KB PDF).

How do I get a new student email account?

Please refer to the Student & Alumni Email Service FAQ here.

What happens when I graduate?

Since you can keep your UBC-branded email address for life, you can keep it after graduation.

What if I don't graduate?

You can still keep your new email address, even if you withdraw. But you may not be able to keep your UBC-branded email address if you are expelled or suspended.

 

Security of new email

Is the UBC aliasing service secure?

The security of any email, including UBC aliasing, depends on the level of encryption adopted by both the sender and the recipient. While UBC aliasing service uses the mail relays located on the Vancouver Campus, email does travel across the Internet, which is an open channel.

Is my email secure?

Email is, by nature, not secure. While in transit, email is often unencrypted and could be intercepted. Recipients may not have secure storage, or show proper discretion in forwarding email. You should always assume email is not private. This is true for all email services.
If you are using the UBC email forwarding service, your email is only as secure as your destination email account.

 

Switching from Interchange to the new email service

Why are we developing an in-house email mailbox service?

We have extensively reviewed third party vendor contracts and concluded that standard third party vendor contracts do not meet UBC privacy and indemnity requirements. Vendors are not prepared to move quickly on changing this and currently the best solution is to provide an email mailbox service through updated internal infrastructure. This is not to say that hosted solution isn't a possibility in the future.

How is the new email mailbox service different from Netinfo/Interchange?

  • It has a substantially larger storage quota - 1GB mailbox storage space
  • It has a full Microsoft Exchange suite, including calendar, tasks, contacts and notes
  • It has a rich, browser based client - Outlook Web Access (OWA)
  • It support mail-push for mobile devices through ActiveSync

How do I move my Interchange email to @alumni.ubc.ca?

The migration of Interchange email to the new email service is not an available option. However, we do encourage you to archive your email before October 15, 2012. Please refer to the Student & Alumni Email Service FAQ here for more information.

Can I use Netinfo / Interchange as my target email box for @alumni email?

Interchange / Netinfo will be retired shortly, but you can forward your @alumni.ubc.ca mail to Interchange in the meantime. If you do so, please make certain that you do not forward your Interchange mail back to your @alumni.ubc.ca account if you have already configured your @alumni.ubc.ca to forward to your Interchange account (Interchange --> Alumni --> Interchange).

How do I forward my Interchange email somewhere else?

The best way to forward your Interchange / Netinfo email to a personal account is to forward it to your @alumni.ubc.ca account. This way you will be able to reconfigure it whenever you like, even after the Interchange email service has retired. For more information on forwarding Interchange email, please see the Student and Alumni Email Forwarding FAQ.

Will I have continued access to my Interchange account mailbox?

No. Interchange is on unsupported technology and is beginning to fail. With our new email mailbox service in place, we are in the process of retiring Interchange. As of October 15, 2012, your Interchange mailbox will no longer be accessible. Only the email address will be available for continued use until we decommission the domain name, interchange.ubc.ca. Having said that, there are no plans to decommission the "interchange.ubc.ca" domain name.

Is it mandatory to use the new email service?

No, the new mailbox service is optional. You can choose to use the UBC email forwarding service only, and forward it to a mailbox of your choice. Or you may choose not to use the forwarding service at all.

Will Interchange users have to inform people of their new email addresses?

No, your Interchange email address will continue to be available to you as an email address. You can redirect it to any alternative email mailbox that you use.

 

Choosing a new email address

Can I choose my new email address?

Yes, you can choose your email address within the @alumni.ubc.ca domain as long it is available and it complies with the basic format and acceptable use policy.

 

Contacting instructors using my new email account

Can I use my UBC-branded email to tell an instructor I am sick and cannot take the exam?

Yes, however once you send your medical records to an instructor, any medical information attached to that email may be stored in servers located around the world and accessible by law enforcement agencies as required by the jurisdiction of the vendor.

May I use my UBC-branded email to discuss a grade with my instructor?

Yes, however once you discuss any academic information with your instructor, that information may be stored in servers located around the world and accessible by law enforcement agencies as required by the jurisdiction of the vendor.

 

How the new email service looks and works

Will my email look different, i.e., will I have to use a new program to access my email?

Yes. You will only be able to access your new email account via webmail or ActiveSync using a mobile device. Web access will look different. Any pre-existing email client software that uses IMAP or POP connections will no longer work.

Who would cover the cost of mobility bills?

Students are responsible for their own service costs.

 

Alumni concerns

What will happen to my current (@alumni.ubc.ca) forwarding?

There will be no interruption in email service for existing users of the service. You are still able to reconfigure your email forwarding, using the new user interface.

How will I configure email going forward?

Visit www.it.ubc.ca/studentemail to find out more about the new service and to register for it.

Why is an "alumni" address being given to all students, whether they graduate or not?

Students enter university with the intention of graduating one day. An alumni address encourages students to think of themselves as future alumni. Students are also more likely to socialize a single email address with friends and colleagues throughout university and beyond graduation, rather than any "temporary" email address UBC can provide.

Shouldn't you be a graduate to be eligible to use the alumni address?

"Alumni" here simply refers to students including graduates. If you wish to be affiliated with your educational achievement, consider listing your degree, certificate, or membership after your name in your signature (e.g., BSc, MD, PEng, CGA, MBA, PMP).

Why should students be allowed to keep the alumni address if they withdraw?

We encourage students who feel an affinity to UBC to think of themselves as "alumni."