Webmail switch stalled in talks

After months of deliberation, SAS administrators remain locked in negotiations over replacing the current Webmail system, which has repeatedly broken down over the past year.

SAS Vice Dean for Finance and Administration Ramin Sedehi said the school is still negotiating with both Microsoft and Google in an effort to ensure that the privacy and security of students is protected.

"We are hoping to conclude in the next few weeks," Sedehi said.

He added that they would not rush negotiations or disclose any details that might compromise the University's bargaining position.

SAS officials had initially said that they would have made a decision by the beginning of the spring term.

Sedehi said the current Webmail server - which experienced several major failures during the last week of classes in December - has been working properly since IT officials discovered what they believed to be the root of the problem.

"The current system is stable and functioning," Sedehi said. "When we are done [with negotiations], we are done."

SAS officials decided to replace Webmail with an outsourced solution at the beginning of the school year but wanted student input before choosing between Microsoft and Google.

An advisory board of students met throughout last semester to demo both companies' products and were impressed by both, said College sophomore Natalie Pitcher, who served on the board.

Pitcher said the board presented its opinion of the products to SAS officials in December, but she could not disclose which company the board preferred due to the ongoing negotiations.

"We came up with a list of qualities and functions we thought would be important," she said, adding that this data was then compiled to get a representation of what Penn students wanted from their e-mail system.

The packages offered by Microsoft and Google are similar, and neither one is limited to just e-mail. They are both suites of web applications including online calendars, instant messaging and personal web-page creation.

For Pitcher, the best part of a new system is the potential for fostering community.

Using the calendar features, for example, events can be shared between different users.

Penn's Academic Calendar could be published to all students' individual calendars, and students could subscribe to class calendars that would have assignment due dates and finals times automatically added. Instead of bombarding students' inboxes with e-mail, student groups could also create calendars to which students might subscribe.

Pitcher said her personal preference was Google, though she added that she would prefer the University pick a single provider, rather than every school maintaining separate systems - even if that single provider is Microsoft.

"I think Penn would be doing itself a disservice by not unifying the student body through an e-mail service," she said.

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