All student group e-mail accounts and Web sites were moved to Student Union’s new server without prior notification on Saturday. The move left many student group leaders frustrated with e-mail glitches, broken Web site links, and an inability to access their clubs’ address books.
Student Union (SU) Treasurer Ed Banti, a senior, is serving as the liaison between Residential Technology Services (ResTech) and SU during the transition to the more advanced server. He has already received over 30 e-mails concerning problems with the new server. He said that all of the problems were addressed within 24 hours and expects all other technical problems, currently being handled by ResTech, to be taken care of within the next week.
The decision to move student groups from the ResTech server to the new SU group server was initially discussed a year ago amidst complaints about a lack of Web space and continual server overloads.
“In the short term, some transition time is necessary to work out technical glitches,” said Banti. “However, the costs are small compared to the benefits – there are better people administrating, and we will have six to eight years of a high-end server.”
Despite Banti’s optimism, junior Danielle Van Dyk, president of the Gymnastics Club, was concerned with the handling of the transition. “My big problem with the new e-mail system is that they obliterated the address book,” said Van Dyk. “I had 90 addresses which are now lost. I was not notified beforehand.”
Banti admitted that there was a lack of communication concerning when the move would occur, but stated that the blame couldn’t be placed on anyone specifically.
“We didn’t know the exact date of the move,” said Banti. “I was only notified the day of the move, and sent an e-mail out on Monday. The miscommunication on the exact date of the move was partially due to a switching of a system administrator.”
Matt Arthur, the director of ResTech, cautioned student groups not to lose sight of the resulting benefits – an upgraded system.
“ResTech is trying to move the process along with as few obstacles as possible,” said Arthur. “The upgraded server has a listserv option that students can create and control themselves.”
All e-mails to the old accounts will be forwarded to groups’ new accounts until June 30, 2006. Students with questions should e-mail SU’s Student Group Activities Committee at [email protected].