Students can expect to use an enhanced e-mail system as early as Thursday, according to TCU Information Technology. 

The new service is a substantial upgrade, with features such as cloud storage and online document previews. 

“The mailboxes will be larger and new functionality is provided as well,” said Bryan Lucas, Chief Technology Officer.

The IT department announced in May they planned to upgrade TCU’s current e-mail service–an older version of Microsoft Exchange–to Microsoft’s Office 365. 

Lucas said that the new system was chosen after evaluating several options. He says the upgrade should be completed in time for the fall semester. 

Students will not lose any of their data, but they will need to make preparations for the new system, according to an update from the TCU Information and Technology.

The transition will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, according to the IT Department. Some students have been informed via e-mail that their transition will begin tonight. 

Ahead of the rollout, students are advised to change the settings on their mobile device and, if they use one, their desktop e-mail client. 

Students’ data will be transferred automatically. Once that process is complete, students will use a new URL–stumail.tcu.edu–to login to their e-mail. Also, students will now login with their TCU email instead of their TCU username. 

The IT Support HelpDesk will be available to assist students and staff with any problems or questions. TCU IT also put together a guide to with training material.

Joshua Tooley, assistant director of IT support, said that earlier in the spring, TCU IT coordinated with the Student Government Association for a pilot test of the email system.

Katie Phillips, the vice president of external affairs, helped test the new service. She said it looks slightly different and includes features that make multitasking easier.

“One of the coolest aspects of Office 365 is the free access to the online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint,” Phillips said. “You can make a PowerPoint or Excel spreadsheet on any computer without having to purchase and download the programs.”

For detailed instructions on how to setup your device for use with Office 365, visit it.tcu.edu/O365