From April to August, the all-too-familiar Webmail system will be completely replaced by the more user-friendly, Microsoft-provided HeelMail. It’s been a long time coming.
The switch is certainly a welcome change from the confusions of the current system. Overall, we are optimistic about the new features that HeelMail will bring. The fact that it will save the University money makes it doubly welcome.
There is one drawback. An unfortunate new policy will accompany the transition to HeelMail: Students and faculty who receive paychecks from the University will not be able to auto-forward e-mails to accounts not ending in unc.edu.
While those students and faculty will still be allowed to manually forward individual, non-work related e-mails, the new policy ending auto-forwarding is extremely inconvenient for them.
While the change in policy is coming at the same time as the change in e-mail interface, it is important to note that the new system is not to blame for the policy change.
Max Beckman-Harned, co-chairman of the technology and web services committee of student government, said UNC wants to make sure University information will be stored on University servers or at least servers that they have official agreements with. It’s a rationale that makes sense, but raises questions as to why this wasn’t always the case.
Overall, we welcome the transition from Webmail to HeelMail and are excited about the money that will be saved as well as the added features it will bring. And while we understand the motivations behind the policy change, it is worth taking a moment to acknowledge the loss of a popular feature.
Of course, people forwarded e-mail before because Webmail had its own problems. Maybe HeelMail will make the feature not worth missing.
