Office of Technology Services: Information Technology – Client Services New Faculty Welcome and Orientation: E-Mail Mic

1. Office of Technology Services: Information Technology – Client Services New Faculty Welcome and Orientation: E-Mail Michael Bachman, Director

2. E-Mail Topics • The E-mail Environment • E-Mail Applications • E-Mail Tips • E-Mail Applications Overview • Outlook Web Access, Virtual Workspace, and Installed Programs • E-Mail Enabled Phones • Sending E-Mail to Students • Class E-Mail by Distribution Lists, Blackboard, and PeopleSoft

3. The E-Mail Environment • TU uses an Exchange/Outlook solution for faculty and staff e-mail. It also includes calendar, task, and contact management services. Students use Webmail Powered by Google • Click here for the university e-mail policy or paste this address into a new browser window:http://inside.towson.edu/generalcampus/tupolicies/documents/10-03.00%20Electronic%20Mail%20Policy.pdf • Over 97.6% of incoming e-mail is rejected de facto as spam using multiple software and hardware solutions—but it is not perfect and is not aware of context (banning stock tips would be a problem for CBE, banning medications would be a problem for CHP, etc.)

4. The E-Mail Environment • For performance and reliability, the maximum INBOX for faculty/staff Exchange has limits • Default for faculty/staff is 250 megabytes for INBOX, but can be extended by special request to the Faculty/Staff Help Center • In addition to the INBOX, you can store more e-mail using Personal Folders (.pst files). These .pst files are not available with Outlook Web Access, but you CAN get to them with Virtual Workspace • Your H: drive offers 5 gigabytes, and your Personal Folders should “live” in that space • Maximum recipients: 5000 (Reply All would be interesting)

5. The E-Mail Environment • Watch out for attachments: we have a 20 MB limit, but that’s pretty bad etiquette; there are other means to share large files and we can help with specific needs. • Some attachments (.htm, .exe, .mdb etc.) are blocked for security reasons. If for some reason an expected e-mail doesn’t arrive or your recipient doesn’t receive it from you, this may be one of several things to look into.

6. E-Mail Tips • Phishing scams are prevalent; OTS will NEVER ask for your password. We may ask for your username, but again, NEVER your password. • Multiple “To” recipients diffuses responsibility and reduces chances of no one doing anything at all (“I thought you were taking care of it; no, I thought you were.”) • Always send e-mail to students using your Towson University e-mail service as opposed to Hotmail, Gmail, or other systems; this is university policy • Use a personal e-mail account (Hotmail, Gmail, etc.) for non-university business; it helps reduce spam and increases security

7. E-Mail Applications Overview • There are three preferred options to get to your Towson University e-mail:1. Outlook Web Access (Windows; Lite Version for Mac) 2. Virtual Workspace (Windows and Mac)3. Outlook (Windows) or Entourage (Mac) installed on a university- owned computer • Less-preferred options include using a smart phone or some other mail application, but these are not general encouraged due to the chance of exposure of e-mail or attachments • See http://www.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/trainingdoc/selfhelpdoc.asp for lots of information on Outlook, e-mail, and related topics

8. E-Mail Applications Overview • Click to watch an overview video of the various e-mail options or paste this address into a new browser window:http://mediasite2.towson.edu/mediasite/SilverlightPlayer/Default.aspx?peid=d4d7914fc40a41fda6143b7afa0bb1fc1d

9. Outlook Web Access • This is the simplest solution for Windows-based computers; it has a few limitations, but for just sending and reading e-mail, it’s the smartest choice. • A lite version is available for the Mac and other operating systems • No mail is saved on the computer; when you exit, all traces are gone; this is the ideal choice for shared home computers, public computers, computers in classrooms and labs, etc. • Outlook Web Access works with all common browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)

10. Outlook Web Access • Outlook Web Access works with all common browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) • You don’t need to install any software at all • You can access files on your O: (department) and H: (home) shares

11. Outlook Web Access • Of all the methods of getting to e-mail, Outlook Web Access launches fastest • To launch Outlook Web Access, go to http://outlook.towson.edu

12. Virtual Workspace • This takes more time to load and you have to install a little piece of software the first time (the Citrix Client) • You need Local Administrator Rights to install the Citrix Client, so this is usually not an option for a public computer • You should choose Virtual Workspace when you need to get to files on your O: (department) share or H: (home) share • You can use Virtual Workspace on a Mac

13. Virtual Workspace • To launch Virtual Workspace, go to http://vw.towson.edu • Notice the Self-Help Documents section; read this to get started

14. Installed E-Mail Programs • Microsoft Office Outlook is installed on Windows computers in university offices, classrooms, and labs • It provides the most functionality but mail is stored locally on the computer and can be a risk in classroom and lab computers; Outlook Web Access again is preferred • To launch Outlook, click on the desktop icon • Entourage is provided on university-owned Mac systems; it provides similar functionality to Outlook

15. E-Mail Enabled Phones • Be very cautious; smart phones are easily lost or stolen—and e-mail and attachments can mean exposure of sensitive or confidential information • University support is limited to providing configuration settings only for personally owned devices; it’s up to you and your cellular provider for all other support • Click to see the Faculty/Staff Help Center for configuration details or paste this address into another browser window:http://www.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/support/facultystaff/configuringsmartphones.asp

16. Sending E-Mail to Students • If you are communicating to one student, you can use your regular Towson University e-mail account and include the student in the TO line. • Students are always addressed as NetID@students.towson.edu • When sending to all students in a class section, you have three options: • In approximate order of popularity, these “class” e-mail options include: • Distribution lists • Blackboard • PeopleSoft

17. Class E-Mail: Distribution Lists To send e-mail using a class distribution list (OTS creates these automatically): • Open your e-mail application and type your own e-mail address into the TO line (you’re sending it TO yourself) • In the BCC line, type in the course section address using our special format described below. You may need to set an option in your e-mail application to force it to show the BCC line.

18. Class E-Mail: Distribution Lists • Here's an example address: 1102COSC175101@towson.edu. You'll need to modify the address for your own particular course section.

19. Class E-Mail: Distribution Lists Here's how we build the class e-mail address step-by-step: 1: Always start with a "1" (this is the century digit) 110: Add the two-digit year; this example is based on 2008 1102: Add the term code digit; this example is based on fall which is "4“ (1=minimester, 2=spring, 3=summer, 4=fall) 1102COSC: Add the subject code 1102COSC175: Add the course number 1102COSC175101: Add the section number 1102COSC175101@towson.eduFinally, add the @towson.edu

20. Class E-Mail: Blackboard • Login to Blackboard and navigate to your course • Open the course’s Blackboard Control Panel:

21. Class E-Mail: Blackboard • Select “Send E-Mail” in the Course Tools section:

22. Class E-Mail: Blackboard 4. Choose one of the send mail options:

23. Class E-Mail: Blackboard 5. Fill in the e-mail message screen:

24. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft • Login to PeopleSoft/Towson Online Services from the portal: https://mytu.towson.edu

25. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft 2. Select Faculty Center from the PeopleSoft “applet” group:

26. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft 2. You can also use the old portal http://inside.towson.edu and enter PeopleSoft under the Towson Online Services bar on the far right:

27. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft 3. Navigate to Self-Service > Faculty Center > Class Roster. Click the green Change Class button if needed to choose your course section:

28. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft • Select the student(s) you want to notify by checking the box in frontof their name. You can also click Notify All at the bottom of the list:

29. Class E-Mail: PeopleSoft 4. Compose and send your e-mail message:

30. Next Steps • Call us: 410-704-5151 2+2+2 on the voice mail menu for general help with e-mail • Read our self-help documents and resources on e-mail: http://www.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/trainingdoc/selfhelpdoc.asp • For planned or scheduled maintenance with e-mail, follow the Daily Digest:http://www.towson.edu/applications/dailydigest

31. Office of Technology Services Contributing to the success of Towson University through the development, maintenance, and support of technology