Office 365 benefits include larger email quota, full Office Suite access
Monday, August 3, 2015
Written by: Nicole Riehl Dahya

A forthcoming upgrade to the university’s email system will soon give UI faculty and staff access to many exciting new features. Non-healthcare-provided email accounts will be upgraded to Microsoft Office 365 by the end of the calendar year.

Benefits of the upgrade include:

  • 50 times larger email quota (from 1 GB to 50 GB).
  • 1TB of cloud file storage through OneDrive (current home drives are 25 GB). You can access files from anywhere, sync across all devices, and share files and folders with co-workers.
  • Each employee can install the full Office Suite for free on up to five personal computers/devices.
  • Optional use of online Office apps (Excel, Word, Power Point, & OneNote) for easy collaboration.
  • Seamless integration with instant messaging, video conferencing, and online meetings.
  • Office 365 is compatible with smartphones and mobile devices, or accessible by web.
  • If you continue using desktop versions of Microsoft applications, like Outlook, your experience won’t change.
  • Security is a key requirement, and the UI negotiated strong contractual agreements with Microsoft, including a Business Associates Agreement to cover HIPAA data.

UI students moved to Office 365 two years ago, and have had positive feedback on the change. Expanding the service to employees will unify everyone into the same modern user experience. The plan is to migrate employees unit by unit, in a logical progression. Information Technology Services will migrate in early August, followed by groups that volunteered to be early adopters. ITS and local support staff will be in touch with details as the time for your unit’s move nears.

Cloud email is a major trend, with companies like Microsoft and Google now offering high-quality email services to universities and corporations. Microsoft has more than 20 million cloud service users in education, and the UI is joining the growing number of schools, such as Nebraska, Duke, and Ohio State, that moved or are moving to 365.

Visit the ITS page on Office 365 for more details.

Open forums set for Aug. 6-7

Two upcoming OneIT Listening Posts are open to anyone on campus who has questions about the Office 365 email upgrade, or is interested in other OneIT projects.

  • Thursday, Aug. 6, 3:30-4:30 p.m., S401 Pappajohn Business Building
  • Friday, Aug. 7, 9-10 a.m., 100A (Zopf Auditorium), Pharmacy Building