On Dec. 30, Metro State will update the campus-wide portal system, MetroConnect. As part of the upgrade, the college will get a new e-mail system that promises faster performance and more features.

The change is being made based on feedback from Metro users, explains Ben Zastrocky, director of web services. "The performance and features enhancements will better meet the needs of our constituents."

In addition to faster sending and retrieval of e-mail, the new system will allow users to sort messages and conduct robust e-mail searches. Because the system is Web-based, it also permits people to send and receive e-mail from remote locations using their regular address books, which will reside on the Web. Faculty and staff members who are accustomed to using Microsoft Outlook on campus will still have that option.

While the new system has a different look and feel, Zastrocky says, it's very intuitive and easy to use. "The interface is different, but after a few minutes, people should feel comfortable using it. It's pretty straight forward."

The new e-mail system goes live Dec. 30.

Prepare to migrate!
If you are using Outlook and want your existing e-mail contacts loaded into the new portal e-mail system, here's what you do:

• Click here and follow the instructions. http://www.mscd.edu/metroconnect/helpdocs/pdf/importingContacts.pdf
  
• Export your contact list using the above link by Dec. 24.

Users who don't send their contact lists to MetroConnect by Dec. 24 will have to manually input their contact addresses one at a time once the new e-mail system has deployed.