EDITORIAL: New email system a source of confusion, frustration

Throughout the summer the university made numerous changes to various aspects that affected students and faculty alike.

It’s important for USD to keep up to date with technology and other trends that our fellow competitors use. These yearly changes to campus are not something new for us students. However, open communication to the USD community needs to be stronger.

This past summer USD finally made a switch to a different email system. A change that needed to be made for overall easier email use.

By all means the change was a great idea, but the steps leading up to the change were not the best for anyone a part of the USD community.

It was smart to make the switch during the summer months when USD email is not used as often by students and faculty. However, more preparation, before school ended last May needed to be available to students and teachers.

During the summer it seemed one day email was working the same as it always worked, and then all of a sudden it stopped.

A majority of students were not prepared or even aware, such a change was being made. This created a little bit of chaos for students who were starting to receive scholarship and financial aid emails.

The email switch also left students in the dark to reset their USD email back to the mobile devices. No USD aid or help was sent to help students with the problems that were occurring.

This sudden summer switch could have been easily been handled with more direct communication between theuniversity and students.

Looking forward, the new email system is a strong upgrade from what was presently in use. However, more communication about big changes such as this needs to take place in various outlets.

The worst of the change has now passed, and for the most part, USD deserves credit for making the switch.

Just next time, a few more warnings in advance would make an enormous

difference.