Despite improvements to Webmail last week, students are still considering alternatives to Duke’s email server.
Duke Student Government unanimously approved a resolution in support of transitioning from Webmail to Google Apps for Education. The new system would utilize Gmail as its email server while also giving students and faculty access to Google Calendar, Google Documents, Google Chat and other Google services.
“[Switching to Google Apps] would save us a lot of money because it would be free, and right now we’re currently paying for Webmail service,” said senior Christina Lieu, vice president for athletics, services and the environment. “[It would also] help facilitate collaboration and communication among students and faculty.”
About 43 percent of Duke students already forward their Webmail messages to a different email address, and 36 percent of the student body forward their email to Gmail specifically, The Chronicle previously reported.
Lieu said switching to Google Apps would not compromise the security of Duke’s email system.
In other business:
The Senate passed a “903 Resolution” recognizing Mike Krzyzewski, men’s basketball head coach, on his 903rd win Tuesday night against Michigan State University. The resolution was met with applause from the Senate.
DSG also approved a $10,000 grant to the Duke Marketing Club for its “Heroes and Villains” Library Party. The party will be hosted Feb. 25 in Perkins and Bostock libraries. The grant passed by a hand vote, which resulted from sophomore Fedja Pavlovic, senator for residential life and dining, who objected to spending $10,000 on a social event.
DSG approved a $525 grant to the Million Meals event for advertisements and one plaza board for its Jan. 11 service event in the Freeman Center for Jewish Life. The event, which usually takes place at Southern High School, is part of the Durham and regional affairs committee’s ongoing effort to facilitate student engagement in the Durham community, according to a DSG budgetary statute.
Know Your Status, an organization that offers free HIV tests to college students, will receive funding to bring an HIV-positive jazz musician to the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture. The musician will perform and then speak about his experiences as an HIV-positive musician.
The Duke Investment Club was granted funding to bring Dale Carnegie to campus as a guest speaker. Carnegie is the author of the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
The Senate also discussed the selection process for this year’s commencement speaker, journalist Fareed Zakaria. Senators noted the possibility of reforming next year’s selection process in hopes of increasing student input.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.