When Bucks decided to switch
the student e-mail system to Gmail
this semester, they thought students
would start checking it on a
regular basis.
They thought wrong.
According to Elizabeth Kulick,
assistant dean of enrollment services,
students simply aren’t checking
their college e-mails.
“Currently, under 3 percent of
students are opening their college
e-mails,” said Kulick.
But a Centurion source said it’s
even fewer than that. According to
the source, out of 10,210 e-mails
sent out to students in late August,
a mere 14 were viewed.
So in an effort to get students to
use their college e-mail, the college
has sent out a letter strongly advising
all students to login.
The letter, which contains
important information about the
spring 2008 semester, advises all
students to check their student email.
It also reminds students that
the school no longer uses traditional
mail to communicate, and that
printed registration materials will
not be mailed.
All information regarding registration,
advising and academic
status can only be accessed
through student e-mail, the notice
said.
In other words, if you want to
register for the spring semester,
check your Bucks e-mail or you’re
out of luck.
According to Kulick, students
are responsible for checking their
e-mails.
“The e-mails are considered the
college’s official method of communication
because it is convenient
and delivers information in a
timely yet cost-effective manner,”
said Kulick.
Stephanie Anderson, 22, a psychology
major from Fairless Hills,
said she likes Gmail, but admitted
she hasn’t used her student e-mail
yet. The reason?
“I already have a Gmail account,
and that’s the e-mail my friends and
family know about,” said Anderson.
While it might be inconvenient
for Anderson to switch her information
over, she admitted that she
will at least start signing in, for the
sake of staying informed.
“Obviously if there’s important
information being sent there, then
I’ll have to start checking it out
more frequently,” she added.
Angela Gouvia, 24, a liberal arts
major from Langhorne, said she
checks her e-mail, but she’s not
happy with the usernames the
school selected for the students,
which are simply student numbers.
“I will check my student e-mail at
least once a week, but I don’t use it
because I can’t choose the name I
want to use,” said Gouvia.
While some students remain
unsatisfied with the usernames that
the school has assigned, they
should at least sign in, just to stay
current with the school.
Students can sign into their emails
and obtain further information
by visiting:
http://mail.google.com/a/student.
bucks.edu
Kulick said, “It is our goal to
expand the range of services that
Bucks will be able to offer, and permit
many more college transactions
to be conducted through email
and the internet.”