Dear Colleagues,

We have come to know over the years that organizations thrive when people are able to communicate effectively and collaborate efficiently. However, when campus groups are using different tools for work, this can be difficult to achieve.

To address challenges in interorganizational communication and collaboration and to further streamline campus technology, Information Technology Solutions (ITS) is pleased to announce that starting in June 2024, UCR Staff will have the option to migrate to R’Mail to join faculty and students in the same platform.

Through R’Mail, all organizations on campus have the option to migrate to Google’s email and calendaring services to join the same platform as faculty and students. Historically, staff have used Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Calendar, while students and faculty utilize R’Mail tools. However, utilizing a robust common email and calendar tool improves the user experience by:

•    Helping campus users connect with each other more easily using names and NetIDs 

•    Making collaboration more seamless by giving users the choice to share their calendar availability with any staff, faculty, or student 

•    Providing increased security to protect users from spam, viruses, and phishing attacks

Even with the availability of R’Mail services to staff, it is important to note that Microsoft productivity tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and OneDrive are not going away. These will remain available to departments currently subscribed to Microsoft 365. Historical email and calendar data in Outlook will also remain intact.

ORG leaders interested in exploring the option to move their staff to R’Mail may contact rmailservices@ucr.edu to learn more and request a consultation. ITS’ email and calendaring experts are happy to discuss your organization’s specific needs and answer any questions you may have about utilizing these services.