Introducing the New Vmail from the University of Virginia and Google

In 2008, the University of Virginia began partnering with Google and Microsoft to provide the student and alumni email services. These are permanent accounts that students will keep after graduation and they will never expire. Before this change, graduating students lost all the information stored in folders if they did not move it elsewhere. The Alumni Association's HoosOnline offered email forwarding for life with an "@alumni.virginia.edu" address. But with this new partnership between UVa and Google, alumni now can have permanent email accounts through UVa Gmail, or Vmail for short. This service is free to any alumni.

The transition for incoming and current students began immediately but it was not until Summer 2009 that the alumni transition began. Everyone with a registered HoosOnline account and email forwarding aliases were notified. The first email was sent on August 27 letting everyone know that the transition was taking place. The email advised them to log on to the HoosOnline site to set up the Vmail accounts. The email forwarding service would cease on September 9, 2009 and people who had not created a Vmail account by then could lose emails somewhere in cyberspace. All alumni with existing HoosOnline accounts (click here to create one) can create multiple accounts at any time by going to the HoosOnline Vmail page to get started.

The benefit of teaming up with Google's Gmail is that all of Google's powerful tools can be used in Vmail. Each account has 7368 megabytes of storage space. Gmail's spam filter is top-notch, this author can attest to that. Beyond the spam filter, users can create their own filters as well. Chats through Google Talk and AOL Instant Messenger are part of the suite. Just like any Gmail account, users have access to Google Calendar, Google Documents, Google Sites, and a personalized customizable start-up page. Picasa Photo Organizer, Google Desktop, and Google Toolbar are more of the powerful tools Vmail has to offer. Gmail's Mail Fetcher allows alumni to check any other email accounts they may have from within Vmail. Conversely, they can check their Vmail accounts through any existing Gmail accounts using Mail Fetcher. They can also send mail from another email address they own. Another option is to use an email program like Outlook, Eudora, or Mail to check Vmail. Vmail is POP and IMAP compatible. IMAP is perfect for people who access their email in different places on different devices because whatever is done on one will show up on all the others. Vmail recommends IMAP if users are going to forego the webmail interface. Email forwarding through Vmail is available as well. The only drawbacks right now are 1) users are unable to change the theme, colors and appearance and 2) none of the Gmail Labs are available. So it would make sense to check the Vmail account through an existing Gmail account to take advantage of those tools.

The University of Virginia and Google have been very generous by offering free email for life to all students and alumni. Gmail is arguably the best webmail provider right now with its outstanding spam filters, customizability, and access to powerful tools like Google Documents. Alumni can consolidate multiple accounts into one Vmail account and make emailing simple again--all with the prestige of an "@alumni.virginia.edu" address.