Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will the better BearMail be available?
A: August 1, 2008 is the anticipated date for debuting the new and improved BearMail system.
Q: Will my e-mail address change?
A: E-mail addresses will likely change from the current blue.unco.edu format but messages addressed to your old address will automatically forward to your new address. The new address will still contain “unco.edu” but will likely use a word other than “blue,” depending on which vendor is selected.
Q: Can I still access my BearMail account from both Ursa and the BearMail portal?
A: For students’ convenience, both ways of accessing BearMail will be maintained.
Q: Will BearMail still be a web-based system?
A: Yes, but it will be hosted by a different vendor than iPlanet, which currently hosts the BearMail system.
Q: Why is there no automatic forwarding feature on the new BearMail system?
A: Experience has shown that e-mail messages automatically forwarded from BearMail to students’ accounts at Yahoo, Google, Hotmail and other third-party providers frequently are blocked by spam filters and students never see the messages. Keeping e-mails within UNC’s communication infrastructure greatly reduces the risk of students not receiving important information on topics ranging from the availability of electronic monthly bills (see below) and financial aid, to class cancellations and changes in assignments. Additionally, e-mail will be one of several methods used to communicate critical information to members of the campus community in the event of a major emergency.
Q: Can I get an exemption from not being able to automatically forward all my BearMail messages to an alternate account or have university-related e-mails sent to an alternate account?
A: No. BearMail is the official e-mail account of all UNC students and the standard account used by faculty and university offices to communicate with you. You should check your BearMail frequently for important messages related to your attendance at the university.
Q: Will I still be warned when my account gets close to the maximum quota of stored messages and attachments?
A: You’ll still receive warnings when your account approaches its maximum quota, but because the quota will be significantly larger than it is in the current BearMail, you won’t receive warnings nearly as often.
Q: How big can attachments in my e-mail be? What's the maximum message size allowed?
A: Although it may vary slightly by vendor, most new web-based e-mail systems allow 10MB in attachments and up to 50 attachments per e-mail message.
Q: How will students be picked to provide input about the new BearMail?
A: Student input will be solicited through the Student Representative Council, the Graduate Student Association and the Information Technology Committee.