University of Wisconsin-Platteville administration conducted a survey to decide whether or not they should continue their contract with Zimbra, the current email provider for the university.

Students and faculty received a link to the survey via email on Sept. 24.

“What we are trying to find out is how students use their email and what is important to them while using an emailing system,” said Matthew Roberts, special assistant to the vice chancellor for administrative services

UW-Platteville chose Zimbra in 2009, following The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee which had Zimbra as its primary campus email.

The contract between UW-Platteville and Zimbra expires in August 2014.

Roberts, who is in charge of the emailing project, is looking into other options, including Google and Microsoft Office 365. He said he hoped the survey could help determine which option is best for the UW-Platteville campus.

With a total of 2,225 participants, the survey consisted of 1,570 Platteville students and 655 faculty/staff.

Ninty-seven percent of faculty and 86 percent of students said they use their UW-Platteville email address.

A fault that Roberts said he is looking into is that in the current system students cannot keep their @uwplatt.edu address once they no longer attend the university.  This is something that Roberts incorporated into the survey.

The results concluded that 64 percent of students and 48 percent of faculty said it was extremely important, very important or important to keep their current @uwplatt.edu email address.

The survey has been closed, but students, staff and faculty can stll attend three open sessions about the project.  The sessions will include presentations from representatives of various emailing companies and an opportunity to try out other systems. Students, staff and faculty can also ask questions and give their feedback.

Full survey results are posted on the project’s website at uwplatt.edu/project-email. This website also contains information about current and alternative emailing options and open session dates. Upcoming sessions will be in the University South Room in the MPSC on Oct. 29 from 6-7:30 p.m., Oct. 30 from 2–3:30 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 9:30–11 a.m.