ITS started moving its own departmental folders to a combination of Dropbox and Google Drive late last week, and tomorrow the Library and Archives will begin the same process. As early adopters, these departments will test the transition process and begin the campus-wide conversation about best practices, tips, and tricks.
Since we expect that the departments on campus will use the various file storage options quite differently, the process of moving from COLLAB to Dropbox and/or Google Drive will involve much more tailored information sharing than the Zimbra-to-Gmail process involved. Much of the information you hear will come to you from your department’s File Management Steward, who will work closely with ITS to develop a plan for your department’s transition.
Meanwhile, pre-migration training for the transition to Gmail and Google Calendar is well underway. Here is a list of scheduled training sessions. Faculty and Departmental Assistants will get their Gmail accounts on June 9th, so if you’re in that group come to one of our upcoming training sessions to learn about Gmail and Google Calendar. Even those early adopters who have used Gmail and Google Calendar for years have reported that these training sessions are useful, so come over to CMC110 and join your colleagues in preparing for the move to Gmail!
And finally, we’re gathering a whole year’s worth of “Tips of the Week” for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Did you know you can set up your calendar so that students can sign up for pre-defined appointment slots? Or that you can filter emails from your aunt to a special space that only appears on your screen if there’s a new message to read? Watch this space!