Recommendations for removing IFAS e-mail aliases:

• Status: approved by ICC 11/9/2007

 

• Background:
  

  Supporting multiple e-mail aliases was part of the plan negotiated with IFAS administration in our transition to using GatorLinkUsername@ufl.edu as our official business e-mail address format [see IMM 6C1-6.150-4 "UF/IFAS; Electronic Mail (E-Mail)"]. Consequently, nearly all our user accounts have multiple aliases including:

  • oldIFASDOMusername@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
  • oldIFASDOMusername@ifas.ufl.edu
  • GatorLinkUsername@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
  • GatorLinkUsername@ifas.ufl.edu
  • GatorLinkUsername@ad.ufl.edu
  • GatorlinkUsername@my.ifas.ufl.edu

  From a technical standpoint, only the last of these is necessary; the remainder cover one of two issues.

1. They allow e-mail to continue to be received from addresses which existed prior to December 2005.
2. Those containing "ifas" provide for “branding” within the e-mail address.

From a practical standpoint, users receive spam messages to all these various addresses. Support personnel are often asked to explain why these aliases exist and why a user might be getting messages sent to an address which they were not even aware existed and may not wish to have. While some support the branding issue, addresses with “IFAS” are longer and difficult to relate verbally due to the similarity of the “F” and “S” sounds.

Now that GatorLink usernames have been lengthened to 16 characters, those preferring their “oldIFASDOMusername” or some other more suitable name, may request a one-time change [subject to availability].

• Recommendations:

To assist completion of our e-mail address transition, the ICC recommends the following.

1. All new accounts should be created only with technically necessary aliases.
2. IFAS IT should provide a means for individuals to view and opt-out of technically unnecessary aliases.
3. Administration should designate an official deadline for final transition to the GatorLinkUsername@ufl.edu format—after which removal of additional aliases will be implemented with an opt-out allowance for those opposed.
• Dissent:

On item #3 Dan Cromer expressed the concern that the Senior Vice-President and Deans wanted old addresses to work indefinitely. Even though the e-mail transition occurred two years ago, Dan didn't think there is sentiment to require a date certain for change to only “@ufl.edu”. Likewise, Dan thinks there will still be sentiment among some people to allow an option to have an “@ifas.ufl.edu” address. Steve Lasley's response to the latter is to note the recommended allowance for an opt-out from final alias removal.

• Action:

  Steve Lasley will take this ICC recommendation to the November ITPAC meeting for presentation to administration.