Technology Updates

Using Google for Student Email.  At the CEC meeting on October 17, ITS offered an information item about exploring possibilities with Google. At that time, CEC embraced the idea and asked for more details at a future date. Today’s action item makes specific recommendations about how email accounts will be assigned and used.  It is recommended that MCCCD enter into an agreement with Google to provide each credit student with an email account for official communication.  It is further recommended that for consistency, the account be associated with each student’s Enterprise ID, and it reside in the maricopa.edu domain.  Students will be responsible for official correspondence sent to this account.

The service with Google is anticipated to be free of charge. Maricopa’s incremental costs are associated with building and maintaining interfaces. While some hardware will be required, existing ITS budgets can absorb these nominal costs. Timing of implementation is not yet determined, but must wait until after SIS go-live. Contractual terms and conditions are under review. Email for employees is not addressed by this proposal, but may be considered separately.

By consensus, CEC approved the recommendation to move forward with the agreement with Google.

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Microsoft Software for

 Employee

Purchase 9/14/07

We are pleased to announce that the contract between Maricopa Community Colleges and Microsoft has been extended to allow employees to purchase Microsoft software at a substantial discount.   Software such as Windows Vista, Office 2007 Standard, Professional and Enterprise, Mac Office 2004, SharePoint Designer 2007, OneNote 2007, Project Professional 2007, and Visio Professional 2007 are all available for employees to purchase.   Except for MS-Project all of these packages cost under $100.Purchasing the software is through an outsourced company, already in use by Rio for their student purchase program, called eAcademy.  Employees of Maricopa log into the District’s forms site http://doforms.riosalado.edu/ (authentication is a requirement of the contract) then click on the tab labeled Microsoft.   Follow the instructions on the screen to be transferred to eAcademy’s web site and the software purchase program. (You may notice the Rio Salado logo, but will also note that it is being served from an eAcademy URL.)We can all be appreciative of the efforts of Rio Salado College to make this process available to Maricopa. The best way we can say “thank you” to them is to realize that support for this process comes from eAcademy!   Here is a blurb from the website:If you’re experiencing difficulty with the purchase process or wish to check on the delivery status of your order, please contact support@e-academy.com and include your full name, email address and order information.

All the best,  
Darrel Huish   Chief Information Officer
Information Technology Services
Maricopa Community Colleges
Work: 480-731-8102
Assistant: t.summers@domail.maricopa.edu 
480-784-0520