Editorial : Google’s Gmail would provide better service than SUmail

Students and faculty may have noticed the layout of SUmail changed slightly during the break. Despite constant upgrades to Syracuse University’s email system, each semester the system goes down for several hours, or other complications cause SU to contact Microsoft to help troubleshoot.

Rather than continuing to fix the recurring glitches and interruptions to service, the university should switch to Google’s email system: Gmail. Many universities opt for Gmail, and the system offers a number of functions that work faster and are more accessible than the ones in the current Microsoft SUmail system.

During times of bad Internet connection, SUmail is often difficult to access. But Gmail has an HTML format that allows users to access their basic email even with a weak Internet connection. One of Google’s focuses is usability, thus Gmail offers a more navigable and simple interface.

Gmail also offers easy-to-use functions and extra features that would be useful to campus groups: classes, group projects, extracurricular clubs, academic departments and University Senate, among many other campus activities. One incredibly useful function Gmail offers is Google Documents, which allows different users to access, view and edit the same document or spreadsheet simultaneously. Microsoft offers a less advanced, slower and hidden documents function. But Google Documents would easily facilitate sharing course readers, instantly updating syllabi, live student discussion and more. There’s no reason to put up with a frustrating interface when there’s an alternative.