Student and Alumni Email Forwarding FAQ

CWL and Student Information

Student and Alumni Email Forwarding Service

Using the Student and Alumni Email Forwarding Service

 

CWL and Student Information

How do I get a CWL account?

All UBC students can sign up for a Standard Campus Wide Login account online at our CWL website . You must have a valid UBC student number in order to sign up for a Standard CWL account.

What do I do if I forgot my CWL account information?

If you have forgotten your CWL password, you can reset your CWL password if you know the answers to your Password Recovery Questions you set when you created your account.

To reset your password:

  • Go to https://www.cwl.ubc.ca/myAccount
  • Click on "Forgot Your Password?" link below the login box
  • Type in your CWL username and click "Continue".
  • Enter in the answers to the three questions listed.
    • Note: If your secret question is not displayed, it is because your account was created before the password reset procedure was revised. Please contact the UBC IT Service Centre to go over the question(s) or seek assistance.

If you have forgotten your CWL username, please contact the UBC IT Service Centre for assistance.

I'm alumni and can't remember my UBC student information. What do I do?

If you do not know your UBC student number or are having trouble signing up for a CWL online, contact UBC Student Services to get help with retrieving your UBC student information.

What if I already have a UBC Alumni Email Forwarding address?

Students and alumni who already have first.last@alumni.ubc.ca alumni email forwarding do not have to do anything. The Student and Alumni Email Forwarding service will keep your current destination email address.

What if I already have a UBC Interchange account?

Students who already have an active Netinfo/Interchange email account may continue to use those accounts, but must be aware that UBC is planning on decommissioning the Netinfo/Interchange email service.

 

Student and Alumni Email Forwarding Service

Which students are eligible for this service?

Current and past students are eligible for this service. "Student" is defined in section 1 of the University Act and includes those enrolled for undergraduate or graduate studies, enrolled in a course for academic credit, and Medical Residents.

"student" means a person who is presently enrolled at a university in a credit course or who is designated by resolution of the senate as a student;
http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/2010/08/University_Act_20091106.pdf

Why is the University considering this change?

As UBC was considering the lifecycle of student email as a service, the types of services students have become accustomed to, and the available underlying technologies, industry leaders such as Microsoft and Google were in a position to provide solutions superior to what UBC or other providers could develop. Email is considered "utility" computing. It is a mature, well-established essential service. Also, we want students to enjoy the value of an email address that lives on beyond their tenure at UBC.

Is the UBC aliasing service secure?

The security of any email, including UBC aliasing, depends on the level of encryption adopted by both the sender and the recipient. While UBC aliasing service uses the mail relays located on the Vancouver Campus, email travels across the Internet, which is an open channel.

Is my email secure?

Email is, by nature, not secure. While in transit, email is often unencrypted and could be intercepted. Recipients may not have secure storage, or show proper discretion in forwarding email. You should always assume email is not private. This is true for all email services.

If you are using the UBC email forwarding service, your email is only as secure as your destination email account.

 

Using the Student and Alumni Email Forwarding Service

As a student, do I have to use the UBC Student and Alumni Email Forwarding service?

No, this is an optional service.

What happens when I graduate?

You can keep your @alumni.ubc.ca address for life, even after graduation from UBC.

What if I don't graduate?

Don't worry. Even if you don't graduate, as long as you depart on good terms, we encourage you to share your affiliation with UBC with pride.

I am not yet "Alumni". Shouldn't this be different while I am a student?

Most students graduate after only a few years and a @student.ubc.ca email address becomes obsolete. We wanted to provide you with an address that would be useful to you, not only while you are at UBC, but long after you have graduated. Your @alumni.ubc.ca address represents your lifelong relationship with UBC.

Why can't I have first.last@ubc.ca rather than @alumni.ubc.ca?

@ubc.ca is an email address that indicates someone is speaking with the authority of a UBC employee. It is a temporary address that exists only while employed at the university. Mail sent to @ubc.ca can be managed to different retention and destruction levels than personal email.

@alumni.ubc.ca indicates a personal email. As a subdomain of ".ubc.ca" it demonstrates a clear affiliation with the university without speaking on behalf of the university. It is a lifelong address for all students and alumni of UBC. "alumni" data is personal and is managed as the user sees fit.

Can I choose my own @alumni.ubc.ca email address?

Yes, you can choose from a short list of suggested email addresses, or create your own as long it complies with the basic format and acceptable use policy. If you choose to create your own email address, or if the email address you wish to create is already in use, it is recommended that you try and follow the first.last@alumni.ubc.ca naming convention as best as you can. You can also try adding a number such as your graduation year to the end of your address, e.g. first.last.2011@alumni.ubc.ca.

You may also change your UBC email adddress at any time after you have verified your email address and destination.

Can I have more than one @alumni.ubc.ca email address?

No. Users are limited to one @alumni.ubc.ca email address at a time.

Will I have continued access to my Interchange account mailbox?

Interchange mailboxes will still be accessible for a while longer. Even once the Interchange email service is gone your Interchange email address will be preserved, but you will need to forward it to your first.last@alumni.ubc.ca email forwarding address for this to happen.

In anticipation of Interchange being decommissioned, students should redirect Interchange mail to their first.last@alumni.ubc.ca address:

  1. Set up your first.last@alumni.ubc.ca email forwarding address
  2. Log in to the Interchange Manage Your Account website and click on "forward your e-mail"
  3. On that page,
    • Set the Status to "Enabled"
    • Enter your new first.last@alumni.ubc.ca email address
    • Ensure that "Retain a copy of all forwarded messages" is not checked, and
    • Click "Update Settings"

What will happen to my existing Interchange or Alumni Email Forwarding address?

Alumni addresses will continue to function in the new Student and Alumni Email Forwarding service, while Interchange accounts will remain untouched.

Can I set my Reply-To name to my new @alumni.ubc.ca address?

Some webmail and desktop/mobile email clients allow you to change your Reply-To email address. Some common email clients are below. Please check with your service provider or email client software supplier for further information:

Client User can set Reply-To
Webmail Clients
Interchange N
Gmail Y
Hotmail Y
Yahoo N
Telus Y
Shaw Y
Desktop and Mobile Clients
Microsoft Outlook Y
Apple Mac Mail Y
Mozilla Thunderbird Y
iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) N
Android N

What if I sign up for first.last@alumni.ubc.ca, and someone else signs up for firstlast@alumni.ubc.ca?

While a few email service providers ignore "dots" in email addresses so that first.last@service.com is the same address as firstlast@service.com, the UBC Student and Alumni Email Forwarding Service follows the more standard practice of recognising dots. In cases where users have similar email addresses differing only by dots, email addresses will be treated differently, e.g., first.last@alumni.ubc.ca will be an entirely separate email address from firstlast@alumni.ubc.ca.

This is mail forwarding only. What if I want an actual Mailbox?

UBC is still keen to provide a mailbox service and is considering options to do so. Even so, a mailbox service won't be available until 2012. Note: There is a Netinfo/Interchange email service. It has limited functionality and is retiring soon BUT if you absolutely require a UBC email box, visit our Netinfo/Interchange page.


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