Pima Community College

Gmail@PCC Answers

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Introduction: Gmail@PCC

1. What is Gmail@PCC?
PCC students use a customized version of Google’s e-mail system (Gmail).  Click on the Gmail@PCC icon at the top of any MyPima screen to access your PCC Gmail account.  PCC employees (faculty and staff) currently use Exchange (Outlook) as their official e-mail tool but will be transitioning to Gmail in Spring 2015.  Employee email addresses will not change as part of this transition.

Student email addresses are:  username@mail.pima.edu (where username is your existing MyPima user name)
After transitioning to Gmail, employee email addresses will remain the same:  username@pima.edu (where username is your MyPima user name)

2. What is Docs?
Google’s online productivity and collaboration tools (Google docs) will be available to students and employees. You can create documents, spreadsheets and presentations using this tool, and can share them with others if you are working on a team project.  Files can be exported in a variety of formats, including Microsoft Office and PDF.  Click on the Docs icon at the top of any MyPima screen, or access “Documents” from your e-mail home page.

3. Are other services included in Gmail@PCC?
In addition to the new e-mail system and Docs, Google Talk (IM/Chat) and a personal calendar are included in this new suite of tools.  This is a personal calendar and is separate from the Course/Group calendars provided in MyPima.

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4. When do I get my account?
New students receive their Gmail@PCC account shortly after completing the online admissions application..  Adult Education students will receive accounts when they are added to MyPima by Adult Educaiton staff.  Your Gmail@PCC account is retained for 3 years following your last semester of attendance.

5. How do I log in to Gmail@PCC or Docs?
First, log in to MyPima.  Then click on the Gmail@PCC icon at the top of the screen to access your student e-mail account.  Docs is available to students by clicking on the Docs icon.

6. What if I already have a personal Gmail or Google account?
Your Gmail@PCC account and your personal Google account are completely separate.


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7. What policies apply to using the Gmail at PCC and Docs?
The following policies apply to the use of this system:

8. What should I know about security and privacy?
The use of these systems is covered by the Google Privacy Policy. Google, not PCC, provides security and privacy of content and communication.  PCC is not responsible for security or privacy of content and communication in your Google account.

You are responsible for your own personal information. PCC encourages you to use caution when sharing any personal information, including your phone number, location and class schedule.

Your name and PCC e-mail address will be visible to all users with whom you share documents or calendars. Please use caution when sharing documents, especially with users outside Pima.

Faculty and staff must be aware of the following caveats when exploring the use of Google tools with colleagues or students.

9. When will Google add new features to the system?
Google updates their applications on a regular basis and often does so without notification; PCC will not be able to let you know beforehand. All applications should be considered Google's property and any feature requests should be directed to Google and not PCC Information Technology staff.  Google posts information on new features on its blog:  googleappsupdates.blogspot.com/.

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Student e-mail (Gmail@PCC)

10. Will mail be migrated from the old student e-mail system to the new system?
Existing e-mail messages will be migrated to Gmail@PCC, usually into the same folders that you had used in the earlier e-mail system.

11. Can I continue to use the old student e-mail system?
No.  The old student e-mail system will be taken out-of-service once the migration has been completed.

12. What will the new student e-mail address be?  Will mail be forwarded from the old address?
The new address will be:  username@mail.pima.edu (where username is your existing MyPima user name).  E-mail will be forwarded from your previous student e-mail address (students.pima.edu) to this new address.

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13. Can I forward my PCC e-mail to another account?
You decide whether or not you would like to use your Gmail@PCC (@mail.pima.edu)  account or forward mail sent to your Gmail@PCC account to an outside account at your own risk.  See Google's Forwarding Email page.

14. I am an employee who is also a student.  Where will I receive my e-mail?
You will receive most of your e-mail in your Outlook account.  It is suggested that you forward your Gmail@PCC e-mail to your Outlook account so that you don't miss the few messages that may be sent directly to your Gmail@PCC account.  See Google's Forwarding Email page. [When testing forwarding, first set the forward to Outlook then send email from an external account to your Gmail@PCC account.]

15. I’m a Federal Work Study student.  Where will I find my e-mail:  in Outlook or Gmail?
Federal Work Study students will receive e-mail in their Outlook account for the duration of their employment.

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16. What e-mail address will display within MyPima?
E-mail sent from MyPima and e-mail addresses displayed in MyPima will display the “@pima.edu” address for employees and the “@mail.pima.edu” address for students.

17. How do I find student/faculty e-mail addresses?
Gmail@PCC does not have an integrated address book.  You can send e-mail to classmates or your instructor through the normal links/checkboxes provided in your MyPima Course Homepage.  This mail will be correctly delivered to their Gmail@PCC or faculty mailbox.  If you want to collaborate on documents with specific classmates, you will need to ask them for their username so that you can share documents with them.

18. Can I log in to my student e-mail without going through MyPima?
No, you must log in to MyPima to access your student e-mail account.

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19. Will Gmail be used in D2L, or will that e-mail system remain separate?
Students and faculty using D2L will continue to use that e-mail system for course-related e-mail.  They also will receive general student and employee accounts for use in non-D2L classes and other purposes.

20. Can I access my student e-mail using a mobile device?
Yes, you can configure many mobile devices to access your Gmail@PCC account. Your user name should be entered as username@mail.pima.edu (where username is your MyPima username) and use your MyPima password.  See Google’s Mobile help page. 

21. Can I access my student e-mail using another e-mail client?
Yes, some other e-mail clients are supported.  Your username should be entered as username@mail.pima.edu (where username is your MyPima username) and use your MyPima password.  See Google’s Supported IMAP Client List.

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22. What are the limitations on file sizes for my Google e-mail account?
You can send and receive mail messages up to 25 MB in size, including attachments.   Your mailbox quota is 7GB.

Docs

23. Can all faculty use Docs with their students?
Some employees may receive a Gmail@PCC account in addition to their employee Outlook account due to their role as a student at Pima.  Faculty and staff members without a student role can explore Google Apps by acquiring a personal account through Google.   Faculty and staff must be aware of the following caveats when exploring the use of Google tools with students.

24. Can material created in Docs be uploaded to Course Homepages?
Yes.  Export the files from Docs as a Microsoft Office, PDF or other file type identified by your faculty member.  Some formatting may be lost during the process.

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25. Can Docs be integrated into Course Homepages so that it is easy to collaborate with classmates?
Not at this time.

26. Are there limitations on file sizes for Docs?

How do I use…

27.  Is there online help available on using Gmail@PCC, Docs and the personal calendar?
Use these links to get help from the Google Web site:

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