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Email for Students and M365 for Faculty and Staff

M365 Email For Faculty and Staff

We are pleased to announce that the College of Staten Island will be replacing the current CSI email system (Outlook Exchange) with Microsoft 365 (M365), a cloud-based email system accessible through the cloud.

Currently, you have access to the Office 365 applications where you have the ability to leverage the Microsoft Office 365 for Education suite including OneDrive for Business, SharePoint, Teams, as well as widely used Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. In addition, you have access to 1TB of cloud storage.

The transition to M365 will now provide you access to your email using your CUNYfirst credentials. This will allow CSI to progress closer to a Single Sign On (SSO) environment and eliminate the additional login FLAS credentials for your email account. 

Logging into New System

How do I claim my CUNYfirst account? Instructions are here

How do I log into the new system?  You can log in to the new system either through the web interface or the Outlook client. 

Video Instructions:  

When can I log into the new system? When will the change occur? The mail migration will begin February 17, 2023. It could take anywhere from 1 day to 3 days for all or your current mail to migrate into 365 mailbox. Microsoft 365 Web Access will always be available and is not dependent on client configurations.

Web version (old xch.csi.cuny.edu)

  • How do I access my Office 365 Cloud Mailbox web version? To access your Office 365 cloud mailbox, go to  https://outlook.com/login.cuny.edu  and login using your CUNYfirst Login credentials: FirstName.LastName##@login.cuny.edu (XX being the last 2 or 3 digits of your EMPLID). Please note that you will no longer receive mail in your old CSI mailbox after cutover. You will be able to access the cloud mailbox a few days before cutover. 

Outlook Client

  • Outlook Client – you will need to configure your system to use the Client version.
    • Will l I need to do anything to my current Outlook client    Directions

If you normally use the Microsoft Outlook desktop client to access your email on your office computer, you will need to:

  1. Reboot your computer.
  2. Log back into your Windows desktop.
  3. Wait for the Outlook client to automatically open (if Outlook does not automatically open after 60 seconds, you can manually open it)
  4. On the Welcome to Outlook window, enter your CUNY username and password: (e.g. firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu) and proceed with the Multi Factor Authentication.

     

Reconfigure MAC, iOS or Android Devices

Android Devices: Directions at this link. 

MAC, iOS or Android device users, must be manually re-configured. Microsoft 365 Web Access will always be available and is not dependent on client configurations. To access the web client after the switchover, go to:  https://outlook.com/login.cuny.edu

I am a MAC user, how do I configure my desktop or mobile device?

The following instructions will assist you:

How do I Configure Outlook on a iPhone (iOS 15.7 or higher)? 

 There is an incompatibility between Office 365 and iOS versions 15.7 or higher that requires you to use an email client other than the built in mail app. Follow these steps:

  • Go to the App store and download the Outlook app.
  • Tap on the Outlook icon.
  • Enter your full email address (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu) and CUNYfirst password.
  • Tap Add Account.
  • Enter your email account password and sign in.
  • At this point you may be asked to authenticate.
  • Accept the prompts and swipe through the features.

        Outlook for iOS is now configured on your device.

If you already have the Outlook app configured on your iPhone follow the below steps:

  • Open the Outlook menu.
  • Tap Settings.
  • Tap Add Account.
  • Enter your full email address (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu) and CUNYfirst password.
  • Enter your email account password and sign in.
  • At this point you may be asked to authenticate.
  • Accept the prompts and swipe through the features.

        Outlook for iOS is now configured on your device.

 

Steps for Creating a Rule to Separate Emails for Multiple Affiliations
This rule can only be created in the web version of Outlook.

  • Sign into the web version of Outlook.        
  • Create a new folder:
    • Right-click on Folder
    • Click Create new folder
    • Name the folder, e.g., the name of the other college
  • Click the View tab.                
  • Click the View Settings tab.
  • Click Rules. 
  • Click Add new rule.
  • Type in a name for the rule (Affiliation).
  • Add a Condition:  Select the Recipient address Includes condition from the dropdown.  
  • Enter an email address.
  • Add an Action:  Select Move to from the dropdown.  Select the folder name where you would like the emails to go.
  • Remove the check mark from Stop processing more rules.  
  • If you want previous emails to go to the new folder, check the box next to Run rule now.
  • Click Save.

Any emails sent to the other email address will be moved into the designated folder. 

 

Help, Training & Support

  • When will the documentation be available? Documentation is currently available and continues to be updated and is available in "Resource & Guide" Section of the page.
  • Will training be available? Yes, February training sessions and schedules are in the "Help, Support and Training" tab.

     

Email Account Address Information

  • Will my email address(es) change? No – your email address will not change. You will retain your @csi.cuny.edu for email sent to you.  You will no longer use your CSI Username (FLAS account) credentials to access your email. You will use your CUNYfirst login credentials (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu).  On the date of implementation/cutover, you can only access new content in your M365 account, you will not find new content in the old system.
  • What happens to new email messages addressed to firstname.lastname@csi.cuny.edu before and after the cutover?  All new incoming email addressed to your firstname.lastname email address will ONLY be sent to your cloud mailbox after cutover. You will know that cutover has happened for you when you receive a final email, in your CSI mailbox, stating where to find new messages addressed to you. (To clarify, email sent to your @csi.cuny.edu before cutover will be sent to your CSI Mailbox. Any email sent to your @CSI.cuny.edu after cutover will be sent to your Microsoft hosted Cloud Mailbox.)
  • What happens to new email messages addressed to @mail.csi.cuny.edu after the cutover?  Mail sent to this address will no longer be deliverable.
  • What happens to Departmental accounts?  Departmental accounts will transition into the new system and remain functional.
  • What if I do not have a CUNYfirst account? IT provided Central with a complete list of individuals associated with CSI. These individuals will have email accounts configured in the new system.
  • Can I still send email from my local csi.cuny.edu after the cutover? No. On the date of implementation/cutover, you can only access new content and send email from your Microsoft 365 account. 
  • If a faculty/staff member also has a student account, will their accounts be combined?  No, they will remain separate. Students will continue to log into their account with firstname.lastname@cix.csi.cuny.edu. 

     

Email Elements

  • How do I access multiple Microsoft accounts? Click on your name in top right corner of the page and click on "Open another mailbox"
  • How do I add a Shared Mailbox to an M365 Web Email Account?  
    • Note:   You must be an authorized user of the email account to create a shared mailbox. 
    • Sign into your M365 Web email account. 
    • Navigate to the Folder pane on the left side of the screen. 
    • Right-click on “Folders.” 
    • Click on “Add shared folder or mailbox.” 
    • Enter the email address of the shared mailbox. Note: The email address of a department email should be entered with CSI as the prefix, e.g.: CSI TechnologyTraining. 
    • Click Add. 
  • I use Navigate (EAB), how do I synch my calendar in M365?  In order to sync your Microsoft Office 365 (M365) calendar you will first need to Disconnect Sync with your Outlook Service Account (Outlook). These instructions will guide you through the process
  • Will I still be able to use mail merge? Yes, to send emails to a large number of recipients, senders can use mail merge functionality with content from Microsoft Word. Instructions included
  • Will we be able to use webmail? Yes, you will be able to use webmail. The new address is https://outlook.com/login.cuny.edu

What Gets Copied Over to New System (emails, calendars,contacts)

  • Will our old emails be transferred or will we lose them? Are we able to keep all emails we have stored? You will not lose old emails. IT will migrate your mail using the software tool. 
  • Will all our contacts be transferred? Yes, contacts will be transferred using the migration tool (see previous email migration question) .  
  • Will all our calendar appointments be transferred? Yes, calendar appointments will be transferred using the migration tool (see previous email migration question).  
  • Will the rules I’ve set up in my inbox transfer as well? Yes, rules can be transferred using the migration tool (see previous email migration question). 
  • Will I still be able to receive voice messages transcribed as an email? Yes.
  • How do I add a Shared Calendar to my M365 Web Email Account 
    • Sign in to your M365 account, https://outlook.com/login.cuny.edu, with your CUNYfirst credentials.
    • Click the calendar icon on the left-side navigation pane.
    • Click “Add calendar.”
    • Select “Add from directory” in the left pane
    • Select your mailbox from the dropdown (This is where you are searching from. It will only show your address in this dropdown).
    • In the “Enter a name or email address” field below, type in the name of the user or shared mailbox calendar that you want to add.
    • Select where you want to place the calendar in the “Add to” dropdown. Then click "Add".
    • The calendar will now appear in the calendars list under your chosen heading

 

Zoom Information

How will basic authorization in Zoom be effected? Microsoft is in the process of disabling Basic Authentication for M365. Once we migrate end users will need to re-authorize the calendar integration for zoom to continue working with outlook as basic authorization will have been removed from M365.

 

Background & Benefits

  • What is being done?  The current CSI email system will be replaced and transitioned to the Microsoft 365 cloud-based email system.
  • Why is it being done?  Our current email system (Microsoft Exchange) operates on local servers housed at the college. Network congestion, service provider interruptions, outdated hardware, operation errors, network outages caused by electrical blackouts (largely due to heavy storms), and other issues beyond our control put strain on our systems. Also, remote operations and instruction increased resulting in a majority of our staff/faculty using their email to send large files and other documents back and forth. These further strains our systems. Moving to a cloud-based system will alleviate these issues and the resulting loss of productivity.
  • What are the benefits The transition to Microsoft 365's cloud based email system provides increased reliability, enhanced cybersecurity features, efficient single sign on (using CUNYfirst credentials), Microsoft support and accessibility features. 
    • SSO – same as CUNYfirst
    • Free up resources in IT’s virtual server environment
    • Repurpose IT storage
    • Integrates with Teams – collaboration, file sharing, unified communication
    • Security and Maintenance of hardware will be handled by Microsoft
    • Larger mailbox up to 100 GB; currently default at CSI is 5 GB
  • Is this system ADA accessible?  Yes! One of the wonderful features of Microsoft 365 is the accessibility. Read more about accessibility features here

 

Focused Inbox

How do I disable Focused Inbox?

  • To disable Focused Inbox in Outlook 365, Outlook 2021, 2019, and 2016, use these steps:
    • Open Outlook app.
    • Click the View tab.
    • Click the “Show Focused Inbox” to turn it off in the Office app.

Once you complete the steps, the feature will be disabled in the application.

  • Disable Focused Inbox in Outlook web To disable the Focused Inbox feature in the web version of Outlook, use these steps:
    • Open Outlook web.
    • Sign in with your credentials (if applicable).
    • Click the Settings (gear) button on the top-right corner.
    • Turn off the “Focused Inbox” toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, you will only see a single stream of emails in your inbox. However, it appears that disabling the feature on the web doesn’t replicate the configuration to other email clients like the Mail app for Windows 11 or Android.

  • Instructions for classic Outlook on the web
    • Select Settings  > Display settings > Focused Inbox.
    • Under When email is received, select Don't sort messages.
    • Click OK.
  • Outlook 2016 for Mac
    • On the Organize tab, select Focused inbox.
    • The Focused and Other tabs will disappear from the top of your mailbox.
  • Disable Focused Inbox in Outlook on Android and iPhone To disable Outlook Focused Inbox in the app for Android or iPhone, use these steps:
    • Open Outlook app.
    • Tap the main menu button next to the “Inbox” label.
    • Tap the Settings (gear) button on the bottom-left corner.
    • Turn off the Focused inbox toggle switch.
    • After you complete the steps, the Outlook app for Android will disable Focused Inbox for any Outlook account you may have configured on your phone.

If you need assistance following the email migration:

CSI Resources:  PDF files with images for documents below are available.  Please contact technologytraining@csi.cuny.edu

Mail Migration Help

Mail Merge Help

Office 365 Guides

Outlook Help

Sharing Calendars

Mobile Help

PDF files with images for  first 3 documents below are available.  Please contact technologytraining@csi.cuny.edu

Microsoft Office 365 for Education is a cloud-based collaboration suite that works with the installed versions of Microsoft Office software you are already using at CSI: Outlook email, Contacts, Calendar, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Please make sure that you have downloaded Microsoft Office 2016 on your desktop or laptop, as it is optimized for use with Office 365. See the Guides and Resources section for more information.

Features: In addition to the Office components that you are already using, there are several new apps that are part of Office 365 to enhance collaboration and information sharing with CSI colleagues and students. Office 365 video guides can be found at this link.  Office 365 is reliable, secure, and always up-to-date. Find out more about Office 365 under the Resources and Guides section. Here is a preview of some of the Office 365 apps you can use now:

Use Forms for polls, quizzes, and surveys, and view the responses in real time. Share ideas with colleagues, committees, and project groups with Teams. Manage your work using Planner and Tasks. Collaborate in real time and develop course material using OneNote and Notebook .
Brainstorm and map concepts using Sway , a digital storytelling app. Organize, share and access your files on any device with 1 terabyte of space using OneDrive .

Sharing: Office 365 makes it easier than ever to share documents and collaborate with colleagues and students. Brainstorm and collaborate with colleagues by coauthoring in Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Share right from your document with a click of a button or use the new features in Outlook to attach files from OneDrive and automatically configure permissions. Office apps pick up right where you left off, regardless of the device you were using.

Review, edit, and present your documents across any of your devices —from your PC or Mac to your Apple, and Android phones and tablets.

Office across all of your devices: CUNY is providing Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus to all active faculty and staff at no cost via the Microsoft Office in Education program. Each active employee of the University may install this suite of productivity software on up to five personal devices, including desktops and laptops, tablets, and smart phones. This free version includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

The Office 365 ProPlus license remains active until you leave the University. At that point, you’ll be prompted to pay a license fee to Microsoft or can opt to stop using Microsoft Office

There are many benefits to moving our CSI’s email to the cloud:

  • Provide for a SSO login environment and eliminate multiple login credentials – you will access your email with the same login credentials that you use to access CUNYFirst, Blackboard, and Office365 Applications
  • Seamless access and collaboration with the College community including students within Teams
    • schedule meetings, create and share documents, and collaborate in one secure and consistent platform.
    • provide better user practices across multitude of devices, along with cloud capabilities
  • Increased reliability, enhanced cybersecurity features, 24/7 Microsoft support, and accessibility features.
  • Electrical outages on campus will not impact email
  • Greater efficiencies
    • As part of the CSI’s current Microsoft Contract we are already paying for Office 365. We should take advantage of all its features and functionalities
    • Increased Mailbox Quota - since the shift to remote operations, a majority of our staff/faculty have been using their email to send large files and other documents back and forth. This further strains our systems. Moving to a cloud-based system will alleviate these issues and the resulting loss of productivity.
    • Leverage existing hardware for other purposes; replacement hardware not required.
    • Staying current on security updates - handled by Microsoft

Acceptable Use of Microsoft Office 365 for Education Policy

Microsoft M365 is built with security in mind, and is regularly audited against industry standards. This includes SSAE 18 SOC2, ISO 27001 and others. Reportedly there are many thousands of companies using M365 across the globe and more than 250 million accounts, including NY State government, and maybe NYC’s as well. Because Microsoft is responsible for the security of its service platform, CUNY can be assured that the platform itself is secure. 

CUNY requires that all M365 accounts be enabled with multi-factor authentication, which helps prevent accounts from becoming compromised by requiring at sign-in that a unique code texted to a cell phone be entered (in addition to username and password) or alternatively confirmation through a secure authentication app or voice telephone call. 

In addition to anti-spam, anti-phishing and anti-malware security features, a feature of Microsoft 365 called Data Loss Prevention (DLP) has been enabled to help protect some forms of confidential information, specifically social security numbers, credit card numbers and related data elements. When Microsoft 365 detects such information not otherwise protected with encryption, DLP policy prevents it from being shared outside of CUNY, either through Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, etc. DLP helps to protect CUNY from what otherwise could be a reportable data breach under NY State law. 

Because DLP sometimes misidentifies these types of data elements, users have the option to override this function by entering a brief justification that documents the exception. This override capability is not intended to thwart the requirement of properly handling such highly confidential information. Business processes that presently transmit such data in non-encrypted email or through other unsafe sharing methods, particularly when such information is shared with external recipients, must be changed to utilize secure transport methods. 

As CUNY now licenses all of M365s security and compliance features, planning is ongoing to enable additional enhanced security features.

For more information, please review the Acceptable Use of Microsoft Office 365 for Education Policy before storing, synching, and/or sharing data in any of CUNY’s cloud services.

This policy provides rules regarding the acceptable use of Office 365 by members of the CUNY
community for CUNY academic, research and administrative purposes. These rules are applicable only to Office 365 and not to other cloud-based applications and services and supplement CUNY’s general Acceptable Use of Computer Resources policy. If you have any questions, please check with the data owner, the college CIO or CUNY CIS in the Central Office.

Student Email Accounts

Through a CUNY-wide partnership with Microsoft, we are offering students a state-of-the-art  Email and communication suite. All students enrolled at CSI will be given a student email account.

Signing into Your CSI Email Using Multi-Factor Authentications (MFA)
Before signing into your CIX email, you will be prompted to further verify your identity for enhanced security. 
Go to www.office.com

  • Sign in with your username and password.
  • You will be prompted to select a security option to access your account.

Using the Authentication Phone Method : MFA Using Phone Verification

  • Select authentication phone, e.g., Mobile phone.
  • Select your country or region, e.g., United States
  • Select your preferred method of contact.
    • Send a code by text message
    • Receive a phone call 
  • Click "Next."
  • The system will contact you via your preferred method.
    • The Call Verification will call your preferred phone number and require you to answer the call and press the # key on your phone.
    • The Text Verification will send a text message with a verification code to your preferred phone and require you to enter the verification code.

Using the Mobile App Method:   MFA Using the Mobile App Method

  • The Mobile App will allow you to authenticate through Microsoft’s authenticator. 
  • Download the app from either the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android).  After the installation, follow the prompts to complete the synchronization process.  
  • Once you have authenticated, Microsoft will take you to Office 365, where you will be able to click on the Outlook logo to view your email.

Changing the Multi-Factor Authentications (MFA) Security Verification Settings: 
Before signing into your CIX email, you will be prompted to further verify your identity for enhanced security. 
Go to www.office.com

  • Sign in to your CSI email with your username and password.
  • Once you have authenticated, go to your initials in the upper right corner.  
  • Click on View Account.
  • Click on Security info.  Click on UPDATE INFO.
    • You can either change your defaulted verification method, add a method, or change and delete a phone number.

Computer Accounts

The computers on campus that are accessible to the College community require an ID and password. Faculty receive a FLAS (Faculty/Staff Login Authentication System) account and Students receive a SLAS (Student Login Authentication System) account.

If anyone has problems accessing their computer or email account, contact our HelpDesk at  helpdesk@csi.cuny.edu