During the 2000-2001 school year, NIU e-mail accounts have had problems, causing students and faculty members to rely more on alternate e-mail accounts.

Colleen Johnson, a sophomore early childhood education major, said she she’s been having problems with her NIU Eudora e-mail account since she first used it.

“The first day I tried to use my NIU e-mail account, I had trouble accessing messages,” Johnson said. “I already knew how to use Hotmail, so it was easier, and I stuck with it.”

Freshman communication major Amy Poulos said she had extreme difficulty staying on her NIU e-mail system.

“I had problems getting in to begin with, then when I did, I would oftentimes get kicked off when writing messages,” Poulos said. “I have three different e-mail accounts set up for family, friends and teachers. They’re a lot easier to use and haven’t kicked me off yet.”

Faculty members, like students, also have had problems with NIU e-mail and have switched to outside systems.

Gail Jackey, supervisor of the Writing Center at NIU, said she could never access her e-mail off the NIU account.

“I tried accessing my e-mail a few times and never could,” Jackey said. “I could never figure out why, nor could any experts that tried to help.”

Jackey added that she, along with other teachers working within the English department, uses a Netscape e-mail account that is the easiest to use from her office.

English instructor Bonnie Amesquita uses her NIU e-mail, but had trouble activating it.

“I was having problems recently setting up my e-mail,” Amesquita said. “I didn’t know what to do about it.”

Amesquita credits getting her e-mail system working to the dedication of a couple computer software experts at NIU.

“I want to sing the praises of the NIU academic support computer software staff,” Amesquita said. “One particular worker took time out of his night to come over to my apartment and get the situation resolved within 20 minutes. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

NIU systems programmer Dan Szkola said he believed most problems aren’t directly related to the Eudora or the Web sites.

“Locally, our systems are outstanding, and the most reliable around,” Szkola said. “Any problems with student or faculty e-mail accounts most likely have to do with lab equipment within particular offices or computer labs.”

Szkola said he has heard of very few problems like the ones students have complained about.

Jim Fatz, director of Enterprise Systems Support, stressed that if a Eudora account or online NIU account is giving students a hassle, there are other options for alternate NIU e-mail accounts provided at NIU.

“Students can also use POP3 or IMAP as an e-mail system,” Katz said. “Netscape Express has also been installed at labs here at NIU.”

Elizabeth Leake, assistant director of Lab Operations, said problems did occur last semester but seem to be decreasing this semester.

“We’ve had problems beginning as early as April, then more occurred over the summer and through September,” Leake said. “After those problems were fixed, the problems seemed to die down.”

Leake believes the problems stem from many factors. She said students only are allowed two megabytes for their e-mail system. When students forget to delete or clear their old e-mail, it would pile up and exceed the two megabyte limit.

“Students just needed to clean house,” Leake said.

Leake also said a delicate balance between software and networks also might have been a prime factor in e-mail malfunctions.

Leake said various Eudora glitches caused the widespread difficulties students had receiving their e-mail. These problems were not the fault of NIU programs or software, but because of the system Eudora alone.

If students or faculty members are having trouble activating or using their NIU e-mail, they are encouraged to seek help immediately.