Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that is not answered in our FAQs? Let us know.
- What is MUNmail?
- How is MUNmail different from Webmail?
- How is MUNmail different from Gmail?
- Why this change to our student email service?
- Is Memorial University the first Canadian University to use a service like Google Apps for Education for e-mail?
- When can I make the switch to MUNmail?!
- How do I make the switch to MUNmail?
- Is MUNmail intended for everyone (e.g. students, faculty, and staff)?
- Will email addresses still be @mun.ca?
- Will my username or password change?
- Will I see Google and other corporate advertising?
- How do I access my MUNmail account?
- What is MUNmail's e-mail storage capacity?
- What services will be included with my MUNmail account?
- Will I need to agree to a Terms of Service or provide consent to switch to MUNmail?
- Who will I contact for help?
- MUNmail is powered by Google Apps for Education so will Google own the content associated with MUNmail?
- Where are Google's servers (and my data) located?
- What if I already have a Gmail account?
- To what extent will data mining of email messages occur via Google? If data mining practices are present, for what purpose is this performed?
- What will happen to my old Webmail email messages after I switch?
- Where can I find additional information about Gmail and other Google Applications?
A. MUNmail is a Memorial-branded communications platform that is powered by Google Apps for Education. It is offered to you as an alternative to Memorial's current Webmail system.
2. How is MUNmail different from Memorial's Current mail system?
A. MUNmail offers many advantages and provides enhancements and features that are not currently available through student Webmail. A brief comparison of features, that outlines some of the differences, is as follows:
| MUNmail | Webmail |
| 25 Gigabytes of e-mail storage | 0.2 - 0.4 gigabytes of e-mail storage |
| Calendaring | No calendaring |
| Document creation, real time collaboration, and sharing | No document creation or collaboration abilities |
| Integrated text and video chat | No chat abilities |
| Wide mobile device support | Limited mobile device support |
3. How is MUNmail different from Gmail?
A. MUNmail is a Memorial branded version of Google’s Gmail service, however there are other fundamental differences between the services:
- Memorial e-mail addresses remain unchanged, a user that chooses MUNmail will maintain their existing email address (e.g. someuser@mun.ca) and all aliases that have been set up (e.g. .
- Password management is performed at Memorial not Google. This provides the University with greater flexibility and security in establishing password policies.
- There will be no advertising. Unlike personal Gmail accounts, MUNmail will have no advertising targeted towards users.
4. Why this change to our student email service?
A. There is an opportunity to provide students with a rich set of leading-edge tools and applications that can be used to enhance communications, including e-mail. MUNmail was piloted over the 2011 Spring academic term to approximately 150 students, and the feedback was very favourable. You will not be forced to switch to MUNmail, you will have the opportunity to opt to do so if you want to.
5. Is Memorial University the first Canadian University to use a service like Google Apps for Education for e-mail?
A. No. A number of other Canadian institutions have moved, or are investigating a move, to solutions like Google Apps. The University of Alberta is a recent example, having moved its students, staff and faculty to Google Apps for Education starting in January 2011. Other universities that have switched to a cloud-based model for at least some of their stakeholder groups (staff, faculty, and/or students) include Dalhousie, Concord, UofT, and Lakehead.
6. When can I make the switch to MUNmail?!
A. On March 15th, the option to switch to MUNmail will be available to all students of Memorial! Stay tuned for further communications. To opt-in, simply visit MUN's Portal (my.mun.ca) and look for the MUNmail tab to start. For a walkthrough of the process, check out the MUNmail video.
7. How do I make the switch to MUNmail?
A. To make the switch to MUNmail, students will log into the portal (my.mun.ca), provide their consent, and start the process of migration. For more information, check out the MUNmail video for a step-by-step walkthrough.
8. Is MUNmail intended for everyone (e.g. students, faculty, and staff)?
A. Currently Memorial is providing MUNmail to students.
9. Will email addresses still be @mun.ca?
A. Yes.
10. Will my username or password change?
A. No.
11. Will I see Google and other corporate advertising?
A. No. MUNmail e-mail accounts will not display corporate or Google advertising. Note that this is different than personal Gmail accounts, as we are part of Google Apps for Education agreement.
12. How do I access my MUNmail account?
A. Once you opt in, to access your account you will simply log into Memorial’s portal, my.mun.ca, and click on the "MUNmail" tab. You can also set up MUNmail on a Smart Phone or other mobile device to access your mail. For more information on Smart Phone or mobile setup click here. For client setup (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, etc.) click here.
13. What is MUNmail's e-mail storage capacity?
A. Storage capacity of MUNmail is currently 25 gigabytes (GBs).
14. What services will be included with my MUNmail account?
A. You will have access to Mail, Calendar, Docs, flexible mobile options, and integrated Chat.
15. Will I need to agree to a Terms of Service or provide consent to switch to MUNmail?
A. Yes. You must provide your consent before converting your student Webmail account to MUNmail. Consent is provided through the portal (my.mun.ca). A video walkthrough, instructions, and other information on the consent and conversion process can be found here.
16. Who will I contact for help?
A. For help regarding your MUNmail account you can:
- Browse the information and resources located on this site.
- Contact the Computing and Communications (C&C) Service Desk at 864-4595 or help@mun.ca
- Visit the counter service (Henrietta Harvey – HH2012)
- submit an Online Help Request form
You may also get help for Google Apps by clicking on the "Help" link at the top right hand corner of the Google App you are using. For general information about the Apps, click on the appropriate link in the "Resources" page from the menu above.
17. MUNmail is powered by Google Apps for Education so will Google own the content associated with MUNmail?
A. No. Through Memorial’s contract with Google, Google will not own the right to any content associated with MUNmail.
18. Where are Google's servers (and my data) located?
A. Your data will be stored in Google’s secure network of data centers. However, as with many Internet-based services, there is no certainty as to where that data may be stored.
19. What if I already have a Gmail account?
A. Your MUNmail account will be separate from your personal Gmail account (if you have one) and the two will not automatically integrate. Your MUNmail account will have the ability to retrieve email from another email account, including personal Gmail accounts if desired. Both MUNmail and public Gmail accounts can exist separately without the need to merge them. If you have multiple Google accounts, there is a multiple sign-in feature which is detailed here.
20. To what extent will data mining of email messages occur via Google? If data mining practices are present, for what purpose is this performed?
A. Google scanning of account holder content will not be used for serving commercial ads to anyone using Memorial affiliated Google services. Your content will be scanned only for spam filtering, anti-virus protection, malware detection, and/or to provide higher quality search function for your email and documents. The process for such scanning is completely automated and involves no humans.
21. What will happen to my old Webmail email messages after I switch?
A. All data associated with your "old" Webmail account will be kept for a period of 60 days after you make the switch to MUNmail. At the end of 60 days, all messages and data will be removed from your old account. If you have any questions before or after that time, please contact the Service Desk.
22. Where can I find additional information about MUNmail and other Google Applications?
A. For additional information or questions about MUNmail, please contact Computing and Communication's Service Desk or browse the resources on this site. For general information about Google Apps for Education, you can start by visiting http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/ .
