Graduation FAQ
From McCombs Wiki
If you are graduating, we highly recommend that you read our Graduation page first.
Email and server space
Q. What services are getting disabled, deleted, shut off, whatever you call it?
A. When you graduate, you keep your computer, but lose the following McCombs services:
- Your email mailbox on the Exchange Server
- Your McCombs website
- Your My Site
- Your SWAT Shop support
- Your Technology Training support
- Your MSB account
Your University resources also change, like UT-EID, @mail accounts, and WebSpace. For more information, go to ITS' Graduation website.
Q. Why is my McCombs mailbox (and My Site, website, etc.) getting deleted?
A. As a McCombs student, you were granted certain technology services in order to help you achieve your academic goals. When you graduate, we disable these services because we need to make space for the new incoming students.
Q. When are these services disabled?
A. On August 23, the UT System will post degrees. This information is transferred electronically to the McCombs School of Business systems and your MSB account is flagged for deletion. The deletion process will begin on September 2. This means that starting September 2, you will NO LONGER be able to access the McCombs computer network: no more logging in to the business school computers, accessing your business school email account, or connecting to your My Site. To avoid any disruption and hassle, make sure you complete the essential steps listed on the Graduation page before September 2!
Q. What happens to my email when my mailbox gets deleted?
A. When your mailbox is deleted on September 2, we will create a back-up of everything that is currently in your mailbox. So any email received in your mailbox before your account is deleted will be saved in this back-up. You will need to grab this back-up and open it in Outlook if you want to see old email, your contacts, and your calendar.
Mac users should not depend on the mailbox backup, and will need to forward any email they want to keep to an alternate email account.
If you set up lifetime email forwarding, any email sent to your McCombs email address after your account is deleted will be automatically forwarded to your alternate email address. If you don't set up email forwarding, your emails will bounce back to the sender as undeliverable.
Q. Once lifetime email forwarding starts, can I make my email replies appear to come from my McCombs email account?
A. Not usually. When you receive email sent to your McCombs account at your alternate email address, all replies will come from the new email address, not from your McCombs address, unless your alternate email system lets you set up a second email address. Gmail allows this feature, but many other free email systems do not. Look at your email system's Help for more information.
Q. Does my @mail.utexas.edu account also forward?
A. No. This email service is provided by ITS and they do not provide email forwarding. Instead, your email account is guaranteed for 6 months after the 12th class date of the next semester. Your email account may exist longer than this, as they only do periodic purges, but it is only guaranteed for this long. You can forward your @mail account while it is still active, but once it's deleted, it's gone for good. To forward your active @mail account, go to http://mail.utexas.edu. For further questions, see ITS' graduation website or contact the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400.
Q. I'm confused - what's the difference between my McCombs email account and my @mail account?
A. Many undergraduates use the email provided by the University which ends in @mail.utexas.edu. You can view this email from the Webmail link on the main UT webpage, through Outlook Express, or through Outlook.
All McCombs students automatically receive a McCombs School of Business address, which ends in @[class].mccombs.utexas.edu, where class = your degree and year, such as @bba03.mccombs.utexas.edu or @mba07.mccombs.utexas.edu. This email can be viewed from the Webmail link on the McCombs School of Business webpage or through Outlook.
Some undergraduate students forward their @mail email to their McCombs email account, but no one can forward an active McCombs account to their @mail address.
McCombs email accounts receive lifetime email forwarding; @mail accounts last 6 months past graduation and then are deleted.
Q. What about my WebSpace?
A. WebSpace is a resource for web publishing and file storage provided by ITS. WebSpace is only available while you are an active student and will be disabled after you graduate. The official cutoff date is the 12th class date of the semester following your graduation (for spring graduates, this is the summer session). If you want to save anything from WebSpace, you should download it before the 12th class date of the following semester. For further questions, go to the ITS graduation website or contact the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400.
McCombs Notebook Owners
Q. Should I get my notebook re-imaged before I graduate?
A. If your computer has been acting slow or giving you trouble of any kind, now is your last chance to get re-imaged. You may want to start with a clean slate before you graduate. This is the simplest and best way to make sure all your software is working perfectly before you walk out the door.
If you choose to re-image, don’t forget – back up before you get re-imaged! Also don’t forget that your computer will lose any other software you’ve chosen to install yourself (Quicken, AIM, Photoshop, etc.) and you will need to reinstall it.
If you are not sure how to back up, check out the Backing Up page or ask the SWAT Shop staff to show you how.
Q. Does my anti-virus software expire?
A. No! The University license for Symantec anti-virus is perpetual, meaning it will continue to receive updates even after you graduate.
Q. Why do I need to purchase copies of Office and Windows? I thought I bought those with my McCombs notebook.
A. When you purchased your computer, you purchased licenses for MS Windows and MS Office, but you did not purchase the actual installation CDs. While you are a student, you can just get a re-image, but after you graduate, if you start having software problems, you will need to reinstall from CD.
While you are a student, you can purchase copies of Microsoft Office and Windows at the Campus Computer Store. These prices are significantly lower than you'll find in retail stores. Bring your ID with you and go early! They often sell out at the end of the semester.
* You are only allowed to purchase 1 copy of Office and Windows per version. So if you already purchased this at some point using your student discount, you cannot buy it again.
Q. Can I still get SWAT Shop or Training support after I graduate?
A. Unfortunately, no. We are only able to assist currently enrolled students. The Training Team will answer calls regarding graduation-related questions for a short period following the end of the semester, but we are not able to provide any continuing support. The SWAT Shop will close at the end of finals, so visit them now if you are having issues - don't wait to the last minute!
Q. Who can I contact for help in the future?
A. After graduation, the SWAT Shop will no longer be your first stop in computer support. You will start receiving computer support directly from Dell. You will no longer receive support from the McCombs School of Business Computer Services department, Technology Training Team, or the SWAT Shop. Any computer problems you encounter will need to be addressed with Dell. Your warranty lasts 3 years from the date it was delivered.
Please note, Dell does not support your Office applications or other software. They can only assist you with hardware and operating problems. If you have major softwareproblems, you will need to reinstall Office from the CDs you purchased from the Campus Computer Store.
Contacting Dell:
Dell’s website should be your first stop for support.
http://support.dell.com/
To contact Dell by phone:
Technical Support or Customer Care
1-800-274-1410
You purchased your notebook through an Education Contract, so you don’t have to call Dell’s general service number.
If you are moving to another country, don’t forget to transfer your support. You can call the above phone number or visit this website for more information:
http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/en/
international_support?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
After September 2
Q. Can I still get into McCombs Online Resources to update my profile after I graduate?
A. Yes. After you graduate, you will still be able to log into MOR using your UT-EID. Your options will change to alumni options starting on the 12th class date of the semester following your graduation.
Once you graduate, your MOR profile is no longer tied to UT-Direct. You will need to enter address changes directly into the MOR Profile. Entering your employer information can help provide networking services for your fellow alumni and currently enrolled students.
Q. I'm trying to log into my email and I'm getting an error message. What happened?
A. On September 2, your mailbox was deleted. This means that you can no longer log in to check your email on the McCombs Exchange server through Outlook or Outlook Web Access (webmail). If you set up lifetime email forwarding, any messages received after your account was deleted on September 2 will be sent to your alternate email address.
If you didn't set up lifetime email forwarding, messages sent to you after September 2 are bounced back to the sender. You can still set up lifetime email forwarding now so that you don't miss any more emails.
Your entire mailbox, including emails received before September 2, your calendar, and contacts has been backed up and will be available for you to download beginning September 4. This download will only be available until September 28. We have instructions for grabbing this mailbox copy on the Retrieve Email Backup page.
Q. How can I view my mailbox backup through Outlook?
A. If you've been using Outlook to view your McCombs email, you'll notice that your profile is broken. You can set up a new profile to view your mailbox backup by following instructions on the Retrieve Email Backup page.
Your mailbox backup is a .pst file. You can only open a .pst file through Outlook.
Q. How can I view my Outlook personal folder through my new profile?
- Open Outlook.
- Go to the File menu and select Open > Outlook Data File.
- Browse to your personal folder and click OK.
Q. I need to grab a document from my My Site, but my password isn't working. What's going on?
A. Your MSB account was disabled on September 2 and your mailbox, My Site, and website were all deleted at that time. Your My Site no longer exists and you will not be able to recover any files from it.
Q. I forgot to grab one of my files from a lab computer. Can I still get it?
A. Your MSB account was disabled on September 2, and everything associated with your account on the lab computers was deleted at that time. These files no longer exist and you will not be able to recover them.
Q. My McCombs Notebook is having problems. How can I get help?
A. Please see the section on contacting support above.
