Email Programs

CUMC IT highly recommends that anyone with a Columbia email account use a program such as Outlook on their primary computer, rather than only accessing your messages via CubMail. This allows you to used advanced email tools such as sorting and storing messages on your computer's hard drive, and the ability to send larger attachments with a message.

Outlook Professional is now the primary supported email program by CUMC IT. Click here for instructions on configuring a basic Columbia email account, or see our CUMC IT Exchange and Outlook page for tutorials and information on using an Exchange and shared calendar account.

Technical Support
The Columbia mail servers are managed by CUIT on the Morningside campus, however CUMC Faculty, Staff and Students should still contact the CUMC IT Service Desk with any questions or problems regarding their email. We have the necessary information and access to troubleshoot email problems, and are also aware of any special issues that may effect accounts at CUMC.

Configuring a Program for your Columbia Email Account
For more detailed information on Columbia (non-CUMC IT Exchange) email including how to configure and use an email program on your computer, please see information on the CUIT web site at http://cuit.columbia.edu/email-clients/. Please note that only Outlook Professional and Entourage for Macintosh currently meet all CUMC IT email security standards.

If you are still not sure about using an email program, please read the following responses to common concerns:

• I need to access my email from multiple computers.
  We recommend that you use an approved email program on your primary computer and set it up as an IMAP account. By default, IMAP leaves messages on the mail server, which means you can access them from other computers via CubMail or by an email program on the other system that is configured for your account. You can also set up your email as a POP account; by default POP removes your messages from the Columbia mail servers and downloads them to your computer, however there are configuration options that you can set to have the program save copies of your messages on the mail server as well.
• CubMail has all of the advanced features that I need, such as an address book, filters, and folders.
  True, but the features are not as advanced. CubMail also does not meet CUMC IT security guidelines to prevent release (accidental or otherwise) of PHI/PII and other sensitive data. Backing up your email messages and sending large attachments (CubMail allows a message plus its attachment to be up to 10MB, while using an email program allows for up to 30MB) are not as easy with CubMail, which is not intended to be a full-featured email program.
• I don't have time to learn to use an email program.
  While learning to use a program can initially be time consuming, the access to extra features tend to make up for any learning curve. A lot of email programs function in similar ways, so much of what you learn will translate to other programs. There are also a number of great tutorials available for email programs.
• I'm not sure what email program to use.
  There are a number of supported email programs guaranteed to work with Columbia's mail servers. Outlook Professional and Entourage for Macintosh are free for current faculty, staff and students under the Columbia site license, and are supported by CUMC IT.