Frequently Asked Questions About Alumni Email

The Vox Alumni Network debuted in 1997 with its first offering: Alumni Email. The Alumni Email service offers Dartmouth alumni/ae a permanent email address at Dartmouth to keep you connected with classmates, friends, and family no matter how often you change locations or jobs. No matter which Internet service you choose as your email provider, your Dartmouth email address need never change.

Another important reason to activate is to access the new Online Directory. The authentication is based on your Alumni Email account login.

Dartmouth has assigned every living Dartmouth alumnus and alumna a permanent email address. Current undergraduates receive a letter from Alumni Relations before they graduate introducing them to the Alumni Email service. The letter contains your name, Alumni Email address, and an initial eight-digit password; we encourage you to change the password as soon as possible.

You can reach a classmate or alum anytime if they have activated their account just by knowing their Dartmouth domain address (@alum.dartmouth.org).

We encourage all alumni to at least activate their account. One of your classmates is trying to contact you right now and could reach you if you register.

Alumni Email has been developed under the auspices of Alumni Relations and with the support of the College, the Dartmouth Medical School, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration.

Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion throughout this website. Any absence of their corresponding marks and notices is inadvertent and in no way reflects an intention to infringe upon the proprietary nature of those trademarks.

You can use this address in two ways: as a separate mailbox for personal mail that you can access over the Internet or as a forwarding address to your home, school or office email address.

You can change any portion of your e-mail address prior to the "@" sign by adding nicknames. For example in the above case, if John Doe '66 added the nickname "Jack," then e-mail sent to <Jack.Doe.66@alum.dartmouth.org> would arrive at the e-mail address of John.A.Doe.66@alum.dartmouth.org. Please use this feature carefully. Dartmouth is not responsible for duplicate nicknames. We always recommend giving out the full, issued email address to guarantee uniqueness.

If you received more than one degree from Dartmouth College or its graduate schools, only your first degree is indicated in your email address. However, your other degree years are listed under "class" through the Alumni Email Lookup page and in the Online Directory.

1) First, Activate-Update your Account your Alumni Email account. Remember that this is a permanent email address, not an Internet Service Provider (ISP) - you still need access to the Internet. That may be a private company, such as America Online, a local Internet Service Provider, or your employer. Dartmouth does not provide Internet connectivity services to alumni/ae.

If you are unsure whether you have PPP or TCP/IP access or if your network has a firewall or proxy service, contact your local administrator for assistance.

2) There are two major ways to access your Alumni Email account from anywhere in the world.

* A program that recognizes the POP3 standard, such as Outlook, Eudora or Netscape

Or, if you already have an email account with an Internet Service Provider, company, school or other online service, you can set your Alumni Email account to forward messages to your existing account using the Activate-Update page. Even if you later change Internet Providers, you can easily set your Dartmouth account so that mail follows you wherever you go!

You may change between these access methods at any time by updating your Alumni Email profile or by sending a message to <support@helpdesk.dartmouth.org>. You will need your password in order to make changes to your account over the Web. Changes in type of service that are made online are effective immediately; changes that are sent by email will be processed within three business days.

You can request not to have an Alumni Email account, in which case your name will be removed from the server and correspondents will be unable to reach you at your "alum.dartmouth.org" address. Your request for "no contact" can be made by email or paper mail.

To have your Alumni Email account removed, send email to <support@helpdesk.dartmouth.org>. However, please be aware that a charge may be applied if you chose to reinstate your Vox Alumni Network privileges at a later date. Your request requires the following information:

Your name and class (for example, "Jane A. Doe '81", or "Jane A. Doe Tuck '89").
An explanation of your needs

Because email is "unsecure" and to protect the security of your account, we require the following pieces of additional information for verification:

The name of your secondary school
Your major
Your Dartmouth ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number
Your date of birth
A phone number where you can be reached if necessary

In general, any request for changes to an account will require the above information before changes are granted.

To access Alumni Email, you are responsible for providing your own access to the Internet. Most users get access to the Internet through work, school or a local Internet Service Provider (ISP). Often, ISPs provide users with email accounts as part of their service; but if you ever need to change ISPs (for example, if you move or change jobs), your home email address may change. Once you're a Vox Alumni Network member, though, your email address need never change.
Finding an ISP

You may be able to access the Internet through your employer or school. If not, you can use one of the national access providers such as Earthlink, MSN, or a local access provider in your community.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are often listed in the Yellow Pages under "Internet Service Providers" or "Online Service Providers." Local computer dealers may be able to provide the names of ISPs in your area. You can also get recommendations from friends and co-workers who use the Internet from home or work.

If you have access to the Internet and want a list of local ISPs, a list is available at http://www.thelist.com/.

When you research Internet Service Providers, there are some important questions you'll want to ask.

* What is the local access number for the area?
Make sure the ISP has a local access number or a toll-free 800 number for your area. It's also a good idea to confirm with your phone company that the number is a local call if you've just moved to a new area or are unsure.

* What kind of technical support do you have for my system?
That is, can this ISP provide help with dial-in setup for your type of computer? For example, some ISPs do not support Macintosh computers much at all while others specialize in Macintosh computers. Make sure the ISP you choose supports your computer and software.

* Is your monthly fee a flat rate for unlimited time or by the hour?
Some ISPs offer unlimited service for one flat rate while others charge you by the hour. Other ISPs offer both service options. Choose the service which makes the most sense for you.

* What other services are included?
Can you have multiple mailboxes for your account? Can you use a third party email account (Dartmouth Alumni Email for example) and are there special settings for setting it up to send and receive? What do they provide for software? Do they offer space for you to create your own web page?

Finally, it is important to remember that there are other aspects to consider when choosing an ISP, including friendliness, service and local ownership. Take your time and explore your options.

A change in your ISP does not automatically update your Alumni Email forwarding to your new email address. For example, people can still send email to your Alumni Email address. However, if your account was set up to forward Alumni Email to your old ISP account, you need to change the old forwarding address (any messages delivered to the wrong account CANNOT be restored). You can change your Alumni Email forwarding address online and reviewing the information on Preferred Email Address, or you can send a message to <support@helpdesk.dartmouth.org>, providing both your old and new forwarding address (identity subject to verification).

Changes in your forwarding address that are sent by email will be processed within three business days. You may need to reinstall and/or reconfigure the email software on your computer. Ask your new Internet Service Provider if you need assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alumni Email

My Alumni Email Address

Getting Started with Alumni Email

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Access to Alumni Email

Using BlitzMail

Answers