Howard has migrated faculty, staff and students from Google Suite to Microsoft Outlook 365 as the primary way of communication for students, faculty, and staff.
The university began migrating students’ Google Drive content and emails to OneDrive and Outlook on Aug. 1. All students should be migrated by Aug. 30, according to the Howard University website.
Howard University also included on its website that the switch will benefit students academically by providing better organization, email management, collaboration and “substantial mailbox storage capacity, advanced security measures, a comprehensive suite of productivity tools, and a seamless integration with other Microsoft applications.”
Despite the intentions of the administrative staff, many Howard students are frustrated by the transition.
Janila Hendley-Clayton, a junior TV & film major from Chicago spoke on her experience with the school-wide transition.
“I see what Howard is trying to do, but in order to pull off a big switch like this, you need an organized system and constant communication,” she said. “Without that, it’s just causing chaos for all the students involved.”
The Hilltop reached out to Enterprise Technology Services but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Howard University posted several Migration Announcements on the Enterprise Technology Services section of the university website beginning Feb. 8.
On May 6, they posted an announcement titled “Microsoft 365 Migration-Project Update.” The post gave multiple updates on the transition, including specifics on moving from Google Meet to Microsoft Teams.
The University also gave the link to a document called M365 Change Guide, which lists an overview of the transition, benefits of Microsoft 365, a student to-do list, a post-migration checklist and resources for both faculty and students.
Along with the change from Google to Microsoft, there was another big switch up this year, as students and faculty moved from Bisonweb to BisonHub, powered by Workday. Howard University announced the contract with Workday on Aug. 27, 2020 and changed the name to BisonHub, which has been in the works since fall 2021.
Students and faculty began using BisonHub to register for the fall 2024 semester in the spring. This is the first semester the University will be using BisonHub for registration, financial aid, and viewing academic records.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t like BisonHub at all,” Jade Kirby said, a sophomore nursing major from Philadelphia. “The only benefit I’ve seen so far is that registration is easier, but there’s still issues with updates for times and professors. Everything else either isn’t working yet or it’s too confusing.”
Other students are having the same concerns about classes that are missing set times and professors.
Misha Bernard-Lucien, a junior journalism major and photography minor from Pompano Beach, FL, said that she frequently experiences difficulties receiving emails.
Regardless of the shift, the administration is confident that these new platforms will further benefit the University.
“We’re all learning, administrators included,” Hendley-Crayton said. “It’s been hard, but that doesn’t mean it’ll stay hard. Once it becomes routine, I’m sure we’ll get the hang of it.”
More information regarding BisonHub and Microsoft Outlook 365 is available on Howard University’s website.
