Vision

Washington State University has a number of Strategic Goals, many of which have sub-goals and objectives that deal with improving communication and collaboration within the University community. This applies to all areas of the University and covers all Students, Faculty and Staff at all locations.

In addition, Information Systems has established as a prime goal that of providing a seamless integrated and intuitive information environment built on innovative technology.

A major portion of the University's current information assets are bound up with messaging and calendaring services. The tools currently being used for these services are separate, non-integrated solutions. In order to meet today's needs for communication and collaboration in a seamless integrated intuitive fashion, and to build a foundation for future collaboration strategies, WSU is embarking on a project to build a University-wide messaging and communications system around Microsoft Exchange, to begin being made available by mid 2005.

This system is more than an E-Mail and Calendaring solution; it is a strategic shift to a platform that provides a framework of support for a variety of communications and collaboration solutions. This service will be the basis of a highly integrated communications and collaboration infrastructure for all of WSU. This shift will have a major impact on the way the entire University conducts academic and administrative activities. In many ways, this service is a model of the way the University conducts business.