Microsoft 365 - FAQs

  1. When will the D2L email system be retired?
    1. The D2L email system will be retired on December 18, 2024. Faculty are encouraged to transition to using the Microsoft 365 widget during the Fall 2024 semester.

  2. Can I still use the D2L email system after August 15, 2024?
    1. Yes, the D2L email system will still be available until December 18, 2024. However, it's encouraged to start using the new Microsoft 365 widget within D2L to familiarize yourself with it before the D2L email system is retired.

  3. What should I do to prepare for the D2L email system retirement?
    1. Faculty and students should start using the new Microsoft 365 widget within D2L to familiarize themselves with its features. Faculty are also advised to communicate their preferred email system to students for course communications during the Fall 2024 semester. Any important emails from the D2L email system should be forwarded to your Lone Star College email inbox before December 18, 2024, to ensure no important information is lost.

  4. What happens if I do not forward my D2L emails before the system is retired?
    1. If you do not forward your D2L emails before the system is retired on December 18, 2024, you will lose access to those emails. It is strongly recommended to forward any important emails to your LSC email account well before the retirement date to ensure you retain any necessary information.

  5. Will students be required to use the LSC email through D2L for all course communications?
    1. Faculty members should inform their students of their preferred email communication method for the Fall 2024 semester. While the D2L email system is still available until December 18, 2024, transitioning to LSC email through D2L is recommended for a more streamlined communication experience.

  6. After December 18, can I still email my students through the D2L Classlist?
    1. Yes, after the transition is complete, you will still be able to email your students through the D2L Classlist, and it will populate with your students' Lone Star Email address, instead of their D2L email address. Because D2L will no longer have a Sent Folder, we recommend having D2L send copies to your LSC email.

  7. Is LSC email accessible from devices other than my computer?
    1. Yes, you can access your LSC email, along with the Outlook calendar and OneDrive files, from any device with internet access through the D2L Microsoft 365 widget, providing flexibility and convenience for managing your communications on the go.

  8. How does this change affect students?
    1. Students will also have access to their LSC email within D2L via the Microsoft 365 widget. Faculty are advised to inform students about this change and specify which email system to use for course communication during the transition period.

  9. I'm not seeing the Microsoft 365 widget on my course homepage, what should I do?
    1. If you are accessing the widget for the first time, and you are receiving an Internal Error here, be sure to be logged into your LSC Outlook account on the same browser. This will pair the widget with your course, and will only need to be done once.
       
  10. What should I do if I encounter issues with the new Microsoft 365 widget in D2L?
    1. If you have questions about the new Microsoft 365 widget, please refer to the Access Your LSC Emails through the Microsoft 365 Widget article. You can also contact your campus IT support for further assistance.

  11. Is there any impact on Intelligent Agents?
    1. No, there is no impact. Agent emails will now be sent to students' LSC email addresses instead of their D2L email addresses automatically. As faculty, you can always set your LSC email address as the Reply-To Address in the Intelligent Agents settings. For detailed guidance, refer to the VTAC article on Intelligent Agents and Early Alerts.

  12. Will replacement strings continue to work in Announcements?
    1. Yes, there is no change to this functionality. Replacement strings will continue to work in Announcements as before.

  13. Will replacement strings work in emails sent from a D2L class?
    1. No, replacement strings have never worked when sending emails to external email addresses, and this remains the case. Since emails composed in D2L are sent to external addresses (e.g., LSC Email addresses), replacement strings (personalization) will not function due to security restrictions cited by D2L.