Campus Bulletin

University to expand telephone service

The University of Guelph announced today that all four-digit telephone extensions except for emergency/police will become five-digit extensions as of Jan. 1, 2003. This change is needed to accommodate the increase in the number of phone users expected over the next several years. Starting in the new year, four-digit extensions will have the number five added to the beginning, except for emergency/police, which will continue to be Ext. 2000. Student residence numbers, already five digits beginning with a seven, will remain unchanged, as will the switchboard number, Ext. 0.

Ron Elmslie, director of Computing and Communications Services (CCS), says that "although this service change is still several months away, we wanted to give the campus community as much notice as possible to allow for a smooth transition."

Based on the experiences of other Ontario universities in implementing similar changes, CCS is planning to convert phone numbers at U of G over the winter holiday. Elmslie asks that departments and individuals make note of this change now and plan accordingly when ordering letterhead and business cards or developing any other printed materials. Following the changeover, outside callers to the University will receive a greeting that directs them to first dial a five before dialling the campus extension number.

In the months ahead, CCS will make more information about this service change available on its Web site at www.uoguelph.ca/ccs and in @Guelph. "This is an exciting period of growth for the institution," says provost Alastair Summerlee, "but I do appreciate the many challenges these changes present to all of us. I wish to thank members of the University for their understanding."

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For more information, call Kent Percival (Ext. 6397) or Sean Reynolds (Ext. 2141) in Computing and Communications Services.

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