Cornell's Optional E-mail Alias is a service that enables eligible individuals to register a second, name-based "@cornell.edu" e-mail address to use instead of, or in addition to, their Cornell NetID.

For example, the fictional Ezra Erwin might sign up for the e-mail alias ezra.erwin@cornell.edu and could then send and receive e-mail using either that address or ewe1@cornell.edu.

An individual can have only one e-mail alias, and an e-mail alias cannot be reassigned to anyone else, even if the original user no longer needs it.

Choosing or using an e-mail alias is voluntary. It does not replace the individual's NetID, which will still be used to access e-mail and other services. It also does not replace the individual's NetID@cornell.edu address; mail sent to that address or to the e-mail alias would be delivered.

If you're not sure whether an individual has registered for an e-mail alias, the best way to ensure that your message is received is to address it to their NetID address instead.

Who Is Eligible

Cornell's Optional E-mail Alias Service is available to individuals in the following groups:

• All Cornell faculty and academic staff
• All individuals whose e-mail routing is set to a departmental system and who don't use their NetID in their departmental e-mail address
• A grandfathered group of individuals who were already using an e-mail alias (if you're in this group, you've already received an invitation from CIT's Messaging Group)

Students, non-academic staff, and alumni are not eligible at this time.

You can check your eligibility by going to Who I Am and clicking the Electronic Mail tab. If you're eligible, you will see a section labeled Cornell Optional E-mail Alias (COEA).

A Note about E-mail Aliases that Predate the Optional E-mail Alias Service

E-mail aliases must be registered with the Optional E-mail Alias Service to work.

In the past, you could e-mail people at their "@cornell.edu" address using some form of their real name (for example ezra.erwin@cornell.edu instead of ewe1@cornell.edu). As long as no one else at Cornell had the same name, your message would be delivered to the right person. This technique will no longer work.

Starting December 5, 2007, e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail alias will be returned to the sender with a "unknown user" error. If you're not sure whether an individual has registered for an e-mail alias, the best way to ensure that your message is received is to address it to their NetID address instead.