The University will permanently switch to the Microsoft Office 365 suite and delete student and alumni Google accounts on May 16, 2022.

The announcement follows a campuswide switch from Gmail to Microsoft Outlook in May 2021. 

“The difference between this and the mail migration we did in 2021 is that students [and alumni] are responsible for moving any content they wish to keep,” OIT Director of Customer Relations Meagan Bennett said. “Action is required.” 

Students and alumni who were enrolled between May 2009 and May 2021 will be subject to account deletion that includes content in Gmail and Google Drive. 

Bennett said the OIT recommends three methods of migrating content:

• Use the Microsoft Mover tool to transfer the content to your Microsoft OneDrive account.
• Use the Google Takeout tool to transfer the content elsewhere.
• Manually download the content you would like to keep on your computer and upload elsewhere if desired.

In addition to Microsoft OneDrive, the University also provides Box cloud storage to students as an alternative means of data backup. 

Bennett said the switch to Office 365 was prompted by a change in Google Workspace’s pricing structure and a desire for more campuswide cybersecurity and technological continuity. 

She said the new software should allow students to search for faculty emails more easily and receive fewer spam and phishing emails. 

“Graduates are going to use these tools in the workforce, so we want to develop your skills now,” she said.

Questions? Email the News desk at [email protected].