Google Changes - Alumni and former staff
Guidance on the Google GSuite changes for former staff and alumni
Follow the instructions below based on what your affiliation used to be:
I'm an alum/graduate and was not a researcher, academic or senior manager
What do I need to do?
You will need to transfer off any files (including Google Photos,Google Docs, Sites, Sheets and Slides) that you don't want automatically deleted. To help us, please also delete any files that are no longer required. Tidying up and deleting old email (particularly those with attachments) will also be helpful.
When do I need to have this done by?
When you leave the University your drive will be restricted so you cannot add new content. Your files will be blocked at least a month afterwards then permanently removed. You will automatically receive emails telling you your deadline dates.
What if I have a Google Site?
Google Sites stores their webpages on your Google Drive, so you will need to copy the content to another location before you leave as the site will be blocked, then the content removed.
What if I have photos in Google Photos?
Google Photos should be moved using these instructions. It is critical that you delete your photos once you've moved them as Google doesn't provide administrators with any ability to delete photos, so if you don't remove them then we'll be forced to delete your entire account, including your email contents. We don't want to do this, so make sure you delete your photos.
What if I have a shared drive?
For shared drives where there are no current University staff or students, we will be contacting the managers and content managers of shared drives and providing two month's notice before the drive is blocked and then the contents of the drive will be removed two months following. The blocking will occur well before the December deadline.
How do I do move my files?
I used to be a researcher, academic or senior manager
Do you still have files that will be useful to the University?
It is important that files that were created as part of your University employment and still hold value for the University are not lost.
You should share any files that fit that criteria with an existing staff member. How to transfer ownership of files. Note Google has limited all educational tenants worldwide so that it is not possible to transfer ownership to an email address that isn't @aucklanduni.ac.nz.
If there are large number of files that need to be retained by the University and are in your Google Drive please contact the project team for assistance using this link.
Note that Google doesn't allow anyone to transfer the ownership of files outside of an academic tenant - this is not a University of Auckland restriction.
What do I need to do for other files?
You will need to transfer off any files (including Google Photos, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides) that you don't want deleted. To help us, please also delete any files that are no longer required. Tidying up and deleting old email (particularly those with attachments) will also be helpful.
If you are still sharing files from your personal Google Drive that are used by others at the University then you need to transfer ownership to someone still at the University. How to transfer ownership of files.
What if I have photos in Google Photos?
Google Photos should be moved using these instructions. It is critical that you delete your photos once you've moved them as Google doesn't provide administrators with any ability to delete photos, so if you don't remove them then we'll be forced to delete your entire account, including your email contents. We don't want to do this, so make sure you delete your photos.
What if I have a Google Site?
Google Sites stores their webpages on your Google Drive, so you will need to copy the content to another location before you leave as the site will be blocked, then the content removed.
When do I need to have this done by?
When you leave the University your drive will be restricted so you cannot add new content. Your files will be blocked at least a month afterwards then permanently removed. You will automatically receive emails telling you your deadline dates.
How do I move my files?
I used to be another type of staff member
What do I need to do?
You will need to transfer off any files (including Google Photos, Google Docs, Sites, Sheets and Slides) that you don't want deleted. To help us, please also delete any files that are no longer required. Tidying up and deleting old email (particularly those with attachments) will also be helpful.
If you are still sharing files from your personal Google Drive that are used by others at the University then you need to transfer ownership to someone still at the University. How to transfer ownership of files. Note that Google doesn't allow anyone to transfer the ownership of files outside of an academic tenant - this is not a University of Auckland restriction.
What if I have photos in Google Photos?
Google Photos should be moved using these instructions. It is critical that you delete your photos once you've moved them as Google doesn't provide administrators with any ability to delete photos, so if you don't remove them then we'll be forced to delete your entire account, including your email contents. We don't want to do this, so make sure you delete your photos.
What if I have a Google Site?
Google Sites stores their webpages on your Google Drive, so you will need to copy the content to another location before you leave as the site will be blocked, then the content removed.
When do I need to have this done by?
When you leave the University your drive will be restricted so you cannot add new content. Your files will be blocked at least a month afterwards then permanently removed. You will automatically receive emails telling you your deadline dates.
How do I move my files?
Frequently Asked Questions
I was told that I would be able to keep my Google Drive forever
The University provided your @aucklanduni.ac.nz email address and said this was ongoing - this is still the case. This is dependent on you removing all your Photos when you leave the University. The use of other services was always conditional on Google maintaining their previous policy of offering an unlimited free storage service to the University. Google have changed this policy which has forced the University to have to change our offering.
I have files that are important to me and need to be kept
If you have files that were produced during your affiliation with the University and have ongoing value to the University then the ownership should be transferred to a current staff member. Transferring ownership of files.
If the files are important to you, but have limited value to the University then you will need to move them to a storage service that you have arranged and paid for. We will not be providing ongoing storage in Google Drive, Google Photos or any other storage service to any former staff or alumni.
Does this also mean my Google Photos have to go?
Yes, you will also need to remove Google Photos. For instructions on how to do this: Move Google Photos. If you don't delete your Photos then we are forced to remove your entire account (gmail, drive and photos) to recover the storage - there is no other way. It is critical you delete all your Photos before you leave or your email will all be removed.
Why can't you just move my files to my new location?
- To do this we would need access to your new private storage location and it's password, which breaches privacy
- There are over 292,000 Google accounts in the University (more than double the population of Dunedin), which makes doing this as a managed migration unfeasible
- The only person who can identify what files are rubbish and what are required is you
Question not answered above?
Please check out this FAQ page.