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Faculty: collaboration with students in Google Drive ends May 29. Use Microsoft in all syllabi moving ahead

Student email, files and contacts will be moving from Google Suite to Microsoft Outlook and OneDrive at the end of the 2023 spring term. Access to TU’s Google accounts ends May 29, which means Gmail and Google Drive can no longer be used for academic collaboration. This affects the summer term and all terms moving ahead. Make sure you’re using Microsoft -not Google-when planning future syllabi. 

Transition tips for syllabi 

• Use Microsoft apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) when collaborating with students. Update links from Google files (i.e. Sheets, Slides and Docs) to Microsoft files (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.). Use OneDrive to store and share the files. 
• You can start using OneDrive now for file sharing/storage and collaboration with students. 
• Use Microsoft Forms instead of Google Forms. 
• After May 29 use Outlook for sending emails and booking calendar invites/appointments with students. 
• If you use a personal Google account and share Google Drive links with students for academic or university business, be aware that students might not be able to access the linked files.  

Other important info 

• Students have been able to opt in to move to Microsoft early, so some might already be using Outlook.  
• Those who haven’t opted in to be moved by April 7 will be moved by the Office of Technology Services after the spring term ends.  
• Email addresses aren’t changing. 
• If students need help, please direct them to Student Computing Services.  

Learn more, see FAQs and how to get support at towson.edu/M365forStudents. Self-help resources are available anytime at towson.edu/microsoft365. Need help or have questions? Contact the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center or submit a TechHelp service request.   

Categorised in: General

This post was written by Weldon, Jennifer