Students, staff, and faculty at CSU who have been using Google softwares for years are now adjusting to Microsoft 365 after a decision from University Information Technology Services.
MyCSU accounts have used Google services for email and cloud storage since 2009. In 2021, MyCSU accounts were linked to Microsoft services for multi-factor authentication. Now, UITS is merging these services and moving accounts to Microsoft email and cloud services.
The university began planning the move months before it went into effect. A group of volunteers tested the new accounts in day-to-day activities. Throughout May and June, staff, faculty, and student accounts were moved to Microsoft 365 in waves. Shared drives hosted on Google platforms remained there until the end of June as UITS collaborated with their owners. Google accounts will remain accessible in read-only mode until the end of 2023.
UITS stated in an email sent across campus that the move will increase security and improve administrative tools. In light of statewide budget cuts to higher education, Microsoft’s lower costs are another motivating factor. Users will ideally get a more streamlined experience when all cloud services are on the same platform.
The majority of data on Google services will transfer to Microsoft 365, converted to its well-established file formats. Some files, however, will not survive the migration: Google Sites, Forms, and Jamboard documents won’t be transferred.
Over the course of the move, UITS has made itself available to help users adjust. It published a website with relevant information on scheduling and common questions. UITS has also been conducting live virtual training sessions about Microsoft software for interested users.
