Skip to main content

Cornell University

Alumni Frequently Asked Questions About Storage Changes

This article applies to: Strategic Storage Initiative

On This Page

How will these changes affect alumni who have a Cornell Google account?

  • If you are using Cornell Gmail, you can keep that account. If you had less than 15 Gigabytes (GB) stored in Gmail, a 15-GB storage cap was applied July 2022. If you had more than 15 GB in Gmail, the cap will be applied July 2023.
  • If you are using Google Drive or other Google services, you will need to move the content you are storing there before July 2023, when your Google services other than Gmail will end.

For more information about steps you can take, see Alumni: Preparing for Storage Changes.

Why are these changes happening?

Please see Why Cornell Google Services are Changing.

How can I see how much I have stored in my Cornell Google account?

Your current storage can be viewed in the Drive Storage section of your Cornell Google account. You may need to sign into your Cornell Google account with your NetID and password. If you have another Google account, such as a personal account, make sure you're looking at the Drive Storage page for your Cornell account by clicking your profile icon in the upper right. Your Cornell Google account is the one using your netid@cornell.edu email address. 

What plans does Google offer that would fit my needs? How much do they cost?

See Google's Choose a plan that works for you. If you are signed into your Cornell Google account, you will be asked to sign out and into a personal Google account. You can also see the information when completely signed out or through a private browser window.

How can I save or move content currently stored in my Cornell Google account?

Refer to the resources suggested at Move Your Personal Data.

If I am an alum and also faculty, student, or staff, how does that affect my Google services?

If you have both alumni status and another status, like faculty, student, or staff, your Google services will be those associated with your faculty, student, or staff role. If you leave Cornell or graduate, your Google service will revert to what's associated with Cornell alumni status.

How do I request an alumni Office 365 email account?

If you graduated December 2021 or after, you already have the account and can sign in at outlook.cornell.edu. If you graduated before December 2021, you can fill out the alumni Office 365 email account request form

Can I request an increase in storage space in my Cornell Google account?

Storage space increases are not available for alumni Cornell Google accounts. Google no longer offers free unlimited storage to universities. New pricing structures Google introduced in 2021 for universities and colleges would make Cornell responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra charges every year to maintain alumni accounts. The cost for each individual to maintain their own Google account is significantly lower (most would be free or as low as $1.99 per month for an individual). If Cornell continued to bear these costs for all alumni, it would take away essential funding from university priorities. As a result, Cornell is not able to offer additional data storage beyond the 5 GB limit for alumni Gmail accounts. (More information about why Cornell Google services are changing.)

If you have questions that were not addressed, please submit a ticket to CIT Collaboration and Utility Services. (If you are unable to sign in with your NetID and password, you can submit your question using the general IT Service Desk Support Form.)

Comments?

To share feedback about this page or request support, log in with your NetID

At Cornell we value your privacy. To view
our university's privacy practices, including
information use and third parties, visit University Privacy.