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How can I save my data and files? Can I start making changes to my account now?

What individual plans does Google offer?

Why are these changes happening?

  • 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 unlimited storage for 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 unlimited storage costs for all alumni, it would take away essential funding from university priorities.

Can funds to preserve services be drawn from money I already pay Cornell, or sourced from other accounts?

  • Unfortunately, no. This would take away important funding from other university priorities. Individuals are able to acquire Google services at a much lower cost than universities.

Are Google services going away for faculty, staff, and students, too?

  • No, these services are not going away for faculty, staff, and students. Those populations are fairly constant in size, and the services are used directly in support of the university's academic and research missions. Storage space currently used by alumni is not available to faculty, staff, and students. Introducing Google storage caps for alumni frees up more of this space, which is needed for mission-critical work.

    We will apply a storage cap to faculty, staff, and student accounts, as well. You can learn more about those changes from CIT.

You’d previously said this would happen in July 2023. Why was the deadline changed?

  • This new deadline is a result of conversations with alumni like you! We recognize that this is a big change, and we want to give you as much time as possible to move your data without penalties.

You’d previously said we’d have 15GB of storage. Why is it 5GB now?

  • After the new 15GB storage cap was announced, Google made another change to their pricing structure. All alumni accounts will now need to be below 5GB.

    The 5GB cap will be applied between September 2024 and August 2025, on a rolling basis. You’ll receive direct communications with clear deadlines for reducing storage, to allow enough time for all accounts to be reduced by summer 2025.

    The university provides email and file storage as a privilege, and at no cost, to the Cornell community. To keep these services financially sustainable, Cornell will periodically reevaluate email and storage policies for individuals once they leave the university. Any planned adjustments to services will be communicated in advance of changes being made.

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