Northwestern University Advises Alumni to Prepare for Google Account Changes
Northwestern alumni with University Google accounts are being advised to back up or transfer their Google Drive and Google Photos data by March 13, 2025.
Fifteen years ago, after Google established a free unlimited storage program for qualifying educational institutions, Northwestern began offering full Google accounts to its students and alumni at no cost. These accounts provided students and alumni with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, all with unlimited storage.
Google has since decided to change its pricing model and end its unlimited storage program. As a result, universities have had to implement new Google account policies. Like many institutions, Northwestern has decided to remove Google Drive and Google Photos services from alumni accounts. Going forward, the University’s alumni Google accounts will provide access only to Gmail, Google Calendar, and select services not tied to Google Drive.
The changes to Google’s pricing model are taking effect in November 2024, but Northwestern has been able to extend the deadline for its alumni to March 13, 2025, giving alumni more time to transfer their Google Drive and Google Photos files. Northwestern is contacting alumni to help ensure they can take the necessary steps well before the deadline.
Account holders will retain access to their files in Google Drive and Google Photos until 11:59 p.m. CDT on March 13, 2025, after which those files will be deleted and alumni accounts will include access only to Gmail, Google Calendar, and select services not tied to Google Drive. Northwestern will also be closing the Google accounts of anyone who has not logged into their account within the past two years.
This change will impact alumni with the following Northwestern Google accounts:
- @u.northwestern.edu
- @alum.northwestern.edu
- @fsm.northwestern.edu
- @kelloggalumni.northwestern.edu
- @nlaw.northwestern.edu
Alumni with these accounts can no longer upload files to Google Drive and Google Photos
Current Northwestern students, faculty, and staff members with @u.northwestern.edu accounts are currently exempt from these changes.
Because the process of transferring large amounts of data can be time-consuming, Northwestern is recommending alumni begin the process ahead of the deadline. Alumni may visit the University’s Northwestern’s Google Workspace FAQ webpage to learn how to migrate their files using Google Takeout. Files also can be transferred to a personal Google Drive account, or by using a local hard drive, external drive, or USB/flash drive.
Files that are not transferred by March 13, 2025, will be permanently deleted on March 20, 2025. The University is encouraging anyone with questions to visit Northwestern’s Google Workspace FAQ webpage or contact alumniemail@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4357.
Updated February 14, 2025