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Google Auxiliary Email account creation and shared drive procedures change May 10

From: Division of Information Technology

As stated in the recently announced changes to Google Workspace at Virginia Tech, several service changes will take effect May 10, 2023:  

  • The option to create new Google Auxiliary Email (GAE) accounts will end;
  • Students, alumni, and retirees will no longer be able to create new Google shared drives; and, 
  • Departmental approval will be required for employees to create new shared drives.

Alternatives to GAE accounts

After May 10, departments and groups needing to create a new shared email account may consider one or more of the following alternatives:  

Existing GAE accounts may continue to be used until work begins to convert these accounts to an alternative service offering.  
 
Departments with GAE use cases not matching one of the above options should submit a consultation request with CCS to discuss options. More information about GAE alternatives is available in the 4Help Knowledge Base.

Using shared drives after May 10 

Employees who wish to create a new shared drive must request and receive departmental approval after May 10. Requests should be made through the IT Service Catalog, using this form. Existing shared drives will continue to be available to employees, and departments will assign storage limits for each drive between October 2023 and June 2024. After these changes are implemented, shared drive storage quotas will be managed by departments.  

Students, alumni, and retirees can no longer create new Google shared drives after May 10, but may be added to a shared drive by a department. Data in existing student-managed shared drives will either need to be downloaded from Google or moved to SharePoint. Students may also seek a department sponsor to maintain their shared drive in Google, by requesting that the appropriate department, faculty advisor, or university employer assign an employee as a co-manager of that drive.

Additional information about these and other forthcoming changes to Google services at Virginia Tech can be found on the Google changes website. For individualized technology support, please contact 4Help at 4help.vt.edu.

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