Summary
Before graduating, students must back up their Microsoft 365 data, including OneDrive files and Outlook email. Access to these services will be removed after graduation, and any remaining data may be permanently deleted. To avoid data loss, download or transfer files to a personal account and export important emails before your account is deactivated.
Body
Overview
When a student graduates, their Microsoft 365 account is transitioned from a student license to a limited alumni license.
What this means:
-
Access to Microsoft Office Desktop applications (OneDrive, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) is removed on the date of graduation. Access to only Microsoft Outlook remains active via www.office.com through the web application.
- Alumni email accounts remain active for 3 months after graduation.
- After 3 months, the account, along with access to Microsoft Outlook, is permanently deactivated and access is removed.
Important: Data cannot be recovered. We highly recommend that you back up your data to a personal source before graduation.
NOTE: Students should also update or transfer any accounts, subscriptions, or services that use their Chatham email address (e.g., banking, job applications, social media, cloud services) to a personal email address to avoid losing access after their accounts are deactivated.
Instructions
Backing Up Your OneDrive Files
Option 1: Download Your Files (Recommended)
- Go to OneDrive (web)
- Select the files/folders you want to keep
- Click Download
- Save the ZIP file to your computer
- Extract files after download
Best for a quick, complete backup
Option 2: Transfer to a Personal OneDrive Account
- Create or sign in to a personal Microsoft account
- Open OneDrive on your computer
- Add both accounts:
- Your school account
- Your personal account
- Drag and drop files between accounts
Best if you want continued cloud access
Option 3: Save to Another Location
You may also copy files to:
- External hard drive or USB device
- Personal computer
- Another cloud service (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
Backing Up Your Email
Option 1: Export Your Mailbox (Full Backup)
- Open the Outlook desktop app
- Go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export
- Select Export to a file
- Choose Outlook Data File (.pst)
- Select your mailbox (include subfolders)
- Save the file to your computer
Includes email, calendar, and contacts
Option 2: Forward Important Emails
- Send important messages to a personal email account
Best for small amounts of critical content
Option 3: Move Email to Another Account
- Set up a personal email account
- Use Outlook or another email client to migrate messages
Important Reminders
- Start backing up as early as possible
- Large downloads may take time
- Only keep files you are permitted to retain (no restricted or sensitive university data)
- Shared or group files should be transferred to another owner if needed
For additional help, please contact the IT Support Services at (412) 365-1112.