From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2023Tell Students: Transition of Student Email from Gmail to Outlook Starts May 22
We are pleased to announce that as part of our planned transition of student email accounts from Google (Gmail) to Outlook, all current students will soon receive a new email account in Microsoft Outlook (Microsoft 365). Students will be able to access these new accounts starting Monday, May 22. This is part of the university’s plan to phase out Gmail accounts by summer 2024. While students will still be able to access their Gmail accounts for a full year after receiving their Outlook accounts, the new Outlook address will become their primary account and should be used for official campus communication.
Some important details about these new accounts:
- New email address | Starting May 22, students will have a new email address in the format of username@buffalostate.edu. All new mail will be delivered to this address.
- Message Forwarding | Starting May 22, messages sent to a student’s old address (username@mail.buffalostate.edu) will be forwarded to their new Outlook address.
- Mailbox Migration | A one-time copy of each student’s mailbox from Gmail to Outlook will occur during summer 2023. This migration will be staggered, so mail in a student's Gmail Inbox may not appear in their Outlook Inbox right away.
- Accessing Outlook email | Students can access their email from a web browser or by using the Outlook mobile or desktop app.
- Sign-in with network credentials | Unlike with Gmail, which requires a separate password, students will sign in to Outlook using their network credentials.
- Retaining Access to Outlook | Students will retain access to their Microsoft 365 account for approximately one full year after leaving Buffalo State.
Some important details about Gmail accounts:
Following the closure of Google accounts by summer 2024, faculty members in the School of Education who use Google Classroom will be able to request Google accounts for themselves and their classes by submitting a ticket. Google accounts will be accessible only for the duration of the term requested.
The following links explain how to transfer contacts, calendar events, and Google Drive contents. Please share these links with students as needed.
- Transfer Contacts to Outlook | Step-by-step guide explaining how to import Gmail contacts to Outlook
- Transfer Calendar to Outlook | Step-by-step guide explaining how to import Gmail calendar to Outlook
- Transfer Google Drive | Step-by-step guide explaining how to transfer Google Drive to personal Google account
To learn more about this project, please visit the Microsoft 365 Project Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages. Students in need of assistance can open a Technology Help ticket or email the Help Desk.