Microsoft to send “Ownerless Groups and Teams” Notifications 

Microsoft is now sending emails when a team or group becomes “ownerless.” A team in Microsoft Teams or a Microsoft 365 group can become ownerless if the owner's account is deleted in Microsoft 365 – for example, if the group owner leaves the university. Since groups and teams need an owner to manage members and settings, Microsoft has introduced this new policy – sending an email to ownerless groups and teams – to assign a new owner. 

What to Expect 

If you are a member of a group or team whose owner no longer has a university account, you might receive an email from Microsoft asking if you would like to become the owner: 

• Active Members First: The policy will first ask the 5 most active members of the group to accept ownership. If a member forwards their notification email to a different member, the forward recipient can't accept or decline the invitation. 
• Random Selection: If there’s no group activity, the policy will ask random group members. 
• Weekly Notifications: Notifications are sent weekly for 4 weeks, and you can receive separate notifications for each ownerless group you are part of. 

What You Need to Do 

If you receive an email asking you to become an owner, here’s what you should do: 

1. Designate Multiple Owners: Ensure all groups have at least 2 owners to streamline Team and group management and avoid “ownerless” groups/Teams. Microsoft offers guidance on designating owners. 
2. Review the Email: Open the email in a separate window (not in the preview pane) to see the Yes and No buttons. If you do NOT see Yes/No buttons – some users are seeing lines of unintelligible code – please reach out to the IT Service Desk online or at (614) 688-4357 (HELP) for assistance. 
3. Accept or Decline: Click Yes if you are willing to become the owner, or No if you are not. If you decline, you will stop receiving notifications. 
4. No Action: If you do not respond, you will continue to receive weekly notifications until the specified period ends. 

Need Help? 

If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out by contacting the IT Service Desk online or at (614) 688-4357 (HELP) for assistance.