Storage and Email Transformation Project
Digital storage and email have changed immensely and on an ongoing basis since Ohio State first introduced these services more than 25 years ago. We have made changes and updates to the services over the years to ensure things run smoothly and keep pace with changes in technology and with how people use email and storage. We are currently modifying email and storage services in response to changes in Microsoft's pricing model. As this project progresses, we will continually update this page so you can access the information as you need it.
Why Services are Changing
Over 2024 and 2025, we will make changes to email based both on changes to how email is used and on our duty to ensure responsible fiscal stewardship as cost changes impacts our services. Reasons for these changes include:
- Vendor changes to the cost structure of email and storage
- New security by third-party email providers (Google, Yahoo!, etc.) blocking emails
- Changes in how users manage emails; many users do not want multiple accounts
- General security concerns, which continue to change and grow
OTDI is committed to providing all users with the best possible service. We understand these changes may feel disruptive, but they are necessary due to third-party email security updates and Microsoft's pricing changes for storage services. In summary, key dates for most users are as follows:
- December 31, 2024 - email account forwarding ends
- June 1, 2025 - new storage limits go into effect
New Email and Storage Limits
Current Students
- 100GB BuckeyeMail/Outlook email storage
- 100GB OneDrive storage
Beginning on June 1, 2025.
Current University Employees – Faculty and Staff
- 100GB Outlook email storage
- 100GB Online email archive storage
- 500GB OneDrive storage
Beginning on June 1, 2025.
Sponsored Guests
- 50GB Outlook email storage
- 50GB Online email archive storage
- 100GB OneDrive storage
Began on Feb. 1, 2024.
Current Medical Center Employees OSU Account– Faculty and Staff
- 50GB Outlook email storage for @osu.edu accounts
- 50GB Online email archive storage for @osu.edu accounts
Began on Feb. 1, 2024.
Dual-Appointment University/OSUMC Faculty and Staff
- 50GB Outlook email storage for @osu.edu account
- 50GB Online email archive storage for @osu.edu account
- 50GB OneDrive storage
Began on Feb. 1, 2024.
How Email Accounts and Forwarding Will Change
In the past we have offered various forms of ongoing email services for graduates, but alumni populations may be impacted differently depending on how they engage with our services. The Office of Alumni Affairs will publish a website with information specific to alumni populations and will partner with us in corresponding with alumni in the coming months. In addition, we are working with The Office of Human Resources to sunset services for retirees with email for life.
Accounts Issued by Role
At Ohio State, email addresses are issued based on your role at the university. Going forward, this process will be streamlined as users have expressed interest in having fewer accounts to manage.
- Students will be issued lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu accounts. We are planning to discontinue the lastname.#@osu.edu address that students are currently issued; evaluation of timing for that change is underway.
- Employees will be issued lastname.#@osu.edu accounts.
- Wexner Medical Center employees will be issued lastname.#@osu.edu account, and some will also have firstname.lastname@osumc.edu accounts.
Any user with multiple roles will receive an email for each role. For example, a faculty member with a dual appointment in the university and the medical center will receive @osu.edu and @osumc.edu accounts.
Information included on this page regarding email account forwarding and storage apply to emeritus employees in the same way as these changes apply to all other employees.
Email Forwarding
The ability to forward an Ohio State-issued email to a third-party email service (Google, Yahoo!, etc.) will end for all users on Dec. 31, 2024.
Going forward, when students and university employees leave the Ohio State, their access to their email account will vary based on their role.
- Students will retain access to their BuckeyeMail account for two years after the date of graduation or withdrawal.
- Employees who leave the university will lose access when the roll-off process is complete.
If you plan to leave the university, be sure you have a personal email account set up, inform your contacts, and ensure all social media and accounts are updated with your personal email.
If you are a faculty or staff member in a department that regularly emails students, you should be aware that we are evaluting timing for eliminating student’s lastname.#@osu.edu address. Once we have determined a timeline, we will notify you of the date when you will no longer be able to email students using lastname.#@osu.edu address. At that time, you will need to use lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu addresses to reach students.
Likewise, if you email alumni regultarly, you will eventually need a personal email (non-Ohio State) to reach these contacts. To prevent numerous areas of the university from contacting the same alumni on multiple occasions, the Alumni Association will take the lead on collecting this data to ensure colleges and departments can continue communicating with alumni who want to stay engaged with the university.
Email for Students, Former Students and Alumni
- Current students will have access to their BuckeyeMail for two years after graduating from the university. Because forwarding ends at the conclusion of the 2024 calendar year, you will need to log in to BuckeyeMail to access your email account.
- Graduated students who retain BuckeyeMail will also lose the ability to forward on December 31, 2024. From that date forward, you will need to log in to BuckeyeMail to access your email account.
- Students who have withdrawn or do not graduate will lose access to their Ohio State email accounts after two years. Those who have already withdrawn as a student and currently have accounts will lose access on December 31, 2024.
- Eventually all students will ONLY have a lastname.#@buckeyemail.osu.edu account. Once we have determined a date when students will no longer have a lastname.#@osu.edu, we will post it here.
Online Resources to Help Manage Storage
The following resources can help ensure your data is safely stored and the volume is below the established limits:
- To see how much mailbox storage you've used, log on to Outlook for the Web, click on the Settings menu (the gear icon) at the top of the page, and select Settings > General > Storage.
- Check OneDrive numbers online.
- University Libraries has published extensive information about managing files and emails.
- OTDI has published articles about email clean-up, using online archives and applying retention tags: