IT Announcements

Upcoming Google Workspace changes: What’s happening

September 4, 2026

As previously shared, the University of Alaska has been working to better manage Google Workspace storage totals. The next few months bring some important, concrete steps toward that effort. Below is information about the additional changes users can expect.

Starting Now: Inactive (2+ Years) Accounts Are Disabled

Previously, only accounts that had been inactive for 3 or more years were disabled. Since September 1, accounts that have been inactive for 2 or more years are now disabled.

What this means for you:

  • If a former university colleague's account falls into this newly-disabled group, any files they previously shared with you will no longer be accessible.
  • If you discover a file you relied on is missing, contact your local help desk for assistance: UAA Information Technology Services — UA/UAF Nooktech — UAS IT Services.
  • If you have files shared with you from an account you know is inactive or about to become inactive, in order to keep your access to that file, save a copy to your own UA Google Drive or move it to your team’s Shared Drive.

September 15: Permanent Deletion of 2+ Year Inactive Accounts Begins

On September 15, any account that has been inactive for 2 or more years, will be permanently deleted. A UA account is considered inactive based on the person's last known affiliation with the university — as a student or employee — rather than how recently they logged in; once that affiliation ends, the account moves to inactive status. Be sure to act before this date to save a copy of any documents regularly accessed that belong to a former employee. 

What this means for you:

  • Even after an account is deleted, within that deleted account, files previously shared with others, while no longer accessible, will remain recoverable.
  • If you find a file is missing after September 15,  contact your local help desk and they can help track it down.

Looking Ahead to October 1

New storage policies for faculty and staff accounts take effect October 1. More details on what this means for your account will be shared in upcoming UA News issues — watch for continued updates and information on the exceptions process.

For further assistance, contact your local help desk: UAA Information Technology Services — UA/UAF Nooktech — UAS IT Services. For answers to frequently asked questions, visit the Google Storage Project FAQs.