The UM Office of Information Technology is responsible for publishing procedures related to the ongoing management our university's email management policy. Security procedures beyond those listed on this page will continue to be implemented, and new procedures will not be implemented until published and communicated to our university community.
The following procedures apply to the management of university electronic mail (email) accounts:
Email Retention
- Capstone Emails: Individuals in key positions (e.g. presidents, chancellors, provosts, etc.) will have permanent retention of their email accounts for historical purposes and their email will be transferred to archives after termination of employment.
Account Eligibility: Employees
- University email accounts will be locked the day after the last day of employment.
- Locked accounts will have all content deleted 21 days after the lock date, unless the account is currently on litigation hold; requires longer retention for business continuity or record transfer; or requires permanent retention for historical value.
- A 6-month extension can be authorized by the employee’s immediate supervisor and must be approved by the department head for the purpose of transferring work or for business continuity.
- Supervisors must ensure employees transfer all business records and other proprietary or otherwise important correspondence in their email account to an assigned custodian prior to separation.
- The determination of account eligibility for employees who are former students (not currently enrolled or admitted for a future semester) will be based on their employment status, not their former student status.
- For terminated employees who are enrolled for a current or future semester, the following process will apply:
- On the day after the last day of employment, an automated email will be sent to the employee’s supervisor letting them know that the terminated employee may keep their mailbox as a current/future enrolled student. The supervisor has these options:
- Allow the former employee to review their mail contents and delete/transfer any work-related messages as appropriate.
- Request an export of the mailbox for departmental business continuity purposes.
- Request the mailbox be swept and the user be issued an empty mailbox.
- If none of these options meet the needs of the department other options should be discussed with the campus information security officer.
- On the day after the last day of employment, an automated email will be sent to the employee’s supervisor letting them know that the terminated employee may keep their mailbox as a current/future enrolled student. The supervisor has these options:
Account Eligibility: Students
- Student accounts will be locked 12 months from the end of the last term enrolled. Former students will receive an email in their University mailbox giving them notice when the 12 months is almost up.
- Locked accounts will have all content deleted 21 days after the lock date.
- After the 12 months grace period, students can request a one-time one year extension for reasons associated with continuation of their degree program; to facilitate job searches; or for other reasons as documented in the online request form. Former students receive this request form near the end of their 12 month grace period. The form cannot be completed in advance.
- Students who have been granted an extension must:
- Abide by UM email policy 12006.
- Complete the UM Annual Information Security training module.
- The determination of account eligibility for employees who are former students (not currently enrolled or admitted for a future semester) will be based on their employment status, not their former student status.
Account Eligibility: Emeritus
- Users with an Emeritus job code will continue to retain email access.
- Emeritus faculty will retain their email access as long as they have Emeritus job code.
- If Emeritus status is removed or terminated email accounts will be locked.
- Locked accounts will have all content deleted 21 days after the lock date, unless the account is currently on litigation hold; requires longer retention for business continuity or record transfer; or requires permanent retention for historical value.
Account Eligibility: Retirees (Non-Emeritus)
- Retirees who retired prior to May 1, 2021, and who have maintained their university email account may continue to use that account. Retirees in this category must:
- Abide by UM email policy 12006.
- Complete the UM Annual Information Security training module upon request.
- Retirees who retire after May 1, 2021, may submit a request to maintain their email account if/when the UM email account is needed to support their ongoing academic/research endeavors; to facilitate university business continuity; or for volunteer activities in support of their department, school/college, campus or the university in general. Retirees in this category must:
- Be sponsored and then confirmed every three years by the dean of their school/college, the division head of their prior division or by leaders of recognized UM committees, organizations and associations.
- Abide by UM email policy 12006.
- Complete the UM Annual Information Security training module upon request.
- Retirees who did not initially retain their UM email account but now need access may apply for a new account under the same conditions as documented in section 2, above.
Account Eligibility: Volunteers and Consultants
- Volunteers and consultants may be eligible to obtain a UM email account when such an account is needed for or on behalf of the university.
- Volunteers and consultants must be sponsored by a dean or director-level individual within the unit for which they are working. Sponsorships must be renewed annually.
- Abide by UM email policy 12006.
- Complete the UM Annual Information Security training module upon request.
Email Quotas
- Email account quotas will be strictly enforced.
- Email accounts that are part of active litigation or are on litigation-hold will be excluded from quota restrictions until the litigation-hold has been removed by legal counsel.
For assistance with these and other IT procedures, please reach out to your local IT Help Desk.
Reviewed 2022-11-21