Action required to preserve content in UW Google Shared Drives
A version of this message was sent to affected audiences on 2/14/2023. Additional audiences will receive this message on 2/28/2023.
Please note: These changes affect only Shared Drives. These changes do not affect personal UW Google Drives.
What is happening and when
UW Google Shared Drives (Shared Drives) that do not have a current UW employee with a UW email address in the Manager role will be restricted beginning in March 2023. (The Manager role is the highest level of permissions in a Shared Drive.)
You will still be able to view and download existing files in restricted Shared Drives, but you will be unable to add new files to restricted Shared Drives.
Any Shared Drives that are still restricted in August 2023, including all files within, will be permanently deleted beginning in August 2023.
Important Dates
- March 22, 2023: Shared Drives without a current UW employee’s UW Google account in the Manager role will be restricted
- Files in a restricted Shared Drive can still be accessed and the content downloaded, but the Shared Drive will not accept any further uploads or file updates
- Restricted Shared Drive names will be changed on March 22 to indicate that they are now restricted
- August 29, 2023: Restricted Shared Drives and all files within them will be permanently deleted, with no option for recovery
What you need to do
Review the Shared Drives you have access to and look for Shared Drives without a Manager.
If you do not want the restricted Shared Drives deleted, submit a request to have your current UW employee UW Google account (associated with a UW NetID) promoted to the Manager role.
If you no longer need the Shared Drive, download the files you wish to keep from a Shared Drive.
Shared Drive policies
The Shared Drive lifecycle policy now requires that all Shared Drives must have at least one current UW employee’s UW Google account in the Manager role. For more information regarding related UW policies, please see the following resources:
What to do if you need help
UW Google Changes project is the best resource for more information on the status, milestone and details of the project.
We recommend that you consult first with your local IT support group, as they are the experts on your data and technology needs. If this is not an option for you, reach out to UW-IT at help@uw.edu or 206-221-5000.
Thank you for your understanding and support as the University of Washington adjusts to these significant changes.
UW-IT