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Email Address Retirement Policy

Description: This policy sets the parameters for how long Eastern University (EU) will keep email addresses (login accounts) available for alumni and faculty/staff after separation or retirement. This policy applies to email, Google Apps, WiFi, and anything else available using an EU Login.

Rationale: Previously, EU had allowed Alumni to retain their Eastern email addresses for life. This policy is no longer practical for several reasons:

• Free email addresses are readily available online. The vast majority of EU alumni email addresses haven’t been logged into or used for years.

  • Neglected email addresses provide an easy vector for scammers to obtain control of an @eastern.edu address and use it to trap users into believing the scam originated from Eastern University.

  • Unused email addresses consume a large proportion of EU’s Google storage. Removing outdated accounts frees up storage and makes more financial sense than buying more unnecessarily.

EMail account retirement:

• Alumni

  • Alumni may keep their email for 18 months after graduation. 

  • If an Alum returns to Eastern for a graduate or any other program during the 18 month period, they may continue to use the same account. It will remain active until 18 months after they finish their program.

  • After 18 months, the account will be disabled and removed.

  • Reminder emails will be sent to all accounts scheduled for deletion at regular intervals at least 6 months in advance. 

  • If a user wants to keep their email or other files, they may do so using Google Takeout: https://takeout.google.com 

• Faculty and Staff – Faculty/Staff access to the user email account is terminated on the last day of employment. For the sake of business continuity, access to the account will be given to the former employee’s supervisor or another person designated by HR. 

• Adjunct Faculty - Adjunct faculty who have not taught for 24 months will have their email account terminated. Employees who leave their primary positions but continue as adjunct faculty will either be issued a new email or allowed to keep their previous email at the discretion of their supervisor.

• Students who leave before graduation – Students who leave the university without completion of their degree or other program may keep their email privileges for one academic year from the last term when they were registered. 

• Expelled students - If a student is expelled from the university, email privileges will be terminated immediately upon the directive of the Dean of Students Office.

• All Users - Eastern University reserves the right to disable any EU owned email account at EU’s discretion, for any reason.