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Email, Calendars, & Instant Messaging

Transition to Microsoft


Decorative banner about the transition from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365

The University is switching to Microsoft as the primary university-wide platform for collaboration and productivity tools, reducing the use of Google services on campus. This change aims to provide a consistent experience, enhance security and privacy, and manage costs more effectively.

We understand that transitions can be challenging; our team is available to assist you with the transition to make this as easy as possible. Read on and watch the video for more information.

Knoxville-area Campus and Institutes to minimize Google services usage 

Faculty and Staff: Use Microsoft Outlook for email and calendaring: 

Starting in June 2025, OIT will migrate all existing faculty and staff Gmail accounts to Outlook. Emails and calendars will be copied from Google to Outlook during the migration. 

  • June – July 2025: Staff email migrations. If you currently use Gmail, please monitor your university email over the summer, as OIT will send important information about the transition. 
  • September – November 2025: Faculty email migrations

By the end of the Fall 2025 semester, all faculty and staff email services, including mail, calendar, and contacts, will be hosted on Microsoft Outlook. 

Changes to Google Drive: While Google Drive and Forms will remain available to faculty, staff, and students, OIT will significantly reduce the amount of available storage.

  • OIT will help faculty and staff move their files from Drive to OneDrive and Teams. 
  • If your department wants assistance transitioning to OneDrive, please get in touch with us online, and our project team will contact you to discuss the timeline. 

 

 

How to Prepare

This change will take time, but you can take several steps to get ready for the transition.

  1. Use Microsoft resources for new projects, initiatives, and files.
  2. Identify where you are using UT Google services in your daily work.
  3. Clean up your Google Drive by deleting files you no longer need.
  4. Clean up your Gmail account by deleting old emails that you no longer need from your Gmail account.
  5. Request Departmental Training for customized workshops on our supported Microsoft 365 applications.

Timeline and Resources

This is a complex project, and we want to limit the disruption to teaching and learning. We will have separate timelines and resources for faculty, staff, and students. Select the page below for more information:

Benefits of using Microsoft as the University-wide platform

There are many benefits to having everyone use the same systems…here are just a few:

  • Better Spam Protection: The move to Outlook for all faculty, staff, and students will keep UT email out of students’ Gmail spam folders.
  • Integrated Calendaring: Scheduling appointments will be easier when everyone uses the same system.
  • Access Microsoft Apps Anywhere: Microsoft 365 includes a robust collection of applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, essential for daily operations.
  • Cloud Storage: OneDrive will provide secure cloud storage with seamless synchronization across devices.
  • Advanced Security: Microsoft’s advanced security features, including Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP), enhance our email and data protection.
  • Streamlined Workflows: With all tools under one umbrella, workflows become more efficient and less fragmented.
  • Improved Collaboration: Teams can collaborate more effectively using integrated tools like Teams and SharePoint.
  • Consistent User Experience: A unified platform ensures a consistent experience across all devices and applications.
  • Simplified IT Management: Managing one platform simplifies IT administration and support.

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