Faculty or Staff Leaving the College

Questions

  • What happens to my Bowdoin email when I leave the college?
  • How long will I have access to my account after I leave or retire?
  • Can my Bowdoin email be forwarded, or can a manager get access after I leave?
  • What happens to my data and files when I leave?
  • What technology and software do I need to return or stop using?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin faculty and staff who are leaving the college, whether by retirement or for other reasons. It explains what happens to your email, data, and technology at departure.

Resolution

Email

  • Staff accounts are disabled at 11:59 PM on the scheduled day of departure, or immediately upon termination.
  • Faculty accounts during grade-entry periods or terms ending in May remain available for 30 days after the appointment ends so final work can be completed.
  • Email may not be forwarded to another address, and all staff email and non-research faculty email remains at the college. You may take your contacts with you if desired.
  • A mailbox is deleted 90 days after departure and cannot be retrieved.
  • Manager access to a departed employee's mailbox requires a request to Information Technology and approval from Human Resources.
Before you go: Make sure you are not using your Bowdoin email as the login or reply address for any third-party service — messages will bounce once the mailbox is removed. You may also want to set an away message; see Set an Out of Office Reply in Outlook on the Web in the Related Articles section.

Data

  • Staff: data is the property of the college and cannot be taken. Work with your supervisor on where to copy anything that needs to be kept. Data left on a computer is erased when the machine is reassigned (within about 2 weeks if the position is eliminated).
  • Faculty: data is split between personal research and institutional data. Institutional data should not leave the college; work with your chair on what must be kept versus deleted.

Technology and software

  • Any technology purchased with Bowdoin funds — computers, accessories, mobile devices, iPads — remains Bowdoin property and must be returned to Information Technology or a supervisor upon departure.
  • Software licensed by Bowdoin (Microsoft 365 including Teams and OneDrive, Zoom, Adobe, academic applications, and so on) is no longer available after your last day. In most cases you can purchase these for personal use after leaving — for example, Microsoft offers Microsoft 365 as a personal subscription.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
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Related Articles (2)

Add Inbox Delegates and Set Mailbox or Folder Permissions in Outlook on the Web
Explains how to add a delegate to a mailbox and assign permission levels in Outlook on the web so another person can manage email, calendar, or tasks on the owner's behalf. Includes a reference guide to each available permission level. Applies to Bowdoin faculty and staff.
Set an Out of Office Reply in Outlook on the Web
Instructions for turning automatic replies (out of office messages) on and off in Outlook on the web. Covers setting a time period, composing the message, sending separate replies to senders outside Bowdoin, and turning the replies off. Applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff.