Microsoft 365 Email Accounts
Current Alumni | Future Alumni | Retirees | FAQs
Alumni and Retirees must adhere to Security Standards to retain account access.
CURRENT ALUMNI:
Congratulations on your achievement on becoming a Blazer Alum!
If you graduated in Spring 2025 or earlier, you still have access to your Valdosta State email account (@valdosta.edu) until June 2026. You will be notified periodically via email before your account closes. Until then, you have access to Microsoft 365 Outlook (email), OneDrive, Teams, and Office Online Web Apps while adhering to security standards.
What happens on June 1, 2026?
Your VSU account will be disabled, and your data will not be retrievable. You will no longer be able to log into MyVSU or access your VSU email. Access is only restored if you enroll as an active VSU student or if you become a VSU employee.
FUTURE ALUMNI:
1-YEAR ALUMNI ACCESS PERIOD
You're blazing a trail and you're almost there! Upon your graduation from Valdosta State University, you can continue to access your @valdosta.edu email for up to one year while adhering to security standards. During that time, you will have access to Microsoft 365 Outlook (email), OneDrive, Teams, Office Desktop and Online Web Apps through your MyVSU account.
What happens after your one-year access ends?
Your VSU email account will be disabled and your data will not be retrievable. You will no longer be able to log in or access your VSU email and other online resources. You should then uninstall any VSU-sponsored Microsoft applications that you may have installed on your personal devices. Access is only restored if you enroll as an active VSU student or if you become a VSU employee.
RETIREES
Thank you for your service at Valdosta State University!
As a retiree, you may access your VSU email account (@valdosta.edu) until notified otherwise, while adhering to security standards. Access is limited to Microsoft 365 Outlook email, Teams web, OneDrive (100 GB), and Office Online web applications. You cannot install VSU's Microsoft 365 desktop applications on your personal devices. Upon retirement from Valdosta State University, you agreed to uninstall any VSU-sponsored Microsoft applications installed on your personal devices.
How to Prepare Before Your Email Account Closes
Follow these four steps to ensure a seamless transition from your VSU email account to another account. At anytime, if you no longer wish to maintain your VSU account before it expires, call VSU Solutions Center at 229.245.4357.
Step 1
Switch to an Alternate Email account
You will need to open or use another primary email account before your VSU account closes. Many popular and reputable free email services are available, such as Outlook, iCloud, Gmail and Yahoo Mail.
And if you really like using Microsoft 365 email and applications, consider these options:
A free Microsoft account that includes online versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 5GB of OneDrive cloud storage.
Step 2
Transfer Email and Files
Back up your email and move any important emails from your @valdosta.edu account to your new email account.
If necessary, you can migrate your files, emails, contacts, and calendar items from your VSU-sponsored Microsoft 365 account to your Personal Microsoft 365.
- For Windows 10 users, follow these steps.
- For Mac OS users, follow these steps.
- Transfer files to your Personal OneDrive
Step 3
Update Contact Info
Update your email address for all accounts where you have your @valdosta.edu email listed, such as on social media, banking, retail, medical, and entertainment sites.
**Since password reset links are often sent to the email account on file, it is important that you make this change before your VSU account closes. Otherwise, you may risk losing access to your non-VSU online accounts.**
Stay in Touch
Update your contact information on the
Valdosta State University Alumni Website
This will help you stay informed about VSU events and Alumni Association benefits.
Step 4
Set Up an Automatic Message
Notify friends, family, and others of your new email address by setting up an automatic reply on your @valdosta.edu email address.
The message could say something like:
“If you reached me at X@valdosta.edu, please note that my email address has changed to X@X. I will be unable to receive emails at X@valdosta.edu after June 2026.”
Remember forwarding your VSU email to another account is prohibited for security reasons. So do this instead!
Answers to Questions about Account Access
Q1. I am a:
a) I'm a VSU alum and I’ve had my VSU email account for years! I received notice that there is now a time limit on when I can keep it. Why is VSU making this change?
In a word, security. The landscape of cybersecurity threats is forcing higher education institutions or other governmental agencies to limit their threat exposure by decreasing the number of vulnerable user accounts. Valdosta State University aims to support our alumni while enhancing its security stance and effectively allocating resources.
b) I'm a VSU retiree. How long do I get to keep my VSU email account and what software do I have access to?
Retirees may access their VSU account until notified otherwise. Access is limited to Microsoft 365 Outlook email, Teams web, OneDrive (100 GB), and Office Online web applications.
c) I'm a VSU alum and retiree. How long do I get to keep my VSU email account and what software do I have access to?
Alumni may maintain full access to VSU Microsoft 365 email, web and desktop applications for one year after graduation beginning Fall 2025. However, as a retiree, you will continue to have email and limited licensing to Microsoft applications until notified otherwise. Alumni and retirees are subject to the same cybersecurity and VSU email policies. See: What happens if I don’t log in or change my password?
Employees who are also alumni and have recently graduated within the last year prior to separation from the university can maintain full access to VSU Microsoft 365 email, web and desktop applications for one year. VSU Human Resources has the final determination and may require the employee to be provided with a different email address.
e) I'm a VSU employee. How long do I get to keep my VSU email account and what software do I have access to after I no longer work here?
Employees who are separated from the university and are no longer affiliated with the university as an active student or retiree will lose access to all email and related services within 30-45 days of separation.
Q2. I don’t plan to use my VSU email account after I graduate. Can I opt out and request that my VSU Microsoft account be disabled before the 1-year alumni period is up?
Yes, we encourage alumni who no longer wish to keep their account to notify VSU Solutions Center and request that it be deactivated.
Q3. What happens if I do not log into MyVSU quarterly or change my password after the required 180-days period?
After one year of not registering for courses, you become an inactive student. Inactive students can have their accounts disabled and irrevocably terminated at any time after one year of inactivity.