Frequently asked Questions: exiting faculty and staff

The below guidance is for informational purposes only, and it may adjust and change over time, in alignment with our university policies and decisions. We appreciate your understanding, we hope this guidance is helpful to you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still access my Google Drive and email accounts after my last day?

No, access to WFU account contents is only provided to current faculty, staff and students and to retired faculty and staff.

What happens to my materials after my last day at Wake Forest?

Data in disabled accounts is retained for a period of time to ensure continuity of university operations.

Can I request access to my materials after my last day at Wake Forest?

Individuals are required to work with their former supervisor or chair to determine if a request can be made.

I want to share all of my Google documents with ____. 

Google does not provide an easy way to do this. Even so, it’s best to selectively share your Google files within a Shared Drive in advance of leaving. It can be helpful to create a Shared Drive for your valuable and relevant documents, and share access with the individuals who may need them. You may also designate subfolders along themes. Taking this approach helps to avoid sharing large volumes of personal or unneeded files with other individuals. 

For group efforts, use Google Shared Drives instead of individual Drives.

Shared Drives are also helpful for longer term, important materials especially those which multiple individuals are involved in and working on. Creating shared drives in Google Drive can help with managing access to documents as well as to ensure access by multiple team members, long term. Learn more about how shared drives can help your team organize efforts and their documents.

What services/software do retirees get to keep?

Wake Forest permits retirees to retain access to their @WFU.edu Google Workspace account and select other services. Access to licensed software applications is removed in accordance with vendor licensing agreements. 

I just realized I don’t have access any longer to my WFU account. What happens if I need extended access to my account?

While similar, the process is a bit different for students, faculty and staff.

Students 

In some cases, and when there is an approved need, appropriate campus offices may approve an extension for a student. To begin the process, please contact the service desk in a phone call.

Faculty and Staff 

In unusual circumstances, a department chair (faculty) or supervisor (staff) may request an extension for the individual. Please contact your (former) supervisor/chair to see if this would be possible. We defer to the supervisor/chair for any faculty or staff extension requests, and they would initiate that request.

How do I inform senders who email me after I lose access to my account to reach out to me at an alternate email address?

It is recommended to set up a vacation responder with this information before you lose access to your account.  Your account will still be able to  send out automated responses for 30 days after you lose access.  Google provides helpful information on how to set up a vacation responder.