Information Systems offers faculty and staff the ability to request additional email addresses for departmental, collaborative, or special use cases. These options are designed to supplement—not replace—your regular primary university email address. Please note that at this time, students are unable to request any of these accounts. Additionally, alumni accounts are maintained separately by the Alumni Office; for more information, please visit the Alumni Gmail page.
Choosing the right email account type
Note:
All requests listed below must be submitted by a full-time faculty or staff member.
When requesting a new email address or collaborative inbox, Information Systems (IS) offers several options depending on your specific use case: Guest Accounts, Email Aliases, Both Guest + Email Alias used together, and Google Groups.
Use the quick-reference guide below to compare features, or scroll down for detailed breakdowns and request links.
Quick comparison guide
| Account Type | Direct Login? | 2FA Required? | Annual Renewal? | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest Account | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dedicated individual (vendor, contractor) or departmental email (up to 15 characters before the @wfu.edu). |
| Email Alias | No | No | No | Forwarding incoming mail directly into your primary inbox (more than 15 characters before the @wfu.edu available). |
| Both Guest + Email Alias together | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dedicated inbox needing a custom address longer than 15 characters before the @wfu.edu. |
| Google Group | No | No | No | Team collaboration, committee distribution lists, and shared mailboxes. |
Detailed account breakdown
Guest account
A Guest Account functions as a standard, standalone email account with a dedicated inbox. It can be set up for individuals (vendors, contractors, volunteers) or as a departmental email (e.g., [email protected]).
- Access: Requires standard password login and Google 2-Step Verification.
- Username Limit: Usernames are limited to 15 characters or fewer.
- Annual Renewal: Required. The account must be renewed annually by the responsible party (passwords do not need to be updated yearly).
- Support Note: If the guest experiences access difficulties, the responsible faculty/staff party must work directly with IS to resolve the issue.
-
Compliance & Special Requirements:
- Vendor VPN: If vendor VPN access is required, a Vendor VPN Agreement must be completed alongside this request.
- Protection of Minors: HR requires criminal background screening for anyone working with minors (such as interns or volunteers) per the Protection of Minors Policy. Please complete the Background Screening Request Form well in advance to allow sufficient processing time.
-
Request Links:
- Submit a Guest Account Request
- Renew an existing account via the Guest Account Extension Form
- Replying to the account expiration email notification indicating that the account is still needed is also a valid method for renewal
Email alias
An email alias acts as a forwarder. Any messages sent to the alias address are redirected directly into your primary inbox.
- Access: No separate login credentials or 2-Step Verification required.
- Annual Renewal: Not required.
- Sending Mail: You can configure your primary account’s "Send As" settings to reply using the alias address.
- Management: Membership is managed exclusively by IS. A support ticket is required to change recipient settings.
- Request Link: Email Alias Request Form
Both Guest + Email Alias together
This option combines an email alias with a guest account by forwarding the alias directly to the guest inbox.
- Annual Renewal: Required. Because this relies on a guest account, the underlying guest account must be renewed annually.
- When to use this: Ideal if you need a dedicated, login-accessible inbox with a public-facing email address longer than the 15-character Guest Account limit.
- Request both guest and alias emails. If choosing this option, the guest account would be the "Who should receive emails sent to this alias?" email address.
- Request Link: Email Alias Request Form
- Request Link: Guest Account Request
Google Groups
Google Groups are built for team collaboration and self-service distribution lists.
- Collaborative Access: Anyone added to the group receives messages sent to the group address.
- Annual Renewal: Not required.
- Ease of Management: Group managers can add or remove members directly without submitting an IS support ticket.
- Workspace Integration: Integrates seamlessly with Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Sites.
- Request Link: Google Group Request Form
Was this answer helpful? Yes No