No email forwarding will be provided upon graduation for the Class of 2026 and beyond, according to the Princeton Office of Information Technology (OIT). Additionally, undergraduate NetID access will now be deactivated 60 days following graduation, compared to 65 days in previous years.
These policy changes will go into place at the end of the spring semester, beginning with the Class of 2026.
Upon Commencement, each University graduate receives an alumni email address. Previously, graduates had 65 days after graduation before their student email was deactivated, and any emails sent to that deactivated address would be auto-forwarded to the student’s new alumni email for 430 days.
Now, students will only have 60 days to transition all their pertinent emails from their student inbox to their alumni inbox, before the student email account is deactivated.
After the deactivation, students “will [also] lose access to all files, student email and services that require your Princeton netID and password,” according to the OIT webpage. These inaccessible services include, but are not limited to, the Princeton Google Drive, Princeton Gmail, file servers, Princeton-hosted websites, and some software, including Microsoft Office 365.
For graduate students, access to Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, and webpages will be revoked 65 days after graduation, but automatic email forwarding to the alumni.princeton.edu address will continue for 730 days.
University spokesperson Jennifer Morrill wrote to The Daily Princetonian that the specific decision to shorten the duration of access to the student email from 65 to 60 days was due to factors such as “licensing for software used at the University, access to resources as an active member of the University and increased cyber threats.”
Morrill did not address the OIT forwarding policy, beyond confirming its cancellation.
Many seniors expressed concern over the lack of the email forwarding policy, with some worried about not receiving job offers or internships for the upcoming summer.
“It can negatively impact the graduating class,” said Erin Yoo ’26. “We might have job offers, internship opportunities, or other important news coming through our current Princeton emails.”
Caleb Williams ’26 similarly feels concern about losing access to important messages post-graduation.
“That’s something that we should also be keeping in mind that when we graduate — we won’t have access to our student emails,” he told the ‘Prince.’
Other seniors brought up issues involving decisions about graduate school applications.
“As somebody who did apply to grad school, I think if I had used my student account for it... I would need to have access to those emails for my future,” Harry Poulose ’26 said.
"[If] someone applied for something, they might never find out,” Williams added.
Yoo said that she feels students will have to be more proactive about remaining in communication with their application contacts.
“We just have to be more diligent about following up with our contacts for jobs or fellowships,” Yoo said. “To make sure that they have a way that they can reach us.”
Benedict Hooper is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Greenwich, Conn., and can be reached at bh3193[at]princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Read More
Students and professors express enthusiasm for new linguistics major
Elizabeth HuStudents in the Class of 2028 and beyond will now be able to declare a major in Linguistics, replacing the current Independent Major in Linguistics option. Students and professors expressed enthusiasm for the new major.
Students in the Class of 2028 and beyond will now be able to declare a major in Linguistics, replacing the current Independent Major in Linguistics option. Students and professors expressed enthusiasm for the new major.
Andy Kim’s former State Director Sue Altman runs for N.J.-12 House nomination
Emily MurphySue Altman, a candidate for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, sat down for an interview with the ‘Prince’ to discuss her goals in the upcoming campaign.
Sue Altman, a candidate for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, sat down for an interview with the ‘Prince’ to discuss her goals in the upcoming campaign.
A sneak peek into Coffee Club’s Valentine’s menu through romance tropes
Marley Hartnett-CodyContributing writer for The Prospect Marley Hartnett-Cody provides a sneak peak into Coffee Club’s exclusive seasonal Valentine’s menu.
Contributing writer for The Prospect Marley Hartnett-Cody provides a sneak peak into Coffee Club’s exclusive seasonal Valentine’s menu.