Google Drive files being deleted in September and how this impacts the Miami community
Google Drive files being deleted in September and how this impacts the Miami community
As the beginning of the semester looms big on the horizon, IT Services would like to remind the Miami community of some changes coming down the pike in relation to Google Drive storage and file organization.
What’s happening Sept. 15?
On September 15, 2025, files that have been shared in Google Drive by Miami personnel who have been gone from the university for more than seven (7) years will be removed. A “Pending Delete” label has been applied to these documents to help you determine which files you should pay attention to.
This means that between now and Sept. 15, you will need to find those files marked with the label, determine whether you need to keep them, and then organize them in your own Google Drive if necessary.
The removal on Sept.15 will be the first of its kind. This gives you one month to work through affected files. Start now!
What does “Pending Delete” mean?
This is a label that has been applied to any files owned by former employees (both faculty and staff) that have left Miami.
Whenever someone leaves, they are given 45 days of access to their account to remove any files they want to keep. But you, as a person they have shared files with, will retain access until we remove them. The September deadline is the beginning of Miami’s new data management process of removing the files of people whose termination dates have passed.
We will move into a regular cadence of removing accounts and data belonging to former employees. Beginning Sept. 15, we will remove access to all former employee data in Google 180 days from their date of departure. This decision has been made in collaboration with the Office of General Counsel. Moving forward, this will be the standard operating procedure with all Miami employee accounts.
We recommend trying to get into the habit of organizing a file with the “Pending Delete” label as soon as you see it—that way you won’t lose anything important.
How to find and organize “Pending Delete” files
We have listed out the steps in this Knowledge article, and put together a YouTube tutorial as well.
Once you have found those files, determine if you need them. Are you or colleagues using any of these files on a day-to-day basis? If the file is one that you or multiple people are using, consider organizing it into a Shared Drive instead of your individual Miami Drive. That way, if someone leaves Miami, the Shared Drive owns the document instead of a person—meaning you won’t have to worry about it potentially getting deleted due to turnover.
Get help in person or online
IT Services is hosting a couple workshops to help you work through the list of files and organize them. Here are the times and dates:
- Tuesday, September 2, 2025: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.—Staff Development Center Computer Lab
- Wednesday, September 3, 2025: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.—Virtual via Zoom (Register here!)
Seating is limited for the in-person workshop, so please sign up now! Indicate your interest on the Miami University Events Calendar so we know to expect you!
Thank you for your continued partnership
Change is never easy, nor is it unfelt, and we appreciate the Miami community for helping us make this process as painless as possible. We are here to help.