FAQs: Goucher Gmail Accounts to Microsoft Outlook

As part of our ongoing efforts to standardize software across Goucher College, we will be migrating student email accounts currently on Google Gmail to Microsoft Outlook. This transition will create a unified email experience for all faculty, staff, and students.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What is happening and why?

Users who currently use a Google Gmail account ending with @mail.goucher.edu will be migrated to a new Outlook account with an @goucher.edu email address. This change ensures consistency across the college’s email system and enhances security, collaboration, and support.

Who is impacted?

This transition affects anyone with a Goucher Gmail account ending in @mail.goucher.edu. Faculty, staff, and students already using a Microsoft address ending in @goucher.edu (without “mail”) will not be affected.

What if I have both types of Goucher email accounts?

Those who already have a Microsoft Outlook account under the same username as their Goucher Gmail account will not be included in the data migration process and will need to transfer their data on their own. Instructions can be found here.

When will this change take effect?

The migration will take 13 weeks to complete and is scheduled to take place soon. More details on the exact timeline will be provided in follow-up communications.

Will my email address change?

Yes, your new email address will end in @goucher.edu (without “mail”). However, your current email address (e.g., John.Doe@mail.goucher.edu) will remain as an alias. This means:

  • Emails sent to your old address will still be delivered to your new Microsoft inbox.
  • Any memberships or subscriptions linked to your old email will not be affected.

Will my emails and other data be moved for me?

IT will migrate your email messages and forwarding rules from Gmail to your new Outlook email account; however, files stored in Google Drive, contacts, and other data will not be automatically moved. Users will need to save/download this information on their own. Please visit our Saving Goucher Gmail Data post for detailed instructions.

How should I prepare?

To help ensure a smooth transition, we ask that you:

  • Review and clean up your Gmail inbox by deleting unnecessary messages.
  • Empty your Trash folder to remove old emails permanently.

Will I log into my new account the same way?

Yes, you will use your existing Goucher credentials to log into your new Microsoft Outlook account. However, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be required, and you will need to reset your password every 180 days for security compliance.

Where do I go to get help?

For all other related questions, contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@goucher.edu.

Saving Goucher Gmail Data

During the 2025 transition from Google @mail.goucher.edu accounts to Microsoft Outlook email, IT will migrate email messages and forwarding rules from the old Gmail account to the new Outlook account; however, files stored in Google Drive, contacts, and other data will not be automatically moved. Users will need to transfer these items on their own using the instructions and resources below.

Instructions below include:

      • Download a single file or folder from Google Drive
      • Download multiple files or folders as a zip file from Google Drive
      • Save/Download Other Google Data (Not Just Google Drive)

Download a single file or folder from Google Drive

  1. Log into your mail.goucher account on your computer and choose DRIVE from the ALL APPS button in the upper right.
  2. Select My Drive from the navigation panel on the left.
  3. Find the file or folder* you want to save and click the More Actions button (3 dots …) next to it and then select Download.
    * Downloading a folder will save a zip file containing the folder and all its contents.
  4. Follow the prompts to choose a location on your computer and hit SAVE.

Download multiple files or folders as a zip file from Google Drive

  1. Log into your mail.goucher account on your computer and choose DRIVE from the ALL APPS button in the upper right.
  2. Select My Drive from the navigation panel on the left.
  3. Select the files/folders to be downloaded
    * To select various files in the list: Click once on any file or folder in the My Drive panel to
    select it and CTRL-click on additional files/folders as needed.
    * To select all the files in the list: Click once on the first item in the My Drive panel to
    select it, then scroll to the bottom of the list and SHIFT-click the last item in the list.
  4. Click the Download icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen.
  5. Follow the prompts to choose a location on your computer and hit SAVE.

Save/Download Other Google Data (Not Just Google Drive)

To save different types of data linked to your Google account, we recommend using Google Takeout. Google Takeout is a free service that lets you download more than just email or files into a downloadable archive file. It includes options like Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Chrome Bookmarks, and more.

  1. Sign into your Google account and go to takeout.google.com.
  2. Under Select data to include choose Deselect All* and then check only the options you want to include in your download. *We recommend selecting only the services most important to you due to potential compatibility issues with larger data download files.
  3. Click NEXT at the bottom of the screen. On Step 2, we recommend the following options:
    * Send download link via email (the other destination options may not work
    due to Goucher’s Google configuration)
    * Frequency = Export Once
    * File type & Size
    > File type = .zip
    > File size – 2 GB (any option can be chosen but this choice is the simplest)
  4. Click Create Export.
  5. You will receive an email when your data file is available. Use the link provided to download and save the zip file to your computer.

Visit the Google Support page for Google Transfer to view more detailed information and FAQs (such as “How to open the downloaded files from Takeout).

 

Emergency Contact Information

Emergencies can happen when you least expect them, and having up-to-date emergency contact information ensures that someone you trust can be reached when it matters most.

You can now enter and update your emergency contact information in MyGoucher. Help keep yourself safe and give your loved ones peace of mind by entering or updating your emergency contact details now. It’s quick, easy, and could make all the difference. Follow the instructions below to enter your information.

How To Update Emergency Contact Information

    1. Log in to myGoucher.

2. Hover over your profile icon, then click “Profile.”

3. From your Profile dashboard, click “Emergency Contact”

4. Click the pencil icon to add or edit emergency contact information. Add additional phone numbers for this contact in the Notes field.

5. Repeat steps above for Secondary Contact.

6. When finished, check for correctness, then click “SAVE” to update.

7. Log out of myGoucher.

Canvas: New Features

New Feature Highlights (May 2024)

New Quizzes: Build Upon Prior Attempt

The Build on last attempt setting makes it possible for students to take additional attempts on a quiz, only re-attempting those questions they answered incorrectly. This feature can help to improve student outcomes and performance.

A video of this feature can be found here. For more details, see this guide.

 

New Quizzes: Zero Point Quizzes

(This is the strategy for surveys.) Instructors can now create zero point quizzes in Canvas and select an option to not display a column in the gradebook or student’s grades view. This allows instructors to remove unwanted content in the gradebook and prevent confusion for students related to zero-point practice quizzes. For more details, see this guide.

 

Publish Modules in Bulk

Instructors can now publish or unpublish modules in bulk.  Instructors have the option to publish all modules and items, publish all modules only, or unpublish all modules and items. Additionally, the publish icon on individual modules is updated to include a Module status menu. This menu includes the options to publish module and all items, publish module only or unpublish module and all items for individual modules.

 

Scheduled Page Publication

Teachers can schedule publication for an unpublished page. Teachers can use the Publish At box in any unpublished page in their courses. Click here to read full release notes for Saturday, October, 15, 2022.

 

Submit on Behalf of Students

Teachers and TAs with the ability to edit grades can find a Submit for Student link by opening the Gradebook, clicking a cell, and clicking the grade detail tray icon to open details for the submission represented by the cell. When someone submits files on behalf of students, Canvas displays the name of that person and the time they submitted it. Read more in the March 18, 2023 Canvas release notes.

 

Discovering New Features

Did you know you can find new feature announcements in the Canvas Help menu?

Help-NewFeatures.png

Canvas New Discussions/Announcements on July 20, 2024

Canvas is rolling out a new design for Discussions and Announcements on July 20th, 2024.

All existing Discussions and Announcements will be updated to the new design on this date. No current discussion options will be discontinued, but Discussions will have an updated user interface and new features. This update will also have an impact on the Announcements interface. The new design is already available for Teachers to turn on in their courses earlier than July 20th if desired (see below for more details).

Included in this notice:

  • What’s New
    • Interface Modifications
    • New Features
  • Learn More
  • Switching to New Discussions/Announcements Early

WHAT’S NEW

Interface Modifications

For individual discussion and announcement topics, the following modifications have been made:

  • The toolbar appears at the top of the discussion and announcement thread.
  • Newest replies display at the top of the first page instead of the bottom of the last page.
  • Users can sort replies from newest to oldest, or oldest to newest.
  • Users can also quickly move to the top of the discussion or announcement at any time.
[Screenshot of current discussion thread compared to new discussion thread]

Current/Previous Discussion Screenshot

New Features

  • Anonymous discussions.*
  • Labels for posts created by the “Author” or  “Teacher” for easy identification. Posts from TAs will also be labeled as “Teacher”.
  • A streamlined view of multiple replies to the same post that can be displayed either “inline” (click to expand) or in a “split view” (in a side panel).
  • Supports mentions with the @ symbol. Typing “@” will bring up a list of all users in the course.
  • Quote other replies when responding.
  • Allow participants to report replies that are inappropriate or offensive.*

* This feature is off by default and must be enabled to use.

LEARN MORE

SWITCHING TO NEW DISCUSSIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS EARLY

Teachers who wish to switch to the new Discussions and Announcements interface prior to the July 20th mandatory update can do so from their Course Settings. Enabling this new feature will update all Discussions and Announcements in the course. Teachers can switch back to the classic design again up until the July 20th deadline.

  1. From the Course page, go to Settings > Feature Options [tab]
  2. Find “Discussions/Announcement Redesign” and click the X icon next to it on the right.
  3. Click “Enabled” to initiate the update.

To go back to the classic design, follow these steps again and choose “Disabled” in step 3. You will not be able to choose the classic design after July 20th.

Canvas New Quizzes

Canvas has developed a new quizzing engine called “New Quizzes” that will eventually replace the “Classic Quizzes” we use in Canvas now. New Quizzes was first introduced several years ago and although it is still being improved and expanded, it is no longer considered to be in a beta development stage. New Quizzes also have several advantages and unique features over Classic Quizzes. For these reasons, New Quizzes is currently an optional tool. Goucher instructors who wish to use New quizzes may do so while Classic Quizzes will remain available for those who are not ready to make this transition yet.

You will see the following prompt whenever you add a new quiz to your Canvas course. If you don’t want to see this prompt each time, check the box next to “Remember my choice for this course” before you hit the SUBMIT button.

Screenshot of Choose a Quiz Engine pop up

Benefits

What are some of the benefits of New Quizzes?

  • Student Quiz Accommodations for the whole course (not just quiz by quiz!)
  • Stimulus, Ordering, and Hot Spot Question Types
  • Shuffle Answers by Question
  • Printing Quizzes
  • Require Waiting Period Between Attempts
  • And more!

Ways to Explore

Canvas has a host of online resources available both for those who need more information and for those who are ready to take the plunge sooner rather than later.

Information Gathering and Planning

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

Questions about how to use New Quizzes not answered in the resources above can be addressed to the Canvas 24/7 Support Hotline available on the Canvas Help menu.

Using Microsoft Teams As A Student

Teams is a Microsoft communication tool used at Goucher for virtual class meetings or other video conferencing sessions. Teams is included in your Goucher Office 365 account, so it is available to every student to use for free while they are taking classes.

Installing the Teams Software

Microsoft Teams is included with Goucher Office 365 accounts and can be installed on PCs, Macs, and mobile devices, or used directly in a web browser.

    • The Teams software or app* – Download Teams for work or school on your PC or Mac desktop, iOS, or Android.
      *Recommended for the best experience

      For Windows Desktop downloads choose “Teams for work or school”. 

    • Or A Web Browser – Go to https://teams.microsoft.com.
      The browser client can also be used although it does have limitations when compared to using the installed client software or app above. Chrome or Edge are considered the best browsers for Teams Meetings. Make sure your browser has been updated to the latest version. For more information about supported browsers see Web clients for Microsoft Teams.

Logging into Teams

Log into your Goucher Teams account using the same format used to log into your email and other Office 365 software – username@goucher.edu (NOT firstname.lastname) and your Goucher password. You can double-check that you are logged in by clicking the profile picture in the top right corner.

Note for Windows Users: If you already have a TEAMS account with another organization, you can select “add account” on the log in screen to add your Goucher account. Click here to see more information on managing multiple accounts in Teams. This feature is only available to users who have upgraded to “New Teams” and will be available to Mac users soon.

Pre-meeting Check: Confirm Your Settings and Make a Test Call

Confirm or change your default mic, speaker, or camera

To select the mic, speaker, and camera you want Teams to use for calls and meetings, select Settings and more  Select to see more options  next to your profile picture at the top of Teams and then choose Settings > Devices.

Under Audio devices, pick the speaker and mic you want Teams to use by default.

Under Camera, select the camera you want Teams to use, and see a preview of that camera’s video.

Make a test call

To make a test call, select Settings and more  Select to see more options  next to your profile picture at the top of Teams and then choose Settings > Devices.

Choose Make a test call under Audio devices.

In a test call, you’ll see how your mic, speaker, and camera are working. Follow the instructions from Test Call Bot and record a short message. The message will play back for you. After that, you’ll get a summary of the test call, and you can go to your device settings to make changes.

Notes: 

    • The test call feature is only available in English for now. Additional languages are coming soon.
    • Test recordings are deleted immediately after the call. They are not retained or used by Microsoft.
    • The test call feature is currently only available in Teams desktop app for Windows and Mac.

Joining a Teams Meeting

The most common way to join a meeting is by clicking on a link shared with you in Canvas or through an email.

  1. Click the link shared with you in Canvas or in an email message.
    Picture of Join Link from Email

    Example of Join Link from Email  Example of Join Link from CanvasExample of Join Link from Canvas

  2. A new window will appear asking if you want to join the meeting from the Teams app (1) or from your browser (2). Click one of these options to continue.
  3. If you join from the Teams app, you’ll start with a screen where you can check your camera and audio settings. Hit JOIN NOW to continue into the meeting space. If you join from your browser, you may be prompted to allow the browser to access your camera and mic before proceeding into the meeting.
  4. Depending on how the host configured your meeting, you may be taken to a lobby to wait to be admitted or you may join the meeting immediately.

Participating in a Teams Meeting

When a Teams Meeting is in progress, the Meeting Controls toolbar becomes available to all participants at the top of the screen. Microsoft has online guides for how to use this toolbar, including how to Share Your Screen, Mute/UnMute, Raise Your Hand, and lots more (see the left sidebar from any of these pages for more participation tips).


Adjusting Your View in a Meeting

Teams tries to anticipate what you’ll want to see in a meeting. If someone starts speaking, their video or profile image is shown more prominently. If someone shares their screen, that content will take main stage. But if you’d rather see something else, there are a few ways to tell Teams.

  • Switch between people and content– If someone’s presenting a PowerPoint or other content, switch between viewing their content and the people in the room by clicking the video or content you want to see.
  • Pin a video– Right-click a video within the meeting and select Pin. The video will be shown regardless of who’s currently speaking. You can pin multiple videos or right-click any pinned video and select Unpin at any time.
  • Reframe a video– Teams may crop your video to better fit the screen. If you want to change this, right-click the video and select Fit to frame to view the entire video. To see a closer, cropped view, right-click the video and select Fill frame.

Changing Display Name or Adding Pronouns

Users can choose to go by a chosen name rather than their legal name for work or study at Goucher. Please see our post Display Names and Pronouns for more information.

Note that pronouns are not added to the display name in Teams. Instead, pronouns are added to the user’s profile. Click a profile picture to open a user’s profile page and look under their name for any pronouns intentionally added by that user.

Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some self-help tips to resolving most technical issues with Microsoft Teams.

  • For best results, use the Teams app rather than the web version.
  • If you have to use the web version, switch to using Chrome or Edge if necessary and ensure your browser is updated to the latest version.
  • Make sure you are signed into your Goucher Teams account. Signing out of Teams and back in again is also a common fix to many problems. To sign out, select your Profile icon and choose SIGN OUT. Sign back in with your Goucher username@goucher.edu and password.
  • If you are experiencing low internet connectivity issues, try closing other apps that also use your internet bandwidth. You can also reduce the amount of bandwidth needed by turning off your own camera or the video feed from others (click on VIEW on the toolbar, select MORE OPTIONS, and then click TURN OFF INCOMING VIDEO).

 

 

Display Names and Pronouns

Display Name

By default, many of our systems are automatically populated with your legal name. If you wish to be addressed by a chosen name instead of a legal name in your regular Goucher work and communications, please follow the guidelines in the Registrar’s Name Change Policy.

Some highlights from this policy include:

  • Employees, including student employees, should update their preferred name choices in Workday using the Change Your Preferred Name job aid.
  • Academic users (such as faculty and students) should enter their preferred first name* in MyGoucher using the steps in the Registrar’s Name Change Policy document.
    • Only enter your preferred first name under “Display Name”. Do not include titles, pronouns or last names in the same field as your chosen first name.
    • Display names in MyGoucher will automatically be updated over time in academic systems such as Canvas, Navigate, DegreeWorks, and the Housing Director.
  • Information on OneCard replacements can be found on the OneCard website.
  • Name changes to email addresses can be requested at helpdesk@goucher.edu. Please note whether you are requesting a new email address or only an alias. If we provide you with a new email address, future emails to your original address will be lost.

Pronouns

While pronouns are added to some of our systems automatically through various data connections, some systems require users to update their pronouns manually if desired. Use the links below for instructions.

How to Connect to Goucher VPN

Description:

VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a secure connection from a computer to a private network (such as Goucher College) over the internet. A VPN connection allows users who are away from campus to access files or websites usually only available from computers set up in offices, classrooms, or labs in campus buildings.

Follow these steps to set up a remote VPN connection from an off-campus computer.

Before you begin:

  • VPN will only work from off-campus and does not work when connected to the Goucher network on campus. This includes both GoucherGuest and GoucherWiFi.

Steps:

PC:

  1. Open the Start menu in the bottom left, and type in “Cisco.”
  2. Open the “Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client” application from the list of results.
  3. If you do not see Cisco in Search, reinstall the application using our Setting Up a VPN Connection guide. You may also find the VPN client under the “Cisco” folder in “All Apps” on your Start menu.
  4. Once open, type in “remote.goucher.edu‘ into the URL window, and click “Connect”
  5. From there, a Microsoft login page will pop-up. Type in your username in the ‘username@goucher.edu‘ format to sign in, and input your password. You may be asked to verify your login using Multi-Factor Authentication. See our article found here for questions on using MFA.
  6. Once signed in, you’ll see a green check-mark on the lock icon in the Cisco AnyConnect window, indicating you are connected to Goucher VPN.

Mac:

  1. Click the Spotlight icon in the top right, on the menu bar and type in “Cisco”
  2. Open “Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.app”
  3. If you do not see Cisco in Spotlight Search, reinstall the application from Self Service on your Mac, or otherwise see our Setting Up a VPN Connection guide. You can also find the application within your Applications folder.
  4. Once open, type in “remote.goucher.edu‘ into the URL window, and click “Connect”
  5. From there, a Microsoft login page will pop-up. Type in your username in the ‘username@goucher.edu‘ format to sign in, and input your password. You may be asked to verify your login using Multi-Factor Authentication. See our article found here for questions on using MFA.
  6. Once signed in, you’ll see a green check-mark on the lock icon in the Cisco AnyConnect window, indicating you are connected to Goucher VPN.

Technology Training & Tidbits Newsletters

2024-12-10_Highlights from 2024The training newsletters are your go-to resources for staying up to date with the latest technology, tools, and techniques in an evolving world of technology. It is designed to support you in harnessing the power of technology effectively by providing valuable insights, practical tips, and hands-on workshops to enhance workplace productivity.

Technology Training & Tidbits Newsletters

  • June 2025 – 3 Steps to Inbox Zero and Browser Tabs Grouping
  • May 2025 – Choosing the Right Web Browser and Summer Tips to Recharge, Declutter, and Prepare for Fall
  • April 2025 – Secure and Simplify Logins with a Password Manager and Create a Transparent Hotspot
  • March 2025 – Knowing When to Use OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint and Renaming Multiple Files
  • February 2025 – Prompt Engineering: Get Better Responses and Potential AI Risks
  • January 2025 – Digital Wellbeing and Adding an Email Message as a Calendar Event