Frequently Asked Questions

General

Google Workspace is a hosted integrated communication and collaboration solution that includes:

  • GMail:
    Email storage and search tools that help you find information fast and perform instant messaging from right inside your accounts using Google Chat. 
  • Google Calendar:
    Organize your schedules and share events and calendars with others. 
  • Google Chat:
    Send instant messages to your contacts for free anytime, anywhere in the world. 
  • Google Docs:
    Share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Collaborate in real-time with your team or with the entire University.
  • Google Sites:
    Work together to keep related documents, web content and other information in one place, on one site.

Google Workspace for Education is available to all current faculty, staff, and students.

Note that access to the university Google Workspace will be lost when you leave the university.

  • Faculty and staff lose this access upon their contractual end date.
  • Students lose access within twelve months of graduation or separation for non-attendance.
To move data out of your CSU East Bay Google account, please follow the instructions on this page: Backup Your Data From University Systems.

Your personal Gmail account and your CSU East Bay Google Workspace account are separate accounts. You should not use your CSU East Bay Google Workspace account for any personal data.

Google allows for management of multiple accounts in a couple of ways:

  • Create separate Chrome profiles for personal vs. work/school: 
  • Sign into both personal and work/school accounts: 
For the best experience and full account syncing, it is recommended to use Google Chrome. Google Workspace are supported on Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. If you are having compatibility issues, make sure your browser is up to date. 
  1. Google's business is based on providing highly secure services.  Google provides encrypted connections when logging into their services.
  2. Under the CSU Master Agreement, Google must protect all confidential information in the same manner it protects its own. In addition Google must comply with all laws and regulations. This includes FERPA and HIPAA.
  3. No ads will appear in the University Google Workspace tenant.

Policies and more

  • Faculty and staff lose this access upon their contractual end date.
  • Students lose access within twelve months of graduation or separation for non-attendance - see more information here.

The current storage capacity per account is not unlimited. This includes total storage across all Google Workspace applications. To see your current space used/available, you can navigate to , and see the storage at the bottom of the left sidebar. 

Alternatively, you can go to 

Your account is part of a software suite called Google Workspace for Education, which Google offers to educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Google decides which services to include in the Google Workspace for Education software suite. CSU East Bay cannot choose which applications to offer.
  • Your Google Workspace account is subject to  and 
  • All of your CSU East Bay accounts, including your Google Workspace for Education account, are subject to CSU East Bay's  and Privacy Policy.

E-Mail

If you think you are receiving an e-mail that is SPAM or phishing, please log on to for instructions on reporting to Google.

Yes, the University will use both the standard and enhanced security options provided by Google to minimize any spam being delivered to your mailbox.

No, you log into the GMail using your NetID and password.

Yes, Google Workspace is supported on most smartphones and tablet devices. Please look for Google applications such as Gmail in the appropriate App Store for your brand of device.

Gmail will allow you to set-up an out-of-office automated e-mail response. .

Yes, please see  for more information.

Sharing

There are a variety of sharing settings available via Google Workspace. You can share files (or folders) with specific people using their Google Account, Anyone in your organization, or share with Anyone with the link. 

To access the sharing settings, locate the file(s) in Google Drive, select them, and click the "Share" icon. From here, you can decide how and to whom you would like to share.

You can find more information regarding sharing settings here: 

You can share files with anyone who has a Google account, including those outside of CSU East Bay. This means you can seamlessly share files with your personal account. To do so, follow the instructions above about sharing files, and add the email address associated with your personal Google account. 

However, just as you should not use your CSU East Bay Google Workspace account for any personal data, you also should not share any work related information with your personal account(s).

Calendar & Contacts

To delegate your calendar see: .

Yes, you can use the to manage your calendar and contacts in Outlook, but you will not get the full features of Google Workspace using the Web.