Google’s G Suite

G Suite

IT has contracted with Google to allow collaborative use of Google’s G Suite (formerly Google Apps for Education). This system allows IT to serve the needs of students, faculty, and staff by providing a robust set of features within a cloud-based collaboration and storage platform. This system also allows the Valpo community to access the full range of applications through any web browser on any internet-enabled device (including mobile devices) from anywhere in the world.

Accounts use the standard firstname.lastname@valpo.edu address format, and passwords are linked with the Account Management System that synchronizes passwords across multiple Valpo systems.

Google’s privacy policy protects Valpo users:

  • It’s our content, not theirs. Our Apps content belongs to Valparaiso University, or individual users at Valpo. Not Google.
  • Google doesn’t look at your content. Google employees will only access content that you store on Apps when an administrator from the Valpo domain grants them explicit permission to do so for troubleshooting.
  • Google doesn’t share your content. Google does not share personal information with advertisers or other 3rd parties without your consent.
  • Google sometimes scans content. And for very good reasons, like spam filtering, anti-virus protection, or malware detection. Google’s systems scan content to make Apps work better for users, enabling unique functionality like powerful searching in Gmail and Google Docs. This is completely automated and involves no humans.

For more information please see the Google for Education Privacy & Security Information page.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Per official policy as laid out by the Office of Information Technology, users that hold Google accounts under the valpo.edu domain will be required to configure a two-step verification process in order to adhere to the new standard for best-practices on the cybersecurity front.  With multi-factor authentication (also known as MFA or two-step verification), you add an extra layer of security to your account in case your password is stolen.  This article is intended to provide step-by-step instructions to successfully configure the MFA security settings to align with our official data security policies. For help enabling MFA, read this article.

What is it? It’s an added layer of security for your Google account by changing the login process. When you login, you begin by entering your password as normal. If it is the first time you are logging in to a new device, you will also be prompted to enter a six-digit code. You will receive the code via text message, phone call, or mobile device app. After entering the code, you’re taken to your account.

Why is it helpful? This method protects your account because if you accidentally share your password with someone else, that person still cannot get into your account because they won’t have the security code to enter.

Is there a downside? Some view using 2-step verification as inconvenient due to the extra steps required for logging in on a new device. Individuals using 2-step verification on campus lab computers will need to enter the code every time they login. This feature also requires you to enter a phone number for the purpose of receiving the codes.

It works on all devices where you login to your Gmail@Valpo account, including computers and mobile devices. Google also has an app called “Authenticator” that works in conjunction with 2-step verification. Learn more about how to use 2-step verification at this Google website: google.com/2step

Google Groups

A Google Group provides the opportunity for email correspondence and an online archive of message history. Members of the group can configure their membership settings to receive individual messages or read messages online. A Google Group has an owner (or multiple owners) who configures and manages the group. All Google Groups created within Valpo’s domain have an @valpo.edu email address. This Google help page gives a good overview of a Group. A Group does not require any special login information, you simply access the group through your Gmail@Valpo account.

To request a Group, contact the Help Desk to place a ticket and provide the following information:

  • the name for the group (it does not need to end in -L);
  • the name(s) of the Group owner(s); and
  • (student organizations only) advisor approval to create the Group.

The easiest way for the advisor to provide approval is to send an email to helpdesk@valpo.edu. If the ticket has already been created, please make sure to reference the existing ticket number.

If the owner(s) of the Group need to be changed at any time, the advisor should send an email to helpdesk@valpo.edu and indicate the necessary changes.

Information on how to configure Group settings is available at the following Google help pages:

Google User Accounts

A user account in the Gmail@Valpo system provides different and additional functions beyond email messaging and archiving. All features found in a personal email account are also available in an organizational account, such as Calendar, Google Docs/Drive, Chat, Contacts, and so forth. You may choose to request a user account if you wish to publish a calendar on a website, take advantage of labeling messages, or controlling who has access to the messages sent to an address. A user account has a username and password associated with it that someone will need to maintain.

To request a user account, contact the Help Desk to place a ticket and provide the following information:

  • the name for the account;
  • the name of the account owner (where we send the login information); and
  • (student organizations only) advisor approval to create the account.

The easiest way for the advisor to provide approval is to send an email to helpdesk@valpo.edu. If the ticket has already been created, please make sure to reference the existing ticket number.

If the password on the account needs to be reset at any time, the advisor should send an email to helpdesk@valpo.edu and make the request.

To login to the account from within your Gmail@Valpo account, click on your email address in the upper right corner of your Gmail screen and select “add account.” You will need to type in the username and password of the new account. The settings for these shared accounts are managed in the same way as for a personal account. You may find Google’s page Tips for administrative assistants useful for tips on managing a shared account.