The Ohio State University has announced the discontinuation of its “BuckeyeMail for Life” service for alumni, effective April 1, 2025. This decision marks a significant shift in the university’s approach to alumni email services, reflecting broader changes in digital communication and security practices.
For over 25 years, Ohio State provided alumni with lifetime access to their BuckeyeMail accounts, allowing continued use of their @buckeyemail.osu.edu addresses post-graduation. However, evolving security protocols and changes in third-party email providers’ policies have led to increased deliverability issues. Emails forwarded from Ohio State addresses to services like Gmail, Yahoo!, and others were increasingly marked as spam or blocked, compromising reliable communication .
Additionally, changes in Microsoft’s pricing model for email and storage services have prompted the university to reassess its offerings. Maintaining lifetime email services for alumni under the new cost structures was deemed unsustainable, leading to the decision to discontinue the BuckeyeMail for Life program .
- December 31, 2024: Automatic email forwarding from Ohio State accounts to third-party services ended. Alumni relying on this feature began experiencing undelivered emails as forwarding ceased .
- April 1, 2025: All BuckeyeMail accounts for alumni will be deactivated. Post this date, alumni will lose access to their email accounts, and all associated data will be permanently deleted .
Current students will retain access to their BuckeyeMail accounts for up to two years after graduation. This transition period allows recent graduates to update their contact information and migrate important data before account deactivation .
Alumni are advised to take the following steps to ensure a smooth transition:
- Update Contact Information: Inform personal and professional contacts of a new, non-Ohio State email address.
- Backup Important Emails and Contacts: Save essential emails and download contact lists from the BuckeyeMail account before April 1, 2025.
- Update Linked Accounts: Change the email address associated with services and subscriptions previously linked to the BuckeyeMail account.
- Set Up Out-of-Office Messages: Before account deactivation, set up an auto-reply message to inform senders of the new contact information.
- Contact Support if Needed: For assistance, reach out to the IT Service Desk at 614-688-4357 or
The discontinuation of BuckeyeMail for Life reflects a broader trend in higher education institutions reevaluating legacy services in light of modern security challenges and cost considerations. While this change may inconvenience some alumni, it aligns with industry standards and aims to enhance the overall security and efficiency of the university’s digital communications.
Ohio State remains committed to supporting its alumni network through other channels and encourages alumni to stay connected via the Alumni Association’s platforms and events.
