To strengthen information security and ensure fiscal sustainability, HMS IT will begin to update access to Microsoft 365, Zoom, Adobe Creative Cloud, and HMS email accounts to align with current eligibility criteria. At this time, only email and collaboration tools are affected; other IT services are unaffected, and your HarvardKey will remain active. Changes will be made on a rolling basis starting October 1, 2025.
Other Harvard-affiliated email addresses you may have — like those ending in @childrens.harvard.edu or @mgh.harvard.edu — are not affected. If you do not receive an email notifying you that you are impacted, there is nothing that you need to do.
Background on these changes
Decades ago, @hms.harvard.edu email addresses were a minimal cost to the University, and many were distributed broadly to affiliated faculty because costs were low. Today, each account requires a Microsoft Office license, ultimately costing HMS millions annually.
In 2021, HMS published eligibility guidelines granting an @hms.harvard.edu email address only to individuals with a Quad-based appointment or who are teaching a curriculum course. Recent events have prompted School leadership to review services to ensure spending is aligned with these guidelines.
The University provides affiliated hospitals and institutions with dedicated Harvard domain names (for example, @bwh.harvard.edu or @childrens.harvard.edu) to reflect valued partnerships. Institutions are encouraged to offer these accounts to affiliated faculty and to support the migration of storage and email to their existing Microsoft licenses.
What to do if you receive a notification email
If you receive a notification email, follow the steps in the message:
- Use the provided form to associate a non-HMS email address with your HarvardKey.
- Follow the instructions to transfer or secure your data before your access changes.
- Work with your hospital IT support to transition your email to your institution's dedicated email domain or to Harvard-affiliated email domains like @bwh.harvard.edu or @childrens.harvard.edu. Follow these instructions on exporting and importing email and contacts.
- Set up an autoreply: Create an auto-reply in your HMS email now to direct contacts to your new email address, and begin sending new emails from your hospital email as soon as possible.
- If you need access to collaboration tools for your work, check with your hospital's IT department to explore options.
- If you require an HMS email address or Zoom account for HMS-based research or for teaching an HMS course for credit, work with your appointing department administrator to identify an appropriate eligible role in PeopleSoft.
Exceptions based on publishing, preference, or length of service may not be granted.
Who is eligible for HMS Collaboration Tools and Email?
Access to Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Adobe Creative Cloud is granted to Quad-based appointments and specific employee classifications in PeopleSoft:
- Faculty – Senior (F), junior (J), and other (O)
- Students – Graduate (G, H) and temporary (D)
- Postdoctoral researchers – Internal (Y), external (N, Z)
- Staff – Administrative and professional (A), support (S), and temporary (T)
- Additional support – Interns (E), temporary staff (T), and teaching assistants (I)
Note – Individuals with E, I, N, O, T, Y, and Z classifications have full access to Zoom and Adobe Creative Cloud, but Microsoft 365 is limited to 50 GB of email storage and online-only apps. Individuals with multiple classifications receive the most generous access applicable.
Role Clarifications
If you require an HMS email address or Zoom account for HMS-based research or for teaching an HMS course for credit, work with your appointing department administrator to identify an appropriate eligible role in PeopleSoft.
When inconsistencies between your role and your needs are identified, departments are responsible for working with their HR representative and the Office for Faculty Affairs (OFA) to make the necessary adjustments.