Congratulations — and a few things to take care of before you go. Your University Computing Account doesn't disappear when you graduate, but it does change, and several services expire or require action before or shortly after your last day. If you also worked at Pitt as a student employee, graduate assistant, or researcher, the If You Were Also Employed section below includes additional steps that mirror the faculty and staff separation process.
⚠ Worked at Pitt within 4 months (120 days) of graduation?
Your account may not auto-convert to an Alumni account. Watch for an email from Pitt Digital after graduation. If the conversion doesn't happen, contact your
Responsibility Center Administrator or the
Technology Help Desk to request manual conversion or Alumni account creation.
At a Glance — What Changes at Graduation
| Service |
What Happens |
Action Needed? |
| Computing Account |
Transitions to an Alumni account |
Log in every 180 days to keep active |
| Pitt Email (Outlook) |
Retained with your Alumni account |
No immediate action required |
| OneDrive |
Access ends at graduation |
Transfer personal files to a personal account. |
| Canvas |
Disabled when no longer a registered student |
Download assignments and course content beforehand |
| Zoom |
Access ends at graduation |
Download cloud recordings; create a free personal account |
| LinkedIn Learning |
Pitt license ends; one-semester alumni grace period |
Connect LinkedIn profile to preserve learning history |
| Software (most titles) |
Expires at graduation |
Research personal alternatives before your last day |
| PeopleSoft / HighPoint CX |
Continues via Alumni account |
No action required |
Graduation Checklist
Select each section to expand it. Items marked Action Required need steps completed before graduation.
🎓 Computing Account & Email Transitions to Alumni
Your Pitt username and @pitt.edu email address transition to an Alumni account after you graduate. You keep the same address and can continue sending and receiving email indefinitely — as long as the account stays active.
ℹ What your Alumni account includes
Access to Pitt Email (Outlook), on-campus WiFi, PeopleSoft/HighPoint CX for viewing academic records, and other alumni-facing technology services.
Keeping Your Account Active
- Log in at accounts.pitt.edu at least once every 180 days. Inactive Alumni accounts are deactivated as a security measure — see Frequently Asked Questions About Alumni Accounts and Email.
- If you worked at Pitt within 120 days of graduating, watch for a Pitt Digital email about your conversion — see the warning above and the If You Were Also Employed section below.
💾 Files & Cloud Storage (OneDrive) Access Ends at Graduation
Your Microsoft OneDrive is tied to your Pitt account and you will lose access after graduation. It's a good practice to transfer personal files to a personal account before your status changes — particularly if your graduation-to-employment overlap means account conversion isn't automatic.
Transfer Files to a Personal OneDrive
- If you don't have a personal Microsoft account, create one at onedrive.live.com using a non-
@pitt.edu address.
- Download files from your Pitt OneDrive to your computer, then upload them to your personal account. See Microsoft — Copy, transfer or import files to your personal OneDrive.
- Personal OneDrive accounts include 5 GB free; additional storage is available for a low monthly fee (pricing subject to change).
⚠ Personal data on University-owned devices
If you borrowed a University laptop or device, remove personal files before returning it. Conversely, remove any University-related files and software from personal devices before your last day.
📚 Canvas Download Before Graduation
Your Canvas account is disabled when you are no longer a registered student. Download any assignments, grades, or course materials you want to retain before your status changes.
📹 Zoom Access Ends at Graduation
Access to your Pitt Zoom account ends at graduation. Download any cloud recordings before your last day.
- Download cloud recordings from Panopto or Zoom before graduation.
- Sign up for a free personal Zoom account at zoom.us/signup to continue using the service.
💻 Software Licenses Most Expire at Graduation
Most software titles you obtained as a Pitt student expire at graduation. Some can be transitioned to personal accounts or are available at reduced post-graduation pricing.
- Review the Software page in the Knowledge Base for status details on each title provided by Pitt Digital.
- Adobe Creative Cloud, MATLAB, and most discipline-specific titles require a personal subscription after graduation.
- Microsoft 365 apps: check Microsoft's current personal/home offerings — student pricing typically ends at graduation.
🔗 LinkedIn Learning Connect Profile Before Graduation
Your Pitt LinkedIn Learning license expires at graduation, but you'll have access for one semester as an alumnus. Connect your LinkedIn.com profile now to preserve your full learning history — completed courses appear on your profile even after paid access ends.
- Connect your LinkedIn.com profile to your LinkedIn Learning Pitt license.
- Take advantage of the Preparing Students to Enter the Workforce playlist while full access remains active — it's frequently viewed by students building their post-graduation resume.
✓ Alumni semester pass
As an alumnus, you'll have LinkedIn Learning access through Pitt for one semester after graduation — enough time to complete job-search and professional development courses before the license expires.
📋 Academic Records & Transcripts Access Continues
Access to your academic records continues through your Alumni account. No immediate action required.
🔬 Research Work & LabArchives Transfer Required
If you worked on research at Pitt, the disposition of electronic lab notebooks falls under the University's Guidelines for Research Data Management. Transferring ownership is a University recordkeeping requirement, not optional.
⚠ LabArchives notebooks must be transferred before you leave
You must transfer ownership of all University-related notebooks to another University account. You can create a portable personal copy (PDF or offline export) if permitted by your PI, but the University retains the primary records.
Transfer Steps
- Open the notebook → select the three-line Menu icon → Notebook Settings → User Management.
- Transfer ownership to your PI's or supervisor's University account.
- Confirm the transfer is complete before your account converts to Alumni status.
See the LabArchives article for full details.
Security & Good Practices After Graduation
Good computing hygiene matters more once you leave — you're now managing your own security without Pitt's network protections.
- Keep all software on personal devices updated. Current software means current security patches and bug fixes.
- Watch for phishing emails, especially those impersonating Pitt during your account transition period. Review Pitt's Safe Computing tips.
- Enable two-factor authentication (MFA) on any new personal accounts you create.
- Stay connected: Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube — Pitt Digital posts security alerts and technology news you can follow as an alumnus.
If You Were Also Employed at Pitt
Graduate assistants, student workers, research staff, and anyone who held a University position have additional steps beyond the standard graduation checklist. These parallel the Supervisor Technology Checklist for Faculty and Staff Separations and should be completed before your last day of employment — which may differ from your graduation date.
⚠ Account Disablement Timing for Student Employees
Your Pitt account may be subject to the standard 14-day sponsored account window after your employment record (ER) is processed — during which email and services remain accessible. If your graduation and last day of work are on different timelines, confirm with your supervisor which date drives account action.
|
1
|
Complete all employment-side steps (equipment return, timecards, W-2 setup) by your last day of work, not your graduation date. |
|
2
|
If your employment ends before graduation, confirm with your Responsibility Center Administrator that your account is flagged for Alumni conversion rather than full termination. |
|
3
|
All University technology privileges (email, OneDrive, Zoom, SSO-connected systems) are tied to your account status. A single disable request ends all of them simultaneously. |
💰 W-2 Access & Payroll Records Action Before Last Day
Access to Pitt Worx ends at separation. Take these steps before your last day to ensure continued access to tax documents and payroll records.
- Log into ADP via
my.pitt.edu → Pitt Worx → Me → Form W-2 Information and add a personal email address and phone number you'll retain after graduation. This is required to access W-2 documents through a separate ADP account after separation.
- Download any pay slips you want to keep — access to Pitt Worx self-service ends with your separation.
- Update your home address in Pitt Worx before your last day. After separation, refer to the Payroll website for address update instructions.
- Submit your final timecard before the end of your last working day and confirm approval with your supervisor. Missing timecards must be submitted and approved in Pitt Worx by end of last working day.
ℹ Unused vacation time
If eligible for unused vacation payout, it will be included per the Staff Handbook schedule. Contact Human Resources at 412-624-7000 with questions about your final paycheck. Note: unused personal time is not paid out upon separation.
💻 University Equipment & Property Return Return on Last Day
All University-owned equipment and property must be returned to your department administrator on or before your final working day.
Items to return include:
- Laptops, tablets, mobile devices, external drives, and University-licensed software media
- University ID card, keys, parking pass, and building access cards
Before returning devices:
- Transfer personal files to your own storage and remove all personal information (photos, documents, personal email accounts) from University-owned devices.
- Do not delete University data from devices before returning them — that is your supervisor's or IT's responsibility to handle.
- Confirm with your supervisor that any personally-owned devices have had all University-related files and software removed.
ℹ University-owned mobile device with service agreement?
Contact Pitt Digital Telecommunications to (a) transfer the number to yourself, (b) deactivate it, or (c) suspend it until reassigned. Work with your supervisor to determine the appropriate option.
🔒 Server & System Access Notify Your Supervisor
Account conversion to Alumni status does not automatically revoke access to departmental systems, shared drives, or external vendor platforms. Inform your supervisor of all system access you hold so it can be removed by your last day.
- Departmental file shares, databases, and servers
- Enterprise systems (PeopleSoft, PRISM) if you had elevated or administrative access
- External vendor systems (research tools, survey platforms, etc.)
- Any Qualtrics surveys or data you own — submit a Help Desk ticket to transfer ownership to your supervisor before your last day.
ℹ ProVerify
If ProVerify applied to your employment, your supervisor should set your file to Opt Out following your last day of work. This is a supervisor-initiated action.
📧 Email — Out-of-Office & Business Continuity Coordinate with Supervisor
For students who held roles with external-facing responsibilities, setting an out-of-office reply before or at the point your employment ends helps redirect contacts without requiring IT or Security teams to grant further access. Coordinate with your supervisor on the message content.
The standard University auto-reply language (customizable by department) is:
Thank you for your message. The individual you are trying to reach is no longer affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh. For assistance locating people at Pitt, please refer to the University's Contact Us page.
⚠ No email forwarding after separation
Pitt Digital does not configure email forwarding for separated employee accounts. It is the responsibility of your supervisor or unit administrator to redirect University business communications before your departure date. See
University Email Access, Privacy, and Forwarding Standards.
⚖ Litigation Hold Verification Verify Before Leaving
If you received a Litigation Hold Memorandum from the Office of University Counsel (OUC) in the last 24 months, you must confirm that OUC has received all relevant files, records, and emails before your final day of employment.
🚫 Failure to address an active hold has serious legal consequences.
Destroying or failing to preserve records subject to a hold can constitute spoliation of evidence and expose the University to significant legal liability. If you are uncertain whether a hold applies to you, contact the Office of University Counsel before proceeding with any separation steps.
- Check whether you received a Litigation Hold Memorandum from OUC in the last 24 months.
- If a hold is active, contact OUC immediately — provide your full name, University email address, and expected last day of employment.
- Confirm that all relevant documents, emails, and records — including any on personal devices — have been forwarded to OUC before your final day.
- If uncertain, contact the Office of University Counsel at chancellor.pitt.edu/ouc before proceeding.