Important Update: Former student email services are discontinued as of October 2026

Starting this October, Assiniboine College will begin discontinuing alumni and former student email and login account services. For a former student (both graduates and those who stopped their studies), this means that two years after completing their last course, their account will be closed.

This approach is part of continuously improving our cyber security posture and minimizing risks while balancing service. In recent years, many colleges and universities have made similar moves.

In the coming weeks, ITS will be distributing emails to current and past students at their @assiniboine.net emails to let them know about this change and how and when it will impact them. Alumni will be encouraged to update their contact information with the Advancement Office to a personal email address and other contact information.

Future students will be notified at the time of their account creation (claim ID) that their account will be discontinued two years after their last course.

Why are alumni email and accounts being discontinued

Over the past 35 years, email has changed dramatically and so have the ways people use it. Assiniboine is ending its alumni and former student accounts to improve cybersecurity, protect personal data, and manage rising costs. Most alumni now prefer free email services like Gmail or Outlook, or Apple Mail, and usage of email accounts for past students has steadily declined.

Why is this change happening?

• Rising costs and responsible budgeting: Each year, Assiniboine graduates thousands of students, adding thousands of accounts to maintain. Licensing models can now require a fee-per-user, significantly increasing costs beyond available budgets.
• Low usage: Use of accounts has been declining, and many alumni accounts remain inactive for months or years, while free alternatives like Gmail, Yahoo, and Apple Mail are widely used. Most alumni now prefer free email services like Gmail or Apple Mail, and usage of alumni email accounts has steadily declined.
• Security: Reputation and cybersecurity risks are increasing every year, and unused/unmonitored accounts are at higher risk for threats. Discontinuing alumni emails helps us better protect personal and institutional data.
• Evolving technology: Email services have changed dramatically since alumni accounts were first offered, and we must adapt to ensure security and sustainability.

Discontinuing email accounts will help us better protect personal and institutional data as cybersecurity threats and phishing attacks are increasing. In recent years, some licensing models have also changed to a fee-per-user model, which has exponentially increased costs. With more than 80,000 accounts supported annually at Assiniboine, this shift has made the alumni email program financially and operationally unsustainable. Many other universities and colleges across North America have made similar decisions to discontinue their alumni email services.

Assiniboine’s decision is in line with trends and best practices with peers, signaling a shift toward more secure, cost-effective, and modern digital engagement practices. Moving away from alumni email accounts allows Assiniboine to dedicate resources to engaging with alumni in other ways, in line with their preferences. Additionally, decreasing email accounts reduces energy consumption globally, aligning with our sustainability priority.

FAQs for Current and Former Students