Campus

Gmail out, Microsoft in: WCC tightens data protection

WCC moves student email to Outlook, requires phone login for security

WCC is moving from Gmail to Outlook as the new email system. Outlook provides more security to students’ inboxes to reduce the scam emails. Courtney Prielipp | The Washtenaw Voice

Yana McGuire

Deputy Editor

On July 24th, 2025, WCC transitioned all student emails from Google’s Gmail to Microsoft’s Outlook and implemented the use of multi-factor authentication to log in to any of the college’s systems. The change was made to enhance cybersecurity to better protect personal data, according to the announcement made by Richard Rezler, Director of Communications, on the WCC website.

Outlook

Due to Gmail being a free service, it does not provide proper security to limit scam emails from being sent to students, according to Linda Blakey, WCC provost and chief operating officer.

“We’ve certainly seen increases in solicitations,” Blakey said. “You know, the ‘I need someone to work for me and make $300 a week (emails).’ And with Outlook, because we just have more control over that, we can identify either the IP addresses or emails that once we flagged them, they can’t come in the system.”

Blakey said that close to 50,000 students’ emails were transferred. This includes current and former students who have attended WCC for up to six semesters prior to the Fall 2025 semester. All emails that students receive prior to the change have been archived and can still be accessed through Gmail for the time being. However, important information should be forwarded to Outlook. You can do this by forwarding the information to yourself. Student emails should be used for school purposes only and never used to conduct personal matters.

Scammers will always find a way to slip through security cracks. If any student receives any scam email, they can forward it to abuse@wccnet.edu and the security team will handle it from there.

In addition to heightened security, the change will put a spotlight on other tools that students have access to for free, according to Blakey.

“Students have access to the Microsoft Suite—PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Word,” Blakey said. “And now, I think that (the change) makes it more kind of front and center, when you’re on Outlook, that you have Microsoft Suite. So, I think that will help students to use the tools that they have available to them.”

Chase Maihofer, a first-time WCC student entering the welding program, finds the change to be a bit confusing due to his high school using Gmail. “There isn’t a whole lot of, like, guidance, especially if you’re doing everything on your own without advisors,” Maihofer said. “So, most of the new students are probably going to be feeling a little confused about the switch.”

Outlook has more features than Gmail, according to Will Laney, chief information security officer, but most of those features are more regarding security. Outlook’s layout is different from Gmail, but for students, Outlook will function like any other email service.

For students who would like a guide on how to use Outlook, go to https://support.microsoft.com/ and search for Outlook training.

Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA)

To access the student gateway and any other important student sites like Canvas, students will need to use Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication (MFA) via a cell phone and enter a code as step two of the log-in process.

The two-step log-in MFA provides will help prevent scammers from hacking a student’s credentials and logging into their accounts, according to Laney.

Since all classes this semester will be using Canvas for coursework and grading, Laney stressed the need for students to bring their phone to each class. “Just like you have to bring a pencil to class, you got to bring your phone,” Laney said.

Maihofer, along with other students, expressed frustration with the implementation of MFA, citing issues like frozen code screens while using a desktop, multiple codes being sent at once or no code being offered. However, Laney states that if students are having issues with Microsoft’s MFA, they can opt into sending a one-time passcode via text message to enter during login. Instructions on how to do so can be found on the WCC website by searching for Microsoft MFA and clicking on the link that says Microsoft MFA – How to Register. Once there, scroll down and click on the Text message or phone call tab.