Office 365 and OneDrive @ RPI - Access/Terms and Conditions

Overview

This article helps describe Office 365 and OneDrive and how to access them via the web version, how to install the Microsoft Office Suite locally, and the terms and conditions of using Office 365 and OneDrive at RPI.   

Details

Office 365 is Microsoft’s current offering for work place productivity software.  It has four main components

• Web browser based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note
• Licenses for and access to download the PC and Mac versions of Office
• Access to the mobile app versions of Office for iOS and Android
• Access to the file storage service OneDrive for Business 

To use the web browser based versions of Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note login at https://portal.office.com using your RCS email address and password.  Here you can also download for local installs.  For mobile devices visit your App store.  Licensing allows installation on up to 5 devices.

For instructions on how to install the Microsoft Office Suite locally, please refer to this page:

https://itssc.rpi.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360009791772-Microsoft-Office-Suite-Application-Installation-instructions

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is a cloud file sharing services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box that provides end users with the ability to access files with any Internet-capable device from almost any location. Users can grant access privileges to other users as they see fit, allowing them to share files with co-workers, students, administrators, and colleagues around the world. 

What does it cost?

Office 365 and OneDrive is being offered to Rensselaer faculty, students, and staff, free of charge. 

What are the features of OneDrive?

• Online Storage - Initial storage of 100gb.  Can request more by submitting a Support Request.
• 50gb max file size
• Secure File Sharing
• Permission Controls (allows you to control exactly who has access to your files)
• Version History 

NOTE: OneDrive storage is not suitable for most institutional data classified as "confidential."

Office 365 and OneDrive  @ RPI's Terms and Conditions:

Office 365 and OneDrive @RPI is a Rensselaer service offering. Regardless of how you access the service and where the service is hosted, it’s use is subject to the same policies and procedures as any other Rensselaer resource which has been made available to faculty, staff, and students.

As a user of Office 365 and OneDrive @ RPI, you understand and agree to abide by RPI’s “Policy on Electronic Citizenship” and acknowledge that you have reviewed Office 365 and OneDrive @RPI’s “Security & Privacy” page.

• Staff/Faculty – Activities in support of job responsibilities.  Personal use acceptable as long as incidental in nature..
• Students – Academic and personal use.  Commercial use or any use for the benefit of an unaffiliated third party is prohibited. 

You should not use your OneDrive account to store most institutional data classified as "Confidential." This includes, but is not limited to:

• Social Security and driver's license numbers

• Banking and student loan information

• Student academic transcript information

• Passwords and passphrases

• PINs and credit card numbers

• Financial account information

• Information regulated by Export Control Laws

• See our Information Classification Policy for more information 

Microsoft adheres to industry standards for security at every level and commits extensive resources to the design, implementation, monitoring, and maintenance of its security infrastructure, including:

• Data encryption

• Administrative auditing

• Password policy enforcement and AD/LDAP integration

• Role-based access controls

• Password- and time-based file sharing 

All files are encrypted and stored on servers in the United States. Redundant encrypted copies of the files are stored as backups on servers at a different geographical location in the United States. Per the contract with Microsoft, data stored in OneDrive, including user information, cannot be "data mined", nor may it be shared with any third party.

References

Information Classification Policy (requires connection to RPI network to access)

Reference this article for installing the Microsoft Office Suite local applications:
https://itssc.rpi.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360009791772-Microsoft-Office-Suite-Application-Installation-instructions

Last Reviewed:   2-Feb-2023