Embedded Files
What & Why
What & Why
Google Drive is a cloud storage service for nearly any file type. We recommend using it because it makes sharing files with students and peers easy.
Google Drive offers two ways to create, share, and store files: My Drive and Shared Drives.
My Drive is for individual file ownership and personal storage
Shared Drives are for any files that should remain at the college after a person leaves. All course materials should be in a Shared Drive.
Learn about each below.
My Drive
My Drive
My Drive is the personal, primary storage area within Google Drive where you store your own files, folders, and Google Docs. It acts as a cloud-based hard drive accessible from any device with your login, allowing you to create, upload, and share files privately. Use it when:
The content is personal: Use it for files like performance reviews or professional development materials that aren't for the whole team.
It’s a private "Work in Progress": Use it for rough drafts of research or notes that aren't ready to be shared with a department or students yet.
The files are temporary: Documents that do not need to be archived or retained by the college after you leave (e.g., term course summaries, student progress analyses).
Shared Drives
Shared Drives
A Shared Drive is a storage space where files belong to the team instead of an individual. It ensures institutional continuity because the files are owned by the team rather than an individual, leaving documents accessible if a staff member leaves. It facilitates collaboration on curriculum and research, offers centralized storage for department documents, and simplifies onboarding.
Key reasons for faculty to use shared drives include:
Prevent Data Loss: Files created by faculty, researchers, or staff persist in the shared drive even after they leave the institution.
Enhanced Collaboration: It provides a central, consistent, and accessible space for team members to collaborate on shared files.
Improved Organization: Departments can store shared documents like budget information, curriculum materials, and meeting agendas in one place.
Flexible Access: Permissions allow for secure sharing within the institution and, when needed, with external partners.
Roles within Shared Drives
Roles have varying levels of control and access: Manager (full control), Content Manager, Contributor, Commenter, and Viewer (no control).
Managers can assign these roles to users and can set exclusive access to specific documents for specific people in the group.
Users can comment on, edit, or delete documents within the Shared Drive, depending on the permissions given.
For more information about Shared Drive permissions, visit Google’s Workspace Learning Center.
Resources
What happens to my files when I leave?
What happens to my files when I leave?
When an employee leaves the college, their account is capped at 5GB and scheduled for deletion after one year. If documents are in a former employee’s My Drive, those files may accompany the Storage is full warning above.
To ensure colleagues and students retain access, move them to a shared drive or transfer ownership to a colleague. All course-related content must be in a Shared Drive. Learn how to move Drive content and transfer ownership to others.
If you see a storage warning, you can check ownership by opening the file and selecting File > Details.
If the owner is a former employee, it’s best to move it to a shared drive.
If you cannot do that, please copy it to a Shared Drive and share the new link with stakeholders.
Resources
Employee Separation Checklist (full list of items listed toward the bottom)
Separated Employee and Electronic Resources Access. Upon request, IT will assist individuals with the procedures related to the policy’s compliance.
Drive file restoration (Admin only). IT has a short window to recover deleted files. Submit a ticket if you locate specific files you need restored.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Google Drive Training and Help - check out an overview, getting started tips, and best practices for Drive in the Google Workspace Learning Center.
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