LionMail Storage

LionMail (also known as Columbia Gmail) is Columbia’s Google-based email, contacts, and calendaring system.  LionMail also includes LionMail Drive for file storage. 

While initially a limitless storage platform, Google announced in 2022 that it would be eliminating its program to provide free, unlimited Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos for higher educational institutions. In response, CUIT announced in spring 2024 that it would cap storage usage for students at 100GB. 

Based on an analysis of current usage data provided by CUIT, the 100GB storage limit will not constitute a problem for the vast majority of students (98%). Students with research needs that require additional storage may petition for increase in their storage quota.

Petitioning for additional storage

Since this storage should be for your academic work, students should review their Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photo storage and consider moving unrelated personal items to other storage options. You may check your own current usage here and find tips for managing your storage here. As a reminder, Google also provides 15GB of free storage to individuals with personal (non-LionMail) Google accounts.

After reviewing and reducing their current storage where possible, students with a compelling research rationale to justify an increase to their storage allocation may request up to an additional terabyte (1000GB) of storage space by submitting this form. Usage beyond your original 100GB plus the additional 1TB storage granted will not be allowed unless you can provide a compelling research rationale to justify it. Students may check their current usage here. Students with storage requirements that exceed this additional allocation may need to make other arrangements to back up their data.

Students who will be graduating soon should be aware that the Google storage limit for all alumni is 5GB. CUIT will implement this lower limit 90 days after a student’s graduation.