Navigating Columbia University's LionMail and Google Workspace

Columbia University provides its students, faculty, and staff with access to Google Workspace, including LionMail (Columbia's email service powered by Gmail) and a suite of collaborative tools. Understanding how to effectively use these resources is crucial for communication, collaboration, and data management within the university. This article provides a comprehensive overview of key aspects of LionMail and Google Workspace at Columbia University.

Accessing LionMail and Google Workspace

To access LionMail and other Google Workspace applications, you'll typically use your Columbia University Network ID (UNI) and password. If you've activated your UNI in the past, ensure you remember your password. First-time users will be prompted to complete a verification process. You will be taken to the Duo multifactor authentication screen. The blue Columbia login screen will appear. Close the orange cookies disclaimer at the bottom.

Mobile Access

The Drive mobile app is available for both Android and iOS devices. This allows for convenient access to files stored in Google Drive, whether online or offline (if saved to the device). CUIT does not recommend or support Drive for Desktop.

Google Drive: Storage and Sharing

Google Drive is a central component of Columbia's Google Workspace, offering file storage and sharing capabilities.

Storage Quotas

Be aware that storage space is a finite resource. To manage its usage, quotas have been implemented and enforced. Exceeding your allocated quota may result in limited functionality. CUIT is working with Google to implement tools to help reduce our storage. It is probable for usage quotas and chargebacks to be implemented.

Read also: Columbia University Legacy

Shared Drives

Shared Drives are designed for teams. The files stored within a Shared Drive persist with the team instead of an individual. This ensures continuity even if team members leave, allowing the team to continue using the document without interruption.

File Sharing and Security

Columbia's contract with Google provides protections that improve upon those contained in the consumer Google Apps license. Most notably, Drive items cannot be set to any level of “Public” sharing. Any information shared domain-wide is no longer under the owner’s control. As a response, beginning in 2018, the visibility of the domain-wide sharing option will be minimized in the system. This means you will have to tell individuals that they have access to the document or send them the link directly.

Sharing Folders for Efficiency

If you share documents with many individuals and groups, especially with the same individuals and groups repeatedly, you can create a folder and share to those people and/or groups. Then, any files dragged or relocated to that folder will inherit the current folder sharing settings.

To share a folder:

Navigate to Drive and click New in the upper-left corner.
Right-click (or control-click) on your new folder and select Share.
You can now share by dragging files into your shared folder, or by right-clicking (control-clicking) and creating Google Docs, Sheets or Slides directly within the folder.

Permission Levels

When sharing files, you can grant different levels of permission:

Editor: This default option will allow the specified users to make changes to Google files that you share. You can see who has made which changes at what time by opening the document, clicking File and then selecting Version history.
Commenter: This option will allow the specified users to make comments and suggestions on Google files that you share, but does not allow them to make changes to the content directly. You will be able to see who has left the comment, and at what time.
Viewer: This option will only allow the specified users to open and download the file.

File Management Tips

Finding Documents: Finding documents in Google Drive can become challenging if your inventory has many of the same keywords.
File Viewing: You can open many file types right in your browser, including PDFs, high-definition videos and many image file types, even if you don't have the corresponding program installed on your computer.
My Drive vs. Folders: Folders are signified by the folder icon to the left. Folders that contain other folders will also have a drop-down arrow next to the folder icon in the left side navigator.
Moving Files: Files may be dragged and dropped into folders, and folders may be dragged and dropped onto files. One file or multiple files can be selected at any time by clicking on one of the filenames and dragging. The files can then be moved over a folder icon or title and dropped into the folder.
Adding Labels: A folder or folders can be dragged and dropped onto a filename. If this is done, the file does not move out of the folder in which it currently resides, it just adds the folder as a “label” on the file.
Folder Options: Folders may also be starred, downloaded, removed and marked as unread or unviewed.

Managing Email

Sending From Another Address

If you want to always send from your other address, you'll need to change both your default From and reply-to address.

Forwarding

Existing external forwarding will continue to function until it is removed. The date for removal has been postponed from March 17, all impacted users will be notified of the new date after it is confirmed. Deliver to your Exchange account. Some administrative staff are on this system, which they access using Outlook.

Account Expiration

Your UNI will go through several status changes after you leave Columbia. Your account has been set to expire because you no longer appear in the database of current employees provided to CUIT by Human Resources.

File Ownership Transfer

When an employee leaves Columbia, it may be necessary to transfer ownership of files they own in Google Drive.

Requesting Ownership

How can I request ownership of a file owned by a former employee? Follow these steps to initiate a file ownership transfer:

Read also: Paying for Columbia

Confirm File Access: You must already have access (e.g., Viewer or Editor) to the file. If you do not have access, Office of General Counsel (OGC) approval is necessary.
Get Manager Approval: Your direct manager must approve the ownership transfer request. If you do not have access to the file, your request must include a brief explanation of your business need for the file.
Obtain Local HR Approval: Once your manager approves, send the request to your local HR representative for review and approval.
Submit to Central HR (HR Business Partners): After local HR approval, local HR must forward the request to Columbia's Central HR (HR Business Partners) for verification and final HR approval.
OGC Involvement (If Needed): If you do not have existing access to the file (i.e., you cannot view it), the request must also be reviewed and approved by the Office of General Counsel (OGC). OGC will determine whether access and ownership transfer are appropriate. Central HR will facilitate the process by initiating contact with OGC and relaying the outcome to the local HR representative. If the request is not approved, Central HR will notify the local HR representative, and access will not be granted.
Submit Request to CUIT: Once all approvals are secured, the request can be sent to CUIT for ownership transfer. Once CUIT receives a complete request with all approvals, ownership transfers typically occur within 5-7 business days.

If you need ownership of multiple files or an entire folder, list all files/folders in your request. You may submit a spreadsheet or a shared Drive link with relevant files highlighted.

Restrictions

Google does not permit sending or receiving executable files (such as files with names that end in ".exe"). This includes executables that have been compressed (zipped) into files such as .zip, .tar, and .tgz.

Additional Google Workspace Apps

These additional apps offer other ways for the Columbia community to connect and share resources, or provide specialized web tools. Please note that although CUIT has enabled these apps for your use, they are not part of the core set of Google services managed by CUIT, therefore support is only available through Google's online support documentation.

Google Workspace Core Apps

The Google Workspace Core Apps are covered by the University's Terms of Service agreement; the Additional Services and Marketplace Apps, along with Chrome Extension Apps are NOT. When using these apps for the first time, you will be asked to enter into a personal Terms of Service Agreement with Google. Since the use of these apps is covered under a personal agreement, NEVER post confidential information in order to avoid the risk of exposing sensitive information.

Specific Apps

Location History: Location History allows Google to show you useful information, based on where you've been with the devices that you're signed into with your Google Account.
Google Maps: Google Maps provides very accurate maps from around the world, utilizing GPS to allow you to find your current or any location that is in the Google Maps database, and generate routes between locations.
Google Keep: Google Keep is a note-taking service included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by Google. For personal use only.
Google Sites: Google Sites is enabled only for students. Google Sites is a structured wiki- and Web page-creation tool included as part of the free, student Google Account and the Google Workspace suite.

The apps above are subject to Google's Consumer Terms, which do not protect confidential information to the extent required by FERPA. Furthermore, please note that when you first access any of the enabled apps, you will see the message shown in the screenshot below, reminding you of our security and privacy policies.

Accessibility Features

Google Workspace offers a range of accessibility features to support users with disabilities.

Screen Reader Compatibility

Before you can use a screen reader with Google Docs, you’ll first need to configure your screen reader.

JAWS

Before using JAWS with Google Docs, you will need to change a few of its settings. To do that, you need to interact with JAWS via keyboard commands, most of which involve pressing the “JAWS” key and then some other combination of keys. By default, the JAWS key is your keyboard’s “Insert” key.

Disable both "Auto Forms Mode" and "Forms Mode Off when New Page Loads" - Ensure that the screen reader’s focus is on the top toolbar, and then press JAWS + V. In the settings window that opens, search for “Forms Options” and uncheck both “Auto Forms Mode” and “Forms Mode Off when New Page Loads.” Then press OK.
If you’re using Firefox, you will need to tab through from the address bar through the Docs toolbar controls until you hear application mode announced.
Once you're finished and the screen reader’s focus has returned to the document, press Ctrl + Alt + Z on a PC to enable screen reader support.

NVDA

Before using NVDA with Google Docs, you will need to change a few of its settings. To do that, you need to interact with NVDA via keyboard commands, most of which involve pressing the “NVDA” key and then some other combination of keys. Enable screen reader support by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Z on a PC.

VoiceOver

If you’d like to use Apple’s VoiceOver screen reader with Google Docs, use Google Chrome as your browser. Once you’ve enabled "Automatically speak the webpage" in VoiceOver, VoiceOver will begin reading the page. Hit Ctrl + Option + Shift + Down Arrow to interact with the editable text. Enable screen reader support by using the ⌘ + Option + Z shortcut.

Keyboard Shortcuts

If you ever forget a key combination, simply press Ctrl + / to bring up the keyboard shortcut help overlay. The screen reader will read the shortcuts to you. If you’re using ChromeVox you can move between shortcut headings by pressing Ctrl + Alt + N + H to move to the next heading or Ctrl + Alt + P + H to move to the previous heading. To explore the specific shortcuts in a section, press Ctrl + Alt + Up arrow and Ctrl + Alt + Down arrow.

These instructions are written with keyboard instructions for PC users.

Application Menu

To activate the application menu, press Alt + Shift + F. This will specifically activate the File menu at the top of the application. Once you locate the application menu you want to explore, use the up and down arrow keys to read the menu items. If you’re over a menu item with a sub-menu, you can enter the sub-menu with the right arrow key. Pressing the Escape key when a menu is expanded will close the menu bar. Pressing Escape again will get your focus out of the menu bar and into the top-level bar that allows you to navigate to different Google applications and your Google Docs “Options” menu.

Context Menu

To activate the context menu in a document, you can use the context menu key on your keyboard if you have one or press Ctrl + Shift + . Once the context menu is active, you’ll hear the menu items spoken to you as you move up and down the menu using the arrow keys. The items available on the context menu differ depending on what you’ve selected.

Typing and Deleting Text

When you type a selection into your document, you’ll hear spoken feedback for the characters as you type them. When you delete characters, you’ll hear spoken feedback about the character you’ve deleted.

Selecting Text

To select text, hold the Shift key and use the right and left arrow keys. When you select text, you’ll hear the text of the selection, followed by “selection.” For example, when you select the sentence, “The brown spotted dog ran across the yard,” you’ll hear “The brown spotted dog ran across the yard.

Copy, Cut, and Paste

You can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C to copy a selection and Ctrl + X to cut a selection. When you locate where you’d like to paste your selection, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V to paste the selection.

Spell Check

You can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + ; to navigate to the next misspelling in the document. You’ll hear the misspelled word when you trigger this shortcut. To correct the misspelling, open the context menu by pressing Ctrl +Shift+ .

Formatting

Paragraph Styles

Enter the application menu by pressing Alt + Shift + F and locate the “Format” menu with the right arrow key. Select “Paragraph Styles” from the menu, and navigate to the style you want to apply to your text with the arrow keys. When you have a style selected, you’ll hear the style name followed by “checked" or "unchecked" to indicate when you've changed a style setting. Press Enter to apply that style.

Fonts and Font Size

Enter the application menu by pressing Alt + Shift + F and tab to the toolbar. Use the left and right arrow keys to move to different tools in the toolbar. When you reach the fonts menu, press the down arrow key to open the drop-down menu. Press Enter to apply the font to selected text, or to start typing with that font. The same steps apply to the font size menu.

Bold, Italics, Underline

Press Ctrl +B to apply bold formatting. Use Ctrl + I to apply italic formatting. Use Ctrl + U to apply underline formatting.

Tables

To insert a table into your document, enter the application menu by pressing Alt + Shift + F and press the right arrow until you get to the Table menu. Press the down arrow until you reach the “Insert table” menu item, and press the right arrow key to open the sub-menu. Press the arrow keys to find the dimensions of the table you want to insert.

To insert a column or row into a table, use the same keyboard shortcuts to navigate to the Table menu. When you press Enter to select an option, you’ll hear “column inserted” or “row inserted.”

To delete a column or row, follow the same instructions. To delete a table, locate a cell in the table. Then, press Ctrl + Shift + \ to activate the context menu, and select “Delete table” from the menu. Alternatively, you can select “Delete table” from the Table application menu.

Lists

Using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift+7 will create a new numbered list, and Ctrl +Shift + 8 will create a new bulleted list. When you create a list or insert a list item, you’ll hear the glyph type and number that you just inserted.

Page Setup

Press Alt + Shift + F to activate the File menu, and press the down arrow key until you reach the “Page setup” option. Press Enter, then navigate through the different options for a form element with the Tab key.

Alignment

Ctrl +Shift + L to set left alignment. Ctrl + Shift + E to set center alignment. Ctrl + Shift + R to set right alignment. Ctrl + Shift + J to justify alignment.

Indentation

When you’re editing the text in the document, you can use the Tab key to indent text. To reverse an indent, press Shift + Tab.

Headers and Footers

Press Alt + Ctrl + O + H to open the header section. You’ll hear “header” followed by the header’s contents. Press Alt + Ctrl + O + F to open the footer section. You’ll hear “footer” followed by the footer’s contents.

Footnotes

Place your cursor where you’d like to insert a footnote in your document. Activate the application menu with the keyboard shortcut Alt + Shift + F. Use your right arrow key to navigate to the Insert menu, then use the down arrow key to locate the “Footnote” menu item. Press Enter to insert a footnote where your cursor is placed in the document. You’ll hear “footnote inserted” and your cursor will be placed in the footnote area.

To navigate into the footnote area to edit a footnote, first locate the footnote in your document. When your cursor is next to the footnote, press Alt+ Ctrl + E + F to enter the footnote editing area. You’ll hear “footnote” followed by the footnote number and its contents. Press Esc to go back to the main document area.

Sharing Documents

To share a document, activate the application menu with the keyboard shortcut Alt + Shift + F. Select the "Share" menu item, and press Enter. You'll be placed in the sharing dialog, where you can tab through the elements to see who the collaborators are, change their permissions, and add more collaborators.

Troubleshooting

If you try to activate your ID before your data is in place, you will receive an error suggesting that you don't exist. Please wait at least a day before trying again. Since there can sometimes be a delay before that data is in place, you should contact your departmental administrator (DA) to get interim eligibility via a departmental data feed called Delegated Identity Administration (DIA).

Other Considerations

Simultaneous Connections: Yes. The limit is 15 simultaneous connections. If you need to invite more people, you can invite people using Google Groups.
Browser Recommendation: We have determined that using a web browser provides the best end-user experience.
Thunderbird: Thunderbird is not recommended or supported by CUIT.
Storage Policy: No. Like other educational institutions that use Google Workspace, Columbia University will be impacted by Google's Storage Policy change, providing schools and universities with a baseline of 100 TB of pooled storage shared across all users.
Chrome Profiles: If you don't want to sign in to a Chrome profile, the only way to do this is to use Guest mode every time you browse. Important: Columbia University does NOT view or manage your bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, or any other information stored in your Chrome profile.
Removing Filters: Click Edit or Delete to remove the filter.

tags: #columbia #university #lionmail #information