Do you have personal, non-work files on your university-owned computer or in an online storage space provided by U-M? Help the university protect your privacy by storing them in a folder labeled Personal and Private.
With some exceptions as outlined in Privacy and the Need to Monitor and Access University Records (SPG 601.11), (for example, when required by law or needed to avert threats to IT systems), the university will not monitor or access materials in folders labeled Personal and Private.
On your computer
MiWorkspace computers have a Personal and Private folder already set up for you to use in your home directory:
- Windows: U:Personal and Private
- Mac: Finder/Go/Home/Personal and Private
In storage space
No matter what the service at U-M, if you create folders or labels called Personal and Private, the university will treat the contents of those folders as non-institutional data and refrain from monitoring or accessing them in accordance with SPG 601.11.
Learn more
- Use “Personal and Private” Folders to Protect Privacy
- Store, Access & Back Up Data on MiWorkspace
- Responsible Use of Information Resources (SPG 601.07) allows for limited personal use of U-M computing resources.
- Privacy and the Need to Monitor and Access University Records (SPG 601.11) states, “the University permits some latitude for employees to use University resources…to conduct personal matters at their work sites, work-related records and employees’ personal records may be located in the same place.”
