Microsoft 365 Licensing Updates

Microsoft has updated its higher education licensing model. In response, UITS is aligning Microsoft 365 license assignments with employee job responsibilities while making effective use of university resources.

What’s changing?

Staff in organizational contributor (OC) and designated campus colleague (DCC) roles will now receive access to the Microsoft 365 web apps by default. These include the online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneDrive. This will be the standard licensing model for all OCs and DCCs moving forward.

Microsoft 365 web apps provide the features needed for most day-to-day job duties, collaboration, and document creation tasks. OCs and DCCs can access the web apps by signing in to m365.cloud.microsoft/apps/ with their NetID and password.

Students, faculty, emeritus faculty, and staff in manager/leader and professional contributor roles will continue to have access to both the Microsoft 365 web apps and Microsoft 365 desktop apps.

Transition plan
To support the transition to a new licensing approach, UITS has funded one final year of Microsoft 365 desktop licenses for current OCs and DCCs who already have a desktop license through July 1, 2027,giving units time to evaluate future licensing needs.

New OC and DCC desktop license requests
Units may purchase a Microsoft 365 desktop license for OCs and DCCs whose job duties require the additional functionality of the Microsoft 365 desktop apps, including those who recently joined the university or who do not currently have a desktop license. New licenses may be purchased through the Microsoft Product License Request form. The annual cost is $46 per license.

Learn more and get support

Additional information and purchasing instructions for Microsoft 365 desktop app licenses are available in the Microsoft 365 Licensing Changes and FAQs knowledge article.

If you have questions about Microsoft 365 web or desktop app licenses, please contact the 24/7 Support Center.