ResearchDrive: Account deactivation and employment status changes

This document will guide you through the impact of employment status changes (such as retirement or job change) on eligibility for no cost storage on ResearchDrive and outlines the procedures for account deactivation.

• Eligibility after retirement / appointment change
• Procedures for requesting a ResearchDrive account deactivation

Eligibility after retirement / appointment change

If a previously eligible researcher's appointment status changes, and they are no longer in an a job title that is automatically eligible, their eligibility for the 25 TB no‑cost storage subsidy on ResearchDrive may change as well.  This includes retiring faculty, individuals changing jobs within the university, and people leaving the university entirely.

We offer three options for researchers no longer in automatically eligible job titles, depending on their appointment type and research activities:

• deactivate the ResearchDrive account OR 
• continue using the ResearchDrive account without the no cost subsidy (i.e. the account will be fully billed at the current rate) OR
• apply for an Application for Eligibility Exception for No-cost Storage Subsidy on ResearchDrive (ResearchDrive only).

Options by appointment type and Principle Investigator (PI) status

Which option(s) is available to a researcher depends on their specific scenario, which includes their appointment type and PI status.

** Please note that only automatically eligible researchers may receive a subsidy on Research Object Storage (S3). Eligibility exceptions are not available for this service.

Scenario A explained:  Researcher has a current appointment (including Emeritus Faculty and $0) and will remain a Principal Investigator (PI) on funded research at UW-Madison.

If the researcher will continue to hold an appointment at UW–Madison (including a Emeritus and $0 honorary appointments) and remains the lead PI on a grant that will continue to be awarded to UW–Madison, they may be eligible to retain a no cost storage subsidy (up to 25TB as needed). 

Options:

• • Request an eligibility exception: To request the eligibility exception, they must submit the Application for Eligibility Exception for No-cost Storage Subsidy on ResearchDrive .  The ResearchDrive team will review the application and determine eligibility.

Scenario B explained:  Researcher has a current appointment but will not remain lead PI on funded research at UW-Madison

If the researcher will continue to have an appointment at UW–Madison that is not eligible for the subsidy and they will not remain the lead PI on a grant awarded to UW–Madison (for example, the grant is transferred to another institution or to a different PI), they are unlikely to qualify for an eligibility exception.

Options:

• • They may keep their ResearchDrive account.

  • The account will become fully billed at the standard storage rate (currently $120 per TB per year).

  • They will not be eligible for the no‑cost subsidy.

  • A valid Billing Customer ID is required to maintain the account.

Scenario C explained:  Researcher will no longer hold any appointment at UW-Madison

If the PI will not retain any appointment at UW–Madison:

• • They are no longer eligible for a ResearchDrive account.

  • They must follow the Outgoing PI Transfer Checklist, which includes transferring all data to another storage location, and follow the procedures for requesting a ResearchDrive account deactivation.

  • Deactivation is permanent and cannot be reversed.

Procedures for requesting a ResearchDrive account deactivation

Procedures for requesting an account deactivation depend on the status of the account occupancy.  We strongly encourage that all data be removed from the account prior to requesting an account deactivation. Account deactivation results in permanent deletion of all data stored within the account and cannot be reversed.