Google Drive: Carleton FileKeeper (carlfilekeeper@carleton.edu)

When someone leaves Carleton, their owned Google files and folders are assigned the Carleton FileKeeper (carlfilekeeper@carleton.edu) account as an Owner. There are nearly 5 million files owned by this account. This account is scheduled to expire at the end of December 2027 - and all files owned by it will also disappear at that time. 

If you need to manage files or folders owned by Carleton FileKeeper, you will need to create new copies. Note, there is no way to preserve the file history when a copy is made.  Notes and comments should remain.  

Finding items owned by Carleton FileKeeper

1. In the search box at the top of Google Drive, search for owner:carlfilekeeper@carleton.edu
2. The search results will be files and folders owned by Carleton FileKeeper

Reclaiming Files Owned by Carleton FileKeeper

1. Open the file
2. Click on File > Make a Copy – You are now the owner of the copied file.  Note that some files may need to be downloaded to claim ownership.
3. add "#delete" to the original file name - this helps distinguish which file can be deleted.
4. Click Share in both files (to compare them) & share the new copy with everyone who had access to the original file.  Or, add the file to a Shared Drive that everyone else also has access to.
5. Back on the original share list on the "#delete" file, click on each person's access rights (Editor, Viewer, etc) and then select Remove Access
6. Finally, click on your own access rights and select Remove Access

You and your group now have a functional copy of the original file, including the ability to fully manage access and delete the file. 

Reclaiming Folders Owned by Carleton FileKeeper

1. add "#delete" to the name of the folder you will replace
2. Create a new folder to replace the original folder; consider a Shared Drive for this folder location.
3. Right-click on the new folder and select Share (you do not have to do this if you chose to locate the folder in a Shared Drive that the same group of people has access to)
4. Share the new folder with the same people who were associated with the original folder (as above, it will help to compare the shares of both items)
5. Move all the contents of the original folder into the new folder (note who owns each file!)
6. Right-click on the original folder and select Share
7. Back on the original share list on the "#delete" folder, click on each person's access rights (Editor, Viewer, etc) and then select Remove Access
8. Finally, click on your own access rights and select Remove Access

You and your group now have a functional copy of the original folder, including the ability to manage access and delete the folder.