Hi Amanda...
There are two ways to execute EMFL. One is a forwarding service where the alumnus maintains their own email address and uses an institutional forwarding address as an alias. The second is through a branded institutional account - such as a Gmail account. For example, terry.callaghan@institutionname.edu In the latter institutions often allow students to maintain their student account after graduation.
There are some advantages to this, for example, the student can maintain continuity in their email address after graduation and the ".edu" has some commercial advantages for free services (not sure that should be promoted, though!).
I've found that over time the email addresses are used less and less by the alumnus in favor of another free account. There are also some legal concerns such as the alumnus possibly representing themselves as connected with the university (often a separate "@alumni.institutionname.edu" domain is used instead). In addition, who owns that account should the alumnus become deceased and should the institution allow a family member access.
All of this to say the EMFL accounts are becoming less and less popular. In some cases, it might be worth extending the student account for a year in order to maintain contact, and to send reminders toward the end of the year that the account is going away, and to please update their email address with the institution.
All the best,
Terry Callaghan
Zuri Group
aasp Board Member
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Terry Callaghan
Zuri Group
terry@zurigroup.com------------------------------