MSU is providing Microsoft licenses for departmental use under an Enrollment for Education Solution (EES). The annual licensing agreement covers departments and the MSU community.
Additionally, MSU provides a student personal use license is available for all active MSU students. The Microsoft license schedule for faculty and staff personal use hasn’t been determined yet.
Student Personal Use
Office Pro Plus downloads are available to all active MSU students through Spartan 365.
Office Pro Plus includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. Each student can download Office Pro Plus on up to five computers (Windows or Apple iOS), five tablets (Windows, Apple iOS, and/or Android), and five smart phones.
Undergraduate student download
- Log into spartanmail.msu.edu with your NetID and password.
- Click on “Office 365” in the top left.
- Click the “Install now” button.
Graduate and life long student download
- Visit spartan365.msu.edu.
- Login using MSU NetID and new password credentials.
- Click on “Office 365” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
- Follow the prompts on the screen to download and install Office Pro Plus.
When no longer a student, Office Pro Plus will be available at a cost from Microsoft.
Department Use
All MSU departments may use licenses on departmentally owned machines for:
- Office Pro Plus (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access on PC version, Publisher on PC version)
- Office for Mac (includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
- Windows OS Upgrades (There must be a current OS on your system to use the upgrade license. Can upgrade a Home version to Pro or Enterprise.)
- Windows Server
- Exchange Server
- SharePoint Server
- Lync Server
Licenses are based on the current version of the software, though it’s possible to downgrade to a previous version.
NOTE: It’s important to keep software up to date so security issues inherent with outdated software or systems aren’t exploited. Read more on SecureIT about safeguarding your devices and systems. Also read through the checklists for setting up and patching systems and servers.
All departments also have Client Access Licenses (CALs) as provided in the CAL Suite. These licenses are needed by users who access information on the related server. For example, all users need Exchange CALs if they have an account on Exchange Server.
The Core CAL Suite includes:
- Windows Server CAL
- Exchange Server Standard CAL
- Lync Server Standard CAL
- SharePoint Standard CAL
- System Center Configuration Manager Client Management License
- System Center Endpoint Protection (antivirus client and subscription service)
For server licenses, all versions (Data Center, Enterprise, Standard) may be used. It is also possible to downgrade to a previous version.
Enterprise CALs aren’t part of this agreement and need to be purchased separately.
Obtaining the Software
- Order licenses through the MSU Technology Store based on the number of licenses needed within your MSU department. Once ordered, an activation key will be provided.
- Download media from msu.onthehub.com. Each download carries a fee of $6. Only current faculty and staff can log in to order downloads and a departmental purchasing card (p-card) must be used for the media purchase.
Departments only need to download the media once for use with all licenses ordered within their unit. Faculty and staff should contact their main IT department before ordering media as they may already have a copy of the software for use.
All licenses are on an annual subscription for the life of this MSU agreement; they are not perpetual.
Faculty/Staff Personal Use
Current faculty and staff will be able to use personal licenses of Office Pro Plus in the future.
