Augsburg University Streamlines Google Workspace Management with gPanel by Promevo

Augsburg University, a modern urban university with more than 155 years of history, has a strong focus on hands-on, personal education. 

Serving roughly 3,400 students across over 50 undergraduate majors and 12 graduate programs, Augsburg combines academic rigor with the values of the Lutheran church. The university strives to educate informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.

While Augsburg has relied on Google Workspace since 2013, its IT department has always been relatively small. Managing the domain largely fell to scripts and Google Apps Manager (GAM), consuming only a fraction of one system administrator’s time. 

As Google administration demands increased, it became clear the university needed a solution that would allow multiple IT staff to handle administrative tasks securely, efficiently, and without compromising access controls.

Promevo stepped in with gPanel to deliver a scalable, role-based solution tailored to Augsburg’s needs.

The Challenge

For Augsburg University, the main challenge was balancing efficiency with security in a small IT department. Google Workspace management occupied about 5% of one system administrator’s job, which meant many tasks were delayed or assigned low priority.

Their key pain points included:

• Limited staff access: Non-administrators had no secure way to assist with domain management.
• Time-consuming tasks: Manual processes, like updating user information or managing shared calendars, consumed valuable hours.
• Security risks: Delegating tasks without proper tools risked overexposure of sensitive data.
• Device management: Even infrequent updates to Chrome devices required administrative oversight.

The university sought a solution that allowed the IT team to distribute tasks across staff while maintaining strict security principles. They wanted an interface that was easy to use, logically organized, and capable of handling routine administration without constant involvement from senior administrators.

The Solution

Promevo introduced gPanel with role-based security features that fit Augsburg’s workflow and staffing constraints. The solution allowed precise delegation, ensuring that staff could perform necessary tasks while adhering to the principle of least privilege.

Leveraging gPanel helped Augsburg University respond more effectively to: 

• Unplanned departures: Staff can expire sessions or set out-of-office messages without accessing account content.
• Compromised accounts: IT can deactivate users compromised by phishing or other security incidents.
• User information updates: Staff can assist with updating photographs, phone numbers, and job titles efficiently.
• Shared calendar management: Calendar ownership can be transferred quickly when an owner leaves.
• Chrome device management: Minor updates to a small fleet of devices can be performed securely.

The gPanel interface organized these functions logically, making it easy for multiple IT staff to take ownership of administrative tasks without requiring deep system administrator expertise. This structure allowed Augsburg University to scale internal support and improve response times across the department.

The Outcome

Since implementing gPanel, Augsburg University has seen noticeable improvements in both efficiency and security across its IT operations. 

Tasks that previously required system administrator attention can now be handled by multiple staff members, freeing senior administrators to focus on strategic projects and higher-priority initiatives.

Key outcomes of their gPanel adoption include:

• Faster resolution of Google admin tickets: Issues such as account updates, shared calendar ownership transfers, and compromised account mitigation are addressed more quickly.
• Improved access control: Role-based security ensures that staff have only the permissions necessary for their job, reducing risk while enabling broader team involvement.
• Streamlined onboarding and offboarding: New hires are set up efficiently, and departing employees’ data is archived securely without administrative bottlenecks.
• Simplified device management: Even with a small number of Chrome devices, updates and transfers can be handled consistently and securely.
• Enhanced team collaboration: IT staff can now assist in a wider range of administrative tasks without compromising security or operational standards.

The university’s small IT department can now operate more effectively, maintaining both the principle of least privilege and high responsiveness to user needs. 

gPanel has transformed Google Workspace administration from a minor, low-priority task into a structured, reliable, and scalable process that supports Augsburg University’s broader educational mission.

Scott Krajewski, Associate Vice President for IT (Chief Information Officer), summed up the experience: 

"With a small IT staff, gPanel and Promevo allowed us to securely share Google administration across multiple team members We are able to resolve user account issues more quickly while managing tight access controls to our Google domain."

Get Started With gPanel & Promevo

At Promevo, we empower organizations like Augsburg University to get the most out of Google Workspace through both our expert services and our proprietary management and automation platform, gPanel.

With gPanel, IT admins can simplify daily management, automate tasks, and strengthen security across their Google Workspace environment — all from a single, intuitive dashboard. From user provisioning and Drive management to detailed audit reports and automated policies, gPanel gives your team the control and visibility needed to operate efficiently at scale.

And with Promevo as your trusted Google partner, you’ll have access to a full range of solutions and support, including:

• Consulting, implementation, and training across the entire Google ecosystem
• Chrome device deployment and lifecycle management
• Google Cloud solutions designed to fit your organization’s goals
• Expert guidance on the latest Google technologies and AI innovations
• Access to additional Google partners such as CloudM, JumpCloud, and more

Together, gPanel and Promevo help your organization simplify Google Workspace administration, improve security, and accelerate digital transformation. Contact us or schedule your own gPanel demo to get started.