Download all files canvas

Actually, jack.maydan@colorado.edu , the information, files and even student submissions are not deleted unless a school actually deletes the course. Course content is maintained according to the record retention rules of the school's state, and by school policy.

"my professors have no idea that this information is inaccessible/downloadable in bulk format"

Teachers have an obligation to know how the technology they are using to deliver instruction works. I suspect that most, if not all, of your professors do know that courses become unavailable to students after the term concludes.

Both faculty and student access to courses after term-end are set by your school's Canvas Admins as part of your school's course conclusion policy (Nothing at all to do with Canvas) .  Both your Canvas Support department, and your teachers can provide you access to content in concluded courses if they want and if school policy permits (Nothing at all to do with Canvas).

"You need to make clear and clean methods for students to access content"

Again, there are clear and clean methods, and it is up to your school whether or not those methods are available to users.

And, while certain professors may not care about "protecting" the information for various reasons, I can assure you that many do care and so do their schools judging from the content security discussions (literally thousands) posted in this community.

So ask your teachers or your canvas admins for assistance in accessing content. And for the record, as the Canvas "administrator" for my school, I most certainly do not agree.

Kelley