Why do I have to change my password? (Faculty & Staff Only)

We have an obligation to protect information stored on our computer systems from unauthorized access. We require all Faculty and Staff members to change their password every 12 weeks (84 days). All passwords must be at least eight characters in length. It must contain at least one lower case, upper case letter and a number. You must avoid passwords that can be found in the system spelling dictionary.

How often should I change my password?

All Faculty and Staff must change their passwords at least once every 12 weeks (84 days). You may change your password more frequently if you wish.

What is a good password?

All passwords must have the following to be valid:

• At least eight characters in length
• At least one lower case letter
• At least one upper case letter
• At least one number
• Can not use words that can be found in a dictionary

There are a number of good schemes for creating valid passwords. You can use a word, but substitute numbers for some of the letters.

Example password- Spiderman becomes Sp2d2rm2n

What will happen if I don't change my password?

You will receive three email warnings before your password expires. One of these warnings will come two weeks before the expiration period. The next warning will be 1 week before the expiration period, and the last warning being one day before your password expires. If you still have not changed your password by the third warning, your account will be disabled. You will not lose any data if this happens, but you will be unable to log in again until you contact the Faculty and Staff Help Desk. They will not be able to tell you what your existing password is, but we will be able to assign you a new temporary one. If you are calling from anywhere other than your office phone, the Faculty and Staff Help Desk will not be able to reset your password until you are verified by your Support Staff Member or your department. They are also unable to reset your password by email. If you can not be verified by your Support Staff Member, you will be required to come to the Faculty and Staff Help Desk, located in Craven Hall Room 2302, and show proof of identity.

What if I forget my password?

If you forget your password, you should contact the Faculty and Staff Help Desk. They will not be able to tell you what your existing password is, but we will be able to assign you a new temporary one. If you are calling from anywhere other than your office phone, the Faculty and Staff Help Desk will not be able to reset your password until you are verified by your Support Staff Member or your department. They are also unable to reset your password by email. If you can not be verified by your Support Staff Member, you will be required to come to the Faculty and Staff Help Desk, located in Craven Hall Room 2302, and show proof of identity.

How long will it take for my new password to become valid?

Once you have changed your password, you should not expect your new password to take effect on all machines immediately. Your network login password should change almost immediately. You should restart your computer and login with your new password. It may take as long as 10 minutes for all campus computer systems to receive your updated password, including Data Portal and WebMail.

Can I tell others what my password is?

No. Sharing passwords is a violation of the Computer Equipment Access Policy.

What programs are affected when I change my password?

When you change your password, it might not affect all your applications that you have passwords. The reason is that you might have access to some applications that have their own passwords.