Activating Your Computing Account

Introduction

Once accepted as a student, or hired as an employee, of the University of Kentucky, you will have a computing account automatically created for you. This account will be your primary means of access to many of the systems at UK including but not limited to the following: accessing your email, logging into myUK (see below), logging into the machines in the Student Computing Labs, and access other computer services at the University. This document details the steps necessary to activate your Computing account.

The myUK system provides students with the ability to register for classes, pay bills online, and update contact information. Faculty and Staff will use the myUK web site to access the SAP system, access W2 information, and other Employee Self-Service features.

Document Index

• Find Your Computing Account user ID
• Activating your Account
• For More Assistance

About IT Technical Assistance

This document is maintained and copyright 2002-2007 by the University of Kentucky Information Technology Customer Service Center for the students, faculty and staff of the University. All rights reserved. Duplication of this document is permitted to the aforementioned audience.

Find Your Computing Account User ID

Your user ID is used to identify yourself to UK's computer systems.

Your password is used to verify that you are the owner of the user ID you are attempting to use. When you first activate your computing account you will need to use the default password to login. The default password is u$ and the last six digits of your UK ID. For example, if your UK ID is 12345678, your default password would be u$345678. For more information on the UK ID, please see http://www.uky.edu/UKID/

Students

Your user ID and UKID number will be provided to you in correspondence from the University of Kentucky or in your Advising booklet during the first day of your advising conference. If you have not received your user ID please contact the IT Customer Service Center for assistance.

Faculty & Staff

Your user ID and UKID number will be provided to your hiring official. They will relay this information to you as required to activate your computing accounts. If you have not received your user ID please contact the IT Customer Service Center for assistance.

Activating your Account

1. Go to the Account Manager web site (https://ukam.uky.edu/).
2. Click on the Manage Your Account menu option.
3. Enter your user ID and default password where prompted.
4. You will now be guided through the Account Activation process:
   1. The first screen will present a notice that you must complete the entire process to activate your account.
   2. Click Proceed
   3. The next screen will instruct you to create a new password and configure your password self-reset questions.
      • NOTE: Please see the information below for password composition requirements and additional details about the password self-reset questions.
   4. You will need to enter your new password twice in order to verify the password and prevent typographical errors.
   5. You must supply two password self-reset questions. The answers must be three or more characters in length.
   6. Click Proceed
   7. You will now be prompted to create your University Email Address, referred to as your UEA. Your UEA allows you to have a friendlier looking email address to share with family and friends, but does not alter your user ID. It is your official UK email address for your account and will appear in any UK public paper or electronic directories as your email address.
      • NOTE: Please see the information below for criteria on your University Email Address (UEA).
   8. Click Proceed
   9. You will now be given the option of forwarding your UK Email to an off campus mailbox.
      • NOTE: Forwarding your email means all email to your UEA will be sent to the email address you specified, UK will not create a local mailbox, nor will we keep a copy of your email. In order to send or receive email you will need to use the methods outlined by your email provider.
   10. Click Proceed
   11. You will now be prompted to confirm your choice of University Email Address and whether or not you wanted your email forwarded.
   12. Click Finish.
   13. It may take a moment, but you will be automatically logged out of the Account Manager and presented with a message indicating that your computing account was activated. If you receive an error message please contact the IT Customer Service Center for assistance.

Once you are finished, your Computing account will be activated. You may start using your account immediately. You must activate your account before you start classes at UK.

Before using your account, please review the Policy Governing Access to and use of University of Kentucky Computing Resources (http://ukcc.uky.edu/policy.html).

Password Composition Requirements

Your new password should meet the following criteria:

• Must be at least eight (8) characters long.
• Must use at least one character from the following categories:
  • Alphabetic characters (A through Z and a through z)
  • Numbers (0 through 9)
  • Special Non-Alphanumeric Characters (!, @, #, $)
    • Must not be the first or last character.
• Cannot be a word listed in a dictionary.
• Cannot be the same as your User ID, or the reverse of your User ID.
• Cannot be the same as your University Email Address, or the reverse of your University Email Address.
• Cannot be the same as your current password.
• Cannot contain your first, middle, or last name.

Password self-reset allows you to create a new password when you have forgotten your old password. Read and follow the on-screen instructions carefully. For more information about the password self-reset feature, please see the About Password Self-Reset document (http://www.uky.edu/IT/CustomerService/Accounts/pwd-selfreset.html).

University Email Address Criteria

You will now be prompted to create your University Email Address (UEA). The recommended UEA should be in the format of firstname.lastname@uky.edu. You may change this recommended UEA to an identifier you prefer. Your UEA should meet the following criteria:

• Must be your name or a derivative of your name.
• Must be at least nine (9) characters long, or contain a period (.) if it is under nine characters.
• Must consist of only alphanumeric characters, periods (.) and dashes (-).
• Cannot have two consecutive non-alphanumeric characters (e.g. joe..doe).
• Cannot start and/or end with non-alphanumeric characters (e.g. -joe.doe.).

For More Assistance

Please contact the IT Customer Service Center if you have any questions or problems while following these instructions. The IT CSC is open from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday. You may come directly to the CSC at 111 McVey Hall. You may also reach the CSC by phone (859.257.1300) or email (helpdesk@uky.edu).