iVIP Overview

The iVIP program provides an efficient and secure process for departments within the university to sponsor individuals (VIPs) who are not regular USC students, faculty, or staff for inclusion in USC's Global Directory Service. As a result the VIPs can be given access as needed to a variety of electronically provided or managed services.

Examples of iVIPs include:

• Volunteer faculty
• Visiting faculty who is/will not be on USC payroll
• Affiliated organization employee
• Medical Resident and Intern
• Research Fellow
• Exchange Visitor for whom USC employment is not expected
• Visiting Scholar
• ROTC Officer
• Temporary Agency staff
• UPC Health Center patient
• Vendor

Sponsoring VIPs

VIPs are sponsored by the department with which they are affiliated. Each organizational unit (i.e., school or administrative division) determines whom to sponsor and the services to be requested. “Sponsors” make these decisions on behalf of the organization unit. Each sponsoring unit also has “Department Administrators” who access the iVIP system to create iVIP accounts and request services. Department Administrators must take a training class before they are provided system access.

International Scholars and Visitors require processing through the Office for International Services as well as their sponsoring departments. For assistance or more information, contact j1exchg@usc.edu.

Members of the USC community who would like to have someone sponsored for services as an iVIP should contact an administrator in their school or department. For a list of current iVIP Administrators, click here.

Creating iVIP records

iVIP is part of the University’s identity and access management (IAM) program. Identity and access management is the business function that that identifies individuals in an organization and manages their access to resources by associating user rights and restrictions with the established identity. Along with the Student Information System and the Payroll system, iVIP is a system of record in IAM.

Because iVIP is part of the larger IAM program, a personal identity record with a USC ID number must be created for each iVIP before services are requested. To create the record, a minimal amount of personal information is required:

• First (Given) and Last (Family) Names
• Date of Birth
• Two of the following pieces of contact information:
• Email address (strongly preferred)
• Personal Phone Number
• Mailing Address

The information required to create an iVIP record is intentionally limited, so as not to be onerous or intrusive for the VIP. This information is used to avoid creating duplicate records and for contacting the VIP when necessary, so it is essential that the information that is provided be accurate and specific to the individual.

Services Supported

As of August, 2009 the following services may be requested for VIPs:

• Email accounts*
• VPN
• MyUSC portal
• Blackboard access for instructional roles
• USCard
• Listing in the online USC white pages
• Access to the online USC white pages for student listings
• Hospital Exchange
• USCweb

*VIP email accounts are in a distinctive format, composed of the individual’s initials and a random set of three digits (e.g., abc_987@usc.edu ).

Training

All department administrators participate in a required training program and receive additional individual support as needed. The training program includes an overview of iVIP, its structure and procedures, and a hands-on introduction to creating records and requesting services. Training sessions are offered monthly. For dates or other information, contact IAM-admin-l@usc.edu.