"On the PC Side"

Column 2: Changing the Password for Your USC Computer Account

Every so often (probably once a year for USC retirees), the university's Information Technology Services (ITS) requires that you change the password for your USC computer account. This is done for security purposes to reduce the likelihood that someone who is not authorized to do so uses your account. Many retirees find the requirement more than annoying. The primarily reason for this is ususlly because changing one's password requires knowing one’s ten-digit university identification number. Since these ten-digit ID numbers are a relatively recent creation, many of us were unaware that we had one.

More recently, the university has "uncoupled" Social Security Numbers from computer and e-mail accounts. This means that you can no longer use your Social Security Number in the password-changing process. You now must use your ten-digit university ID (unless you are a pre-retiree still on the USC payroll, in which case you can use your your seven-digit employee identification number). If you do not know your ten-digit ID number, you can obtain it simply by contacting Jennifer Ontai at the Emeriti Center. Jennifer has access to the databse containing these numbers and can look yours up for you. Call her at (213) 740-8169 or e-mail her at jontai@usc.edu.

If you already know your university ID number, you can change your password by clicking on this link and entering the information requested. The third paragraph on this page no longer applies: "If you do not know your ten-digit USC ID, your seven-digit employee ID, or your seven-digit student ID, you may use this version of the Password Change Web Page" where "Password Change Web Page" is a link to another ITS webpage. DO NOT use this link.

After you have changed your password online, don't forget to change it in the "Accounts" settings of your personal computer's e-mail client (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Thundebird, etc.), if you use one.

To see a slide presentation (in PDF) demonstrating how to change your password using your ten-digit ID number, click here.

If you do not already have a USC Computer Account, here is how you can obtain one. If you were benefits eligible for at least 10 years while you were employeed by the university and were at least 55 years of age when you left USC in good standing, call Jennifer Ontai at the USC Emeriti Center at (213) 740-8169 or e-mail her at jontai@usc.edu.

If you have questions or comments about this column, send them to Bob Stallings at rstallin@usc.edu.

Next: Column 3, "Web Mail or 'Local' Mail?"

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