This policy is currently under review

  • Effective date: 5/1/2015
  • Last revised: 4/8/2015
  • Origination date: 4/7/2015
  • Responsible University Office: Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS)
  • Responsible University Administrator: Vice President of WITS

This Username Policy (“Policy”) sets forth the policy of Willamette University (“Willamette” or the “University”) with respect to generation and assignment of network identifiers ("usernames") to individual members of the community.

1. General Purpose

A "username" is the term Willamette uses for the series of letters and numbers which uniquely identify an individual to various information systems. A "username" is also often referred to by the terms "login", "account name", "user name", "user id" or "Net ID".

In Willamette's existing e-mail system, the username also functions as the e-mail address when @willamette.edu is appended (e.g. the username bearcat becomes the e-mail address bearcat@willamette.edu.)

This policy outlines the rules and practices by which Willamette Integrated Technology Services (WITS) will assign and maintain usernames on behalf of the University as part of an identity and access management plan.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all individuals affiliated with the University that require an identity be established to access or utilize information systems - including faculty, staff, administrators, students, guests, contractors, and emeriti. Information systems may include but are not limited to: e-mail, internet access, file and print servers, application software, library resources, enterprise software, learning management systems, and cloud services.

3. Username Rules

  1. Usernames must be unique and will be assigned to identify an individual and only that individual.
  2. Usernames must not be re-assigned or transferred to a different individual, even when the individual originally assigned is no longer affiliated with the University.
  3. Multiple usernames may be assigned to the same individual, however only one username will be considered the primary username for that individual at any time.
  4. Usernames must consist of 16 characters or less from the ASCII character set and will consist only of lower-case alphabetical (a-z) or numerical (0-9) characters.
  5. Usernames must be derived from the following name components of the individual it identifies, as recorded in the relevant system-of-record (as of this writing, the Colleague system)
    • First Name(s) or First Initial(s)
    • Middle Name(s) or Middle Initial(s)
    • Last Name(s)
    • Nickname(s)
    In the case where the names recorded in the system-of-record are not the individual’s preferred names, allowance will be made to permit substitution, inclusion, or exclusion of name components, with the intent that the username be derived from the names commonly used to by the individual. For example, using a middle name in lieu of a first name, or using only one part of a hyphenated last name.
  6. Usernames will only contain numerical (0-9) characters to ensure uniqueness in the case that a generated username has already been assigned to another individual

4. Changing Usernames

Changing a username often involves making coordinated changes to multiple information systems and may have unintended consequences due to technical limitations of some information systems. In general, changing a username should be avoided, however WITS will change the primary username for an individual upon request due to a legal name change, a change in marital status, an offensive username, or for reasons of personal safety or privacy.
Willamette University

Willamette Integrated Technology Services

Address
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6004 voice
503-375-5456 fax

Back to Top