Information Technology

Computer Account Creation and Termination

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and affiliates are eligible for Reed computer accounts.  In rare cases, "sponsored accounts" are created for individuals outside of Reed who require access to Reed computing services.  Account creation and termination practices for each constituent group are summarized below.

Account Creation

Students

Incoming students who have paid their Admission deposit receive a welcome letter that includes a one-time activation code and a URL to Reed's self-service account creation site. At this website, students verify their identity, accept our user agreement, claim a unique username, set security questions, and create a password.

Students keep their usernames throughout their affiliation with Reed. Incoming student accounts provide access to email and the IRIS campus portal. Once on campus, students use the same account credentials for network registration, network file storage, and other secure services.

Faculty

Account creation is triggered when a new faculty member submits a completed contract to the Dean's Office and a Reed ID number is assigned by Payroll. Information Technology sends a one-time activation code and a URL to Reed's self-service account creation site. At this website, faculty verify their identity, accept our user agreement, claim a unique username, set security questions, and create a password.

Faculty members keep their usernames throughout their affiliation with Reed. Incoming faculty accounts provide access to email and the IRIS campus portal. Once on campus, faculty use the same account credentials for network registration, network file storage, and other secure services. If the faculty member is an alumnus, the appropriate roles and services will be applied to their existing accounts.

Staff and Affiliates

Staff and Affiliates generally meet with Computer User Services on their first day of employment to sign the user agreement and claim their unique username and password. On some occasions, incoming staff may be given an activation code to claim their computing account.

In addition to email, the IRIS campus portal, network registration, accounts for Banner, and other administrative services are created as appropriate.  If the staff member is an alumnus, the appropriate roles and services will be applied to their existing accounts.

Affiliate accounts are created for college partners with limited access for specific purposes, in most cases for a period of one year or less.  Examples include accounts for vendors, contractors, etc. In rare cases, a non-affiliate account may be created by IT with faculty or staff sponsorship.

Alumni

Alumni who don't have a Reed account can create one by visiting the IRIS portal and clicking "Create account". Alumni will be asked to submit their Reed ID and other personal information to verify their identity. Then they claim a unique username, set security questions, and create a password. Alumni accounts can be used to access IRIS and a limited number of library resources and to connect to the campus network while visiting campus. They do not include Reed email accounts.

Account Termination

Students

When students graduate their status changes to alumni. The Registrar's office sends graduation notification to Information Technology and graduates are given at least two weeks' notice to close their email and file server accounts.  IRIS portal roles are converted to alumni status, and all other accounts are disabled. If students separate after at least two semesters of study, they are also considered alumni.

Students who separate before they have completed two semesters of study have no ongoing affiliation with Reed.  They are given two weeks' notice before their accounts are closed.

Faculty

Faculty (including administrative faculty) who retire with emeritus status retain their accounts in perpetuity.

When faculty who are not emeriti leave Reed, Information Technology is notified by Payroll that their contract has ended.  They are given at least two weeks' notice before their accounts are closed. If the departing faculty member is an alumnus/a, the appropriate alumni roles and services are retained.

Staff and Affiliates

For data security and support reasons, staff who leave the college (including retired staff) do not retain access to Reed accounts and services.  Retired staff who have a continuing, official relationship with the college may transition to another status (such as an Affiliate Account), retaining a commensurate level of access to college resources.

Information technology receives staff departure information from supervisors, Human Resources, Payroll, and automated reports. All accounts are closed immediately unless special instructions are provided by the supervisor or HR. If the staff member is an alumnus/a, the appropriate alumni roles and services are retained.

Alumni

Alumni retain limited accounts in perpetuity, for the purpose of logging into IRIS and the campus network.


Adopted by IT, January 30, 2020; modified November 15, 2022.