Frequently Asked Questions about Your Accounts
- What is my user name?
- Are there differences between student accounts and faculty/staff accounts?
- How long will my AU accounts remain active?
- Can I have two accounts on the same system?
- Will I need two accounts, if I am a student who works in a staff or faculty office?
- How do I find out my AU ID number for creating my account?
- What do I do if I am not able to create my account, because the system tells me that my AU ID number is invalid or there is a problem with some of the information submitted?
- What should I do if I completed the account creation process, but I can't access the AU e-mail or Blackboard systems?
- Can I post a personal Web page?
What is my user name?
Your user name is established when you create your accounts at my.american.edu.
- Creating Your AU User Name and Password - Students
- Creating Your AU User Name and Password - Faculty and Staff
Are there differences between student accounts and faculty/staff accounts?
Student network accounts are exactly the same as faculty or staff accounts. All three groups enjoy the same privileges of access to personal information through the my.american.edu portal, personal Web space, private network folders, and software available for download. The main difference is that student e-mail is hosted by Google and the address is @student.american.edu. Also, faculty and staff have a shared drive (usually mapped to the letter I) where they share files with others in their department. Back to List
How long will my AU accounts remain active?
Faculty & Staff
Your AU user name will continue to be active as long as you are employed by American University. If you separate from the university, your accounts and files will be immediately deleted.
Students
Your AU user name will continue to be active as long as you are registered for classes or maintaining matriculation. If you graduate or stop maintaining matriculation, the data you have stored on the network will be deleted and access to systems may be reduced at the end of the next semester's add/drop registration period. You may retain your "student.american.edu" e-mail address, although this may transition to an alumni address over time. Back to List
Can I have two accounts on the same system?
Each individual at the university is allowed only one account per system for security and account auditing reasons. The synchronization of information between different systems requires that each individual be assigned a consistent, unique user name to be used across all systems. Back to List
Will I need two accounts, if I am a student who works in a staff or faculty office?
The Help Desk can easily give your student account access to the shared drive and networked printers in your office, as long as it is requested by your supervisor. For security reasons, you may have to configure your computer to manually connect to the I: drive for the shared folder for your office. Back to List
How do I find out my AU ID number for creating my account?
Students can find their AU ID number on their acceptance packet. Faculty and staff can obtain their AU ID number from their department. Back to List
What do I do if I am not able to create my account, because the system tells me that my AU ID number is invalid or there is a problem with some of the information submitted?
- Make sure you entered your AU ID number correctly.
- You must also enter your name exactly as it is listed in our administrative system.
- Try entering only your Name, AU ID number, and your date of birth only.
- Make sure your Web browser is configured to accept cookies.
Please note:
- New students should be able to create their accounts as soon as they are accepted to the university.
- New faculty must be on the roster for teaching a current or future course.
- New staff must have the appropriate paperwork submitted to Human Resources.
If you need assistance with any step of the account creation process, please contact the Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp. Back to List
What should I do if I completed the account creation process, but I can't access the AU e-mail or Blackboard systems?
Students
Your AU-sponsored Gmail account uses the same username as your other AU accounts, but the password is different since it is hosted by Google. When you first created your user name, the portal displayed your initial temporary Gmail password. If you do not remember that password, please log into the my.american.edu Web portal. Click on TECHNOLOGY. Under Personalized Links, click the CHANGE MY GMAIL PASSWORD link and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you are unable to log into the portal, contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp to request a password reset, after confirming your identity.
The Blackboard system utilizes a separate account, but the password should be the same as the one you use for my.american.edu. If you are unable to log into Blackboard with your portal password, contact the IT Help Desk at 202-885-2550, helpdesk@american.edu, or AskAmericanUHelp.
Faculty and Staff
Web Mail and Blackboard utilize separate accounts, but the passwords should be the same as the one you use for my.american.edu. Sometimes the system takes longer to create the e-mail account, so the password does not get synchronized.
You can manually force synchronization by logging into my.american.edu, clicking on TECHNOLOGY, and then on the personalized link SYNCHRONIZE MY PASSWORDS. Wait 15 minutes for the e-mail and Blackboard accounts to synchronize. Back to List
Can I post a personal Web page?
All student, faculty, and staff accounts include personal network storage space with a WWW folder for posting web pages. For more information on creating a personal web page, click the appropriate link below:
