your account

Accessing Your UCCS Computer Accounts

When a student is admitted to UCCS, a limited account is created which allows access to email and the Student Portal to register for classes. To access email, go here. To log into the Student Portal, go to http://www.uccs.edu/portal. Before logging the Student Portal, it may be necessary to change the default password.

Default Passwords

The username is the person's first initial and first seven letters of the last name. Apostrophes and hyphens are ignored. However, if this matches an existing account, the seventh letter, if any, is replaced with a number. Under the current policy, the initial password is MmmYYN#### where:

  • Mmm is the first 3 letters of the birthmonth
  • YY is the last two numbers of your birth year
  • N is the first letter of the last name
  • ####is the last 4 digits of the student ID number (last 4 of employee ID number for staff and faculty)
    • This in NOT the person's social security number.
  • (The first letter of the birth month and the first letter of the last name are both capitalized)

To change your default password, go to the Account Maintenance Menu and select the password change option. If you are not successful or have questions, please call the IT Help Desk at 719-255-3536.

Account Creation

Student accounts are upgraded by noon the second weekday after registration for classes, allowing full access to the UCCS network. For staff and faculty, accounts are created after Human Resources enters the information into the payroll database. The initial username and password for staff and faculty is the same as for students (see above).

The first time a person logs into the campus domain with the default password, the system will state the password has expired and it will guide through changing the password.

Passwords will expire and must be changed every 90 days.

What Can I Do With My Account?

Access email

Your email address will be username@uccs.edu. UCCS email is an official method of communication at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Since email is internet based, you can access your email from anywhere in the world. Log into email by clicking here. A help sheet for using email is available by clicking the link below.

Create Web Pages

Students, staff, and faculty can create web pages. Check the web server help sheet for a description of the UCCS web servers.

Connect to the VPN

Faculty, staff, and students have storage space on our servers. Folders can be accessed from a computer on campus by going to the Z: drive. Accessing an IT account from off campus can be done if you use UCCS dial-up or Virtual Private Networking (VPN). See the help sheets by clicking the link below.

Specific folders are provided on each staff/faculty account to provide security. Student accounts have a DATA folder.

  • DATA: No one except the owner can access this folder.
  • INBOX: This folder allows anyone at UCCS to place files into it. This folder is typically used for students to turn in homework.
  • OUTBOX: This folder allows anyone at UCCS to copy or print files from it. This folder is typically used to provide papers to students.

If you'd like multiple folders to organize your files, create folders within the folders listed above. Back up your computer files to the DATA folder frequently to prevent loss of data.

WARNING: Always copy and paste files and folders in your IT account.

Do NOT drag and drop (move) files or folders. Copying creates a new file with permission matching the folder it's in. Moving keeps the permission from the previous location. For example, if you drag and drop (move) a file from your INBOX to your DATA folder, that file is still accessible like it was in the INBOX. (If the why confuses you, don't worry about it. Just remember to always copy and paste files and folders.)