Standard
As part of the university's ongoing identity management initiative, WPI adopted a login name and email address standard on May 9th, 2011. The standard will help to facilitate automation of existing manual processes, future implementation of administrative systems, and to better support research collaboration with other educational institutions.
The following standard applies to all new WPI account holders, including incoming students and new employees:
- The standard follows the first-initial-middle-initial-last-name convention using an individual's legal name. For example, John A. Smith would receive the login jasmith and e-mail address jasmith@wpi.edu.
- The university encourages individuals to provide a legal middle name if possible. Those without a middle name or initial will follow the first-initial-last-name convention. For example, John Smith would receive the login jsmith and e-mail address jsmith@wpi.edu.
- Additional identities that result in the same login will be progressively provisioned with an incrementing number appended to the login, starting with the number 2. For example, James Smith would receive the login jsmith2 and e-mail address jsmith2@wpi.edu.
Change Policy
The ITS Service Desk will only process a username change request when one of the following exceptions is met:
- The login name is reasonably inappropriate (i.e., when composed it creates a vulgar or unacceptable word).
- A legal or preferred name change has been officially documented with WPI (e.g., marriage, divorce, or otherwise).
Process
Username changes are processed weekly. Changes submitted by Monday at 5pm will be reflected in WPI systems by Wednesday morning.
Emails sent to a previous address will be forwarded to the new email address, but people who change their usernames may want to update systems that use the previous email address and/or notify their contacts. Username changes are also shared within relevant WPI offices to help keep systems up to date.