Account Access
Updated
Requesting Account Access
When a new employee, intern or student begins work at Bigelow, please submit an account request through the helpdesk.
Account Extensions
Employment termination: At the end of an employee's last day, or when specified by HR, access to all Bigelow services not extended in advance will be terminated.
Account extensions: Contact helpdesk to request an extension of specific accounts at least a week before the employee's end date. Include the justification described below. Accounts can only be renewed for three months at a time.
Extension renewal: Contact helpdesk to request a renewal at least two weeks before the account expiration date. You and the employee will receive automated reminders starting two weeks before expiration.
Required Justification for Account Extensions
To extend email access, justification must explain why the former employee cannot perform the same function using a personal or new organization's email address. Email access is not required for post-employment VPN access. "Ongoing collaboration" and corresponding-author status are not valid reasons for extension.
In your helpdesk request, please include:
- What specific access needs to be extended (e.g. Email, HPCC access, storage).
- How this extended access benefits Bigelow in a way that wouldn't otherwise be possible.
- How long they need the continued access for in total (while access is granted in three month increments, knowing the full length is helpful for review).
Examples of Inadequate Justification
- Extending Google account for VPN access: VPN access can be shifted to not require Google for authentication.
- Google Drive access for continued collaboration: Employees are already able to share Google Drive folders with collaborators outside of Bigelow. Not wanting to take the time to transfer permissions to their new email address is not a valid justification for account extension.
- Access to email for continued collaboration: Bigelow routinely collaborates with people at other institutions using their email addresses. We acknowledge that it may take some time to get all of the email lists transferred to the person's new email address, but it is possible and the inconvenience is not valid justification for extending access.
- Corresponding author: Bigelow emails addresses are not permanent. If you are listed as a corresponding author on a publication, please consider using a [professional] personal email address that will follow you regardless of employer.
Account Suspension
When an account is suspended, it can no longer receive new email. Messages sent to the account will be undeliverable and returned to the sender. Suspended accounts are typically retained for six months before being deleted.
A departing employee’s supervisor may submit a helpdesk ticket requesting that the account remain active for up to three months after the employee’s departure. This allows an automatic out-of-office message to remain in place while preventing the former employee from accessing the account. The employee and supervisor are responsible for writing and setting the out of office message.