At least once a year, USC’s Information Technology Services (ITS) requires that you change your university computer account password.  This is easy to do, provided that you know your 10-digit university ID number.**  If you don’t remember your number—or didn’t know that you had one—Maricela Hinojosa (213-740-8169) at the Emeriti Center can get it for you.

To change your password, use your browser to go to USC Web Mail (email.usc.edu).  Under “Help With Email” on the right-hand side, click on “Password Change.”  Then simply fill in the information requested and click on “Change Password.”   In creating your new password, make sure that it is a secure password (i.e., one that is not a word found in the dictionary, contains both upper and lower case letters, and contains both letters and numbers).

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*     This post originally appeared in the “Senior Cyber Tips” column of the USC Retiree Community Newsletter, 29:1 (January 2010).

* *  For security reasons, the university has instituted a system of unique 10-digit numbers for students, staff, and faculty—past and present—in place of your 9-digit Social Security Number and your 7-digit Employee ID number.  While it is still possible to change your password using your Social Security or Employee ID number, you are strongly discouraged from doing so.