2/15/11: Announcing Simplified Sign-on for Tufts Students, Faculty and Staff

Tufts students, faculty and staff memorize a number of passwords to access Tufts’ various IT systems. In order to both simplify your experience and increase data security, UIT has implemented a solution that eliminates one of the passwords currently used in our IT environment. In the future we hope to consolidate several additional passwords used by our community members to access Tufts systems into one “Tufts password.” This project is called “Tufts Simplified Sign-on.”
Who does this affect? Within the next several months, this will affect all faculty, staff and students on all campuses.
Which passwords are changing? Tufts Simplified Sign-on eliminates the need for what has been known as the “Trumpeter password,” the password that is used to access Trumpeter email, Tufts library services, Spark, Elists, TUSK and many other systems. Click here for a partial list of services that use the Trumpeter password.
In the future, users will access all systems that now use the Trumpeter password with their Active Directory (AD) password. The AD password is currently used for logging into MS Windows computers, Microsoft Exchange, Tufts VPN, and network storage (e.g. P:, Q:, and R: drives). Going forward, your AD password will be called your “Tufts password” because it will cover so many systems.
When will I start using my “Tufts password” to access systems I previously accessed using my Trumpeter password? Community members will begin to use Tufts Simplified Sign-On in a phased approach. You will receive an email about a week before you are scheduled to start using your “Tufts password” to access systems you previously accessed with the Trumpeter password.
What about other systems that don’t use either of these passwords? At this point, only systems that currently rely on Active Directory (AD) and Trumpeter passwords are affected. Systems like SIS, PeopleSoft, Kenexa, eServe, Blackboard or other applications that use unique passwords will still use their current authentication method. In the future we hope to add many more applications to the list of those using the “Tufts password.”
I’m not sure if I have an Active Directory password. What do I need to do? There are some members of the Tufts community who do not have AD passwords and some who have them, but have never needed to use them. As part of this project, we are creating Active Directory accounts for everyone and creating methods to help those who can’t remember their AD password to reset it themselves. If you fall into either of these categories, you will receive an email with specific instructions about what you need to do. Once you receive your instructions and start using the Tufts password, you will no longer need to remember your Trumpeter password.
I have an Active Directory password, what do I need to do? Users who currently have an Active Directory password will simply start using it to access Trumpeter systems on the date appointed for them. They don’t need to do anything else!
Implementation of the “Tufts password” will take place over the next several months. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the UIT Support Center via email at uitsc@tufts.edu via phone at 7-3376 or contact your local support organization.