Computing Accounts & Passwords

Account Management Policy & Procedures

CAP@brown.edu  863-HELP

1. Unlike Brown usernames which are created for each faculty, student and staff member when they arrive at Brown, IDs for administrative accounts must be specifically requested.  A completed and authorized request must be submitted to our office using the appropriate form for the needed application. To request an administrative account: 
   • Locate the appropriate form(s) on our home page.
   • Print out a copy.
   • Collect all necessary signatures.  If unsure, refer to the Authorized Signature chart.  Make sure all signatures are original and in ink
   • Note that account requests for miscellaneous and temporary employees, as well as students, must include an end date.
   • Deliver the form(s) to the CAP, either by mail or in person to CIT 101.
2. If you are unsure of what forms are necessary, please contact our office and we will be glad to assist you.
3. We will begin account set up once an authorized request reaches our office. While we strive to provide rapid account creation, just as importantly we must ensure that such access is accurately created and follows proper security protocols. For this reason, normal turn-around time is three business days upon receipt.
4. When we receive the completed form, we first create an account Logon ID, which identifies the individual to a specific security system or application.  For most administrative accounts, it will generally be six characters in length. The first three characters (Alpha Numeric Numeric) represent your department and the last three (Alpha Alpha Alpha) are randomly generated to ensure a unique identifier. We then enter relevant information into our Administrative ID tracking system.
5. Once all accounts are ready, a CAP staff member will contact the account holder with their LogonID and initial password.  Accounts holders must change their initial password to one personally memorable but not easily decipherable to others.
6. All administrative account holders accept the responsibilities of granted access.  This includes protection of the data as well as their ID and password.  Accounts should never be shared. 
7. Note that accounts are department specific, and as such, cannot be carried over when an individual transfers to a new department, but are closed instead.

Normal Processing

1. The CAP receives daily reports of those Brown employees with administrative accounts who have been terminated or transferred.  Normally, our office will then prepare paperwork for closure of these accounts at the start of the next business day following the last day of employment.  In the case of a transfer,this would be the last day of employment in a department where a person is holding their account.  This is done so that the employee may complete any necessary work on his or her last day. 
2. The CAP directly manages access to many applications and systems and coordinates the others. When an account needs to be closed, the office will first shut down access to all applications for which it is responsible, then will route a Transfer/Termination form to those who handle the remaining accounts, who each sign off on their work.  The paperwork is then routed back to the CAP and filed for audit purposes.
3. The CAP will check the person's directory information the day following a termination to ensure that the person does not appear in the directory (unless they have a grace period that extends beyond their termination date, such as faculty who receive a 180 day extension).

Expedited Processing

1. If requested, the CAP can perform an expedited shutdown of all accounts.  Normally this is done when there is a concern for the integrity of the data or misuse of the access.
2. An expedited request should be made as soon as possible, allowing time to make preparations for the shut down and to ensure that all the appropriate people receive reasonable notification to be able to comply. 
3. An expedited request must be made either by the manager or supervisor, or an HR representative, who should contact the office of the CAP directly. Staff will coordinate the account closure with the manager of the CAP and/or the Executive Director of Administrative Information Systems. This is done in order to ensure the confidentiality of the request.
4. This request should include the name of the person, priority for shut down, and general reason for this action. Prior to any work being done, a verification of the request will be made.
5. An expedited shut down is performed at the time requested by the manager.