FAQs

Article ID: 138050  

Question
FAQS

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Login Issues/Outages/Maintenance

If you’re experiencing login issues, please visit our Status Page to check for any known outages or maintenance events.

If no issues are listed, submit a service request at helpdesk.northwood.edu so our team can investigate further.

 

    • Request assistance with your Northwood credentials, security/verification methods or if you cannot log into a NU owned computer, Blackboard, Perceptive Content, or WebMail

    How do I reset/change my current, expired or forgotten password?

    Northwood University uses NameTag for easy password and MFA recovery.

    Northwood is committed to a secure information technology environment and requires strong and unique passwords. Passwords that do not meet the following requirements or are otherwise found vulnerable will be rejected.

    Passwords MUST meet the following criteria:

    • Be at least 8 characters in length
    • Consist of at least 3 of the following 4 items
      • Uppercase letters (i.e. A-Z)
      • Lowercase letters (i.e. a-z)
      • Numbers (i.e. 0-9)
      • Special characters (i.e. !@#$%^&*)
    • Not contain the user's account name or parts of the user's full name that exceed two consecutive characters
    • Avoid using dictionary words
    • Previous passwords may NOT be reused

    Passwords will expire and require a mandatory password change. A change reminder message will display within Blackboard 30 days before your password is set to expire and email notifications are sent 30-, 14-, and 7-1 days prior to password expiration until the password is changed.

    You should change your password immediately if you feel it has been compromised.

    **All Staff and Faculty who have been assigned a Northwood-owned computer MUST be ON CAMPUS or connected via VPN BEFORE their password expires to avoid password synchronization issues**

    1. On Northwood-owned Windows computers, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE simultaneously on your desktop
      • Northwood-owned Mac computers, use the "Students, Alumni, Staff and Faculty (without a Northwood-owned Windows computer) link below to change your password.)
    2. Select Change a password
    3. Enter your old password, and enter your newly created password twice in the appropriate fields
    4. Press Enter

    NOTE: Please update your apps and saved browser passwords on all devices (laptop, desktop, smart device, etc.) configured to automatically connect to Northwood University resources such as email. Failure to do so may result in your Northwood account becoming locked.

    1. On your Northwood-owned computer
    2. Click Start
    3. Type osk
    4. Press Enter - this will open the on screen keyboard. (If this doesn’t work, press Windows+R to open your Run Command window. Type osk and click OK)
    5. Press and hold CTRL+ALT keys on your physical keyboard and then click on the DEL key in the virtual keyboard (on screen)
    6. Minimize the On Screen Keyboard
    7. Click Change a password

    After changing your password, you'll receive a confirmation email from Microsoft on behalf of Northwood University

    NOTE: Please update your apps and saved browser passwords on all devices (laptop, desktop, smart device, etc.) configured to automatically connect to Northwood University resources such as email. Failure to do so may result in your Northwood account becoming locked.

      1. Go to http://www.northwood.edu/pwreset
      2. Choose Change Current Password (you will be redirected to an authorized Microsoft site)
      3. If not already signed in, enter your full Northwood email address (e.g., [email protected]) and password
      4. Enter your old password and your newly created password twice
      5. Click Submit
        • If successful, your Office 365 Profile page will appear. If unsuccessful, a message will explain the issue

      NOTE: Please update your apps and saved browser passwords on all devices (laptop, desktop, smart device, etc.) configured to automatically connect to Northwood University resources such as email. Failure to do so may result in your Northwood account becoming locked.

      IPC students outside the United States are currently unable to access our Self-Service Password Reset option to unlock, change or reset their Northwood University password.

      1. Go to http://www.northwood.edu/pwreset
      2. Choose Unlock & Reset Forgotten Password
      3. Enter your Northwood username (e.g., username@northwood.edu)
        • International Program Center (IPC) students outside the United States are currently unable to access our Self-Service Password Reset option.
      4. Complete the steps on your device
      5. Select Reset Your Password
      6. Follow the instructions to change your password.

      NOTE: Please update your apps and saved browser passwords on all devices (laptop, desktop, smart device, etc.) configured to automatically connect to Northwood University resources such as email. Failure to do so may result in your Northwood account becoming locked.

      Your new password will need to meet the following criteria:

      • Be at least 8 characters in length
      • Consist of at least 3 of the following 4 items
        • Uppercase letters (i.e. A-Z)
        • Lowercase letters (i.e. a-z)
        • Numbers (i.e. 0-9)
        • Special characters (i.e. !@#$%^&*)
      • Not contain the user's account name or parts of the user's full name that exceed two consecutive characters
      • Avoid using dictionary words
      • Previous passwords may NOT be reused

      How do I install Microsoft Office 365 on my personally-owned device(s)?

      Northwood University offers Microsoft 365 to eligible users via named user licenses, giving each person access to the apps and services suited to their role at the university.

      Feature/LicenseStaff (A3)Student (A3)AlumniEmeritus (A1)
      Outlook Storage100GB50GB50GB50GB
      OneDrive Storage1TB1TB1TB
      Teams Access
      MS 365 Download
      MS 365 Web Access

      Please select your user type below to view your Microsoft 365 eligibility and installation instructions.

      Eligibility

      Northwood University provides a Microsoft Employee A3 education license to students and employees for as long as the Microsoft agreement continues. This license includes access to Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Upon separation from Northwood University, all files will become read-only, and users will not be able to create new files or edit existing ones without obtaining a personal Microsoft 365 license directly from Microsoft.
       

      Installation Instructions

      PC/Mac (Chromebooks not supported):Visit https://office365.northwood.edu
      Sign in with your Northwood credentials
      Click Install Office in the top-right corner
      Open the downloaded file and follow on-screen instructions
      Sign in with Northwood credentials for full access

      iOS / iPadOS / Android:Download Word, Excel, PowerPoint from your device's app store
      Sign in with Northwood credentials for full editing capabilities

      Additional License Information

      Please review Microsoft's documentation for a more detailed breakdown of available features and programs for A3 licenses.

      Eligibility 

      Emeritus users are assigned a Microsoft Employee A1 education license for as long as the Microsoft agreement continues. This license provides limited access to Microsoft 365 services. For full access to Microsoft 365 applications, a personal subscription must be purchased directly from Microsoft.

      Additional License Information

      Please review Microsoft's documentation for a more detailed breakdown of available features and programs for A1 licenses.

      Eligibility

      Upon graduation, alumni lose access to Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive and Teams. They retain access only to their Northwood University email account, hosted by Microsoft, as long as the account remains active. To continue using Office applications, alumni must purchase a personal Microsoft 365 license directly from Microsoft.

      Need Help?

      For assistance with installing or uninstalling Office, contact Microsoft support directly.

      • Assistance with Microsoft Office 365, Edge, Chrome, etc • Assistance with administrative programs (Colleague, Perceptive Content, NXT, Civitas, Self-Service, Cbord, Zoom) • Assistance with student programs (Office 365, Minitab, JMP, Kaltura, Self-Service)

      Username and/or Display Name Change

      Current Northwood University users who have completed an official name change at the Business Office or through the Human Resources Department may also request that their my.northwood.edu username and/or email display name also be changed. Additionally, if a username is misspelled, please click on the "Submit IT Request" button to have the misspelling corrected.

      NOTE: An official name change must occur at the university before the username can be changed. 

      After completing steps 1 and 2 below, please allow up to 3 business days for your username and/or email display name to be updated. You will be emailed by a technician when the change is complete.

      Students or Alumni:

      1. Contact the Business Office (989.837.4207) to start the process of your name change request.
      2. Click this link https://northwood.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1948/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=21305 to provide your information for a username or email display change.

      Employees:

      1. Contact Human Resources (989.837.4345) to start the process of your name change request.
      2. Click this link https://northwood.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1948/Portal/Requests/ServiceDet?ID=21305 to provide your information for a username or email display change.

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      Views: 7 Created on: Oct 10, 2025