Changing Your Network Password
Password Changes/Forgotten Passwords
[updated February 17, 2021]
Changing Your Sheridan Password
It's a good security practice to change your password from time to time. If you know your Sheridan password and want to change it, follow the link below:
Password Change Policies
For Sheridan employees and alumni, regular password changes are enforced.
Forgotten Passwords
If you have forgotten your password, you can submit either your Sheridan network username or I.D. number to initiate a password reset request. Instructions on how to retrieve your new password will be sent to the ‘Home’ email address that we have on file for you. Make sure your address is up-to-date before you need to reset your password. If there is no home email address indicated in our systems, your reset request will fail.
Phone Support
If you are unable to change/reset your password using one of the self-service methods described above you can call the IT Service Desk for assistance.
Attention Employee Laptop Users Running Windows…
If you are using a college-provided laptop running Sheridan's Windows disk image, before changing your password, you will need to do one of the following…
Off-Campus
- Connect to Sheridan via VPN (Virtual Private Network) and follow the password change instructions
On-Campus
- Restart your computer and log-in while plugged into an administrative network jack (i.e. like those found in faculty and administrative offices - NOT labs/classrooms/hallways) to complete the password change process.
Choosing a Secure Password
The following rules must be followed when choosing your Sheridan password:
- Cannot be your Sheridan ID number
- Must be between 8 and 32 characters long
- Cannot contain your username
- Must contain 3 of the following 4 character types: upper case alphabetic, lower case alphabetic, numeric, and symbols
- Must not contain 4 or more characters in sequence. (eg. qwert, 3456, ghij)
- No more than 3 numeric digits consecutively. (aF483nc# is okay, aF4836nc# is not)
- Only 1 pair of repeated characters (non case sensitive). (gJ5dd84$ is ok, gJdDd84$ and gg5dD84$ are not)
- Must not be found in a dictionary check of approximately 1.4 million words
Additional Tips
Do's
- Keep your password(s) private and separate from your computer
- Use a phrase to help you remember the password. For example, let's say that you want to use a phrase for a password. "I love to play badminton." You may use the password "ILuv2PlayB@dm1nt()n" for your network account.
- Change your password at least once a month.
Don'ts
- Do not select something that is easily guessed. Examples of easily guessed passwords are your phone number, your middle name or a pet's name.
- Do not write down the passwords or keep them in files on the notebook.