Important Alumni Support Information
Alumni account assistance is exclusively provided through the Alumni Account Assistance Service Request (https://ou.edu/ouit/alumnisupport). OU IT does not provide phone or in-person support. To expedite service, please ensure you include proper identification (see Account Verification Requirements) when submitting any alumni account assistance requests.
Alumni Security Improvements
To enhance the security of alumni and retiree accounts, a series of important security improvements will be implemented beginning Monday, February 26, 2024. These improvements are aimed at mitigating security threats within the @alumni.ou.edu domain. These changes will bring @alumni.ou.edu accounts into alignment with the university's established password and IT access control policies.
Security Enhancement Overview:
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): The use of a free MFA service, Microsoft Authenticator, is required to access your @alumni.ou.edu account.
- Annual Password Update: Alumni email address passwords must be changed every 365 days.
- Inactive Account Policy: Inactive accounts will be expired, disabled, and deleted based on the date of the last password change. If the account password is not changed within 30 days after the expiration date, the account will be disabled. After 60 days of being disabled the account will be deleted.
Schedule:
- Monday, February 26, 2024: All accounts will be required to change their password AND set MFA.
- Wednesday, March 27 2024: All accounts without a password change in 365 days will expire.
- Friday, April 26, 2024: All accounts that have been expired for 30 days (password not set in 395 days) will be disabled.
- Tuesday, June 25, 2024: All accounts that have been disabled for 60 days (password not set in 455 days) will be deleted.
Inactive/Dormant Account Process:
Accounts which do not have a password updated every 365 days are categorized as Inactive/Dormant and go through a process of expiration, disabling, and deletion.
- Expired Accounts: Password hasn't been changed in 365 to 395 days. Expired accounts still receive email. Users are automatically prompted to change their password, via self-service. After the password has been updated the account will drop out of the inactive/dormant account process.
- Disabled Accounts: Password hasn't been changed in 395 to 455 days. Disabled accounts still receive email. Users must submit a Alumni Account Assistance Request to verify identity, re-enable the account, and set a new password. Once re-enabled, accounts drop out of the inactive/dormant account process.
- Deleted Accounts: Password hasn't been changed in +455 days. Deleted accounts do not receive email. Deleted accounts are retained for 30 days. Users which need to re-activate an account which has been deleted and is within the 30 day period must submit a Alumni Account Assistance Request to verify identity, re-store the account, and set a new password. If the request to restore a deleted account occurs beyond 30 days of deletion the account is gone. Users may request a New Alumni Request.
Alumni Email Overview
The OU Alumni email service (alumni.ou.edu) is provided by Microsoft to graduates and retirees of OU. As a free email service, changes initiated and mandated by Microsoft can impact the security, usage, and experience. The use of the Alumni email address is limited to individual use and does not allow for the creation of guests, teams, or usage of other Microsoft applications. To maintain an active account, users must log in and change their password every 365 days. For more information about requesting an alumni account, please visit: https://ou.edu/ouit/alumnirequest.
Alumni Email Support
OU IT provides support for users to access their Alumni mailbox via web browser at https://outlook.office.com. OU IT does not provide support to assist users with mail clients (apps), as OU IT is unable to support Alumni devices or respond to software changes implemented by vendors. Common mail clients that OU IT will not support include, but are not limited to:
- Outlook app (desktop and mobile)
- Apple/Mac Mail (desktop and mobile) - this includes the default Mail app on iPhones and iPads
- Samsung Email (mobile) - this includes the default Email app on Android devices
- Windows Mail and Calendar
- Thunderbird, Proton Mail, Canary Mail, and any other email apps available for download on mobile devices or desktops
If a user wishes to utilize a mail client, including Outlook, the user will be responsible for research and configuration of the mail client. If you have been locked out or your account or need additional account assistance for logging in to your mailbox at https://outlook.office.com, please visit https://ou.edu/ouit/alumnisupport.
Alumni Email MFA
To protect your Alumni account, OU IT requires the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) via the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app. After Microsoft Authenticator has been set up on the account. other methods (such as a call or text to a phone number) may be added/used as MFA. To learn more about enrolling in MFA, please visit the Alumni Email - Add Multi-Factor Authentication to your Microsoft 365 Account article.
Alumni Email Password Reset
OU IT encourages the use of Self-Service for users to reset their password. For instructions on resetting your password via Self-Service, please visit the Alumni Email Password Reset article. If you have been locked out or your account or need additional account assistance, please visit https://ou.edu/ouit/alumnisupport.
Alumni Email Sign In
OU IT supports signing into your account via outlook.office.com. For more information about signing into the web browser, please visit the Alumni Email - How to Sign In article.
Alumni Account Verification Requirements
Please note, in situations where one has lost access to their account or needs changes, OU IT requires photo verification. As part of this process you will be asked to provide a high resolution photo of you holding your OU ID, state ID or country ID that clearly shows your face and name.
Alumni Email FAQ's
Q: My account has been disabled. How do I re-gain access?
A. If you have been locked out or your account or need additional account assistance, please visit https://ou.edu/ouit/alumnisupport.
Q: My account was deleted. Can you restore the account and mailbox?
A. Deleted accounts can be restored for 30 days after the deletion. OU IT is not able to restore mailbox access after 30 days; however, you are entitled to receive a new account and mailbox.
Q: Why doesn't OU IT provide knowledge articles or support options for mail clients (including IMAP/POP/SMTP)?
A: In the interest of improving the security posture of the @alumni.ou.edu email service, Microsoft and OU IT continue to reduce security risks. Security changes can impact the configuration and usage of mail clients, and mail client vendors can implement changes which disrupt or modify the configuration steps. Additionally, due to the variety of mail clients, configurations, and versions, OU IT does not have the resources to provide for or encourage the use of one mail client over another for this free email service. As such, OU IT's support for @alumni.ou.edu mailbox access is limited to accessing outlook.office.com.
Q: I do not have a smart phone that works with the Microsoft Authenticator app. Can I opt-out of MFA or use another method besides Microsoft Authenticator?
A: No, there is no opt-out process. MFA is required to be set up on all accounts, and the Microsoft Authenticator app is the required default authentication method. After Microsoft Authenticator is set up for use with the alumni account, a phone number to call/text can also be set up. If Microsoft Authenticator is not available to you at the time you are asked to authenticate (for example, you left your smart phone at a family member's house accidentally), you can choose the option of "I can't use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now". Doing so will allow you to select a different method that you have set up, such as a phone number.
Q: Can I auto-forward emails from my alumni.ou.edu account to another location?
A: No. Accounts with existing forwards will have them administratively removed in the near future.
Q: Can I change my display name and/or email address?
A: No. Alumni email addresses and names are automatically created based on the information provided at graduation (or retirement, if applicable). If your alumni account name/address was created prior to 2020, you may have been allowed to choose your email address and/or display name. This is no longer allowed.
Q: My contact information (phone/address) information is incorrect or missing, can this be updated?
A. No. Address book contact information, such as phone and address information, is no longer support in the e-mail tenant and is being removed.
Q: Can I purchase additional access to Microsoft applications (i.e. Excel, Word, PowerPoint) through OU?
A: No. The purchase of any software will be directly with Microsoft and will not be supported by OU IT.
Q: Does my alumni email include access to other Microsoft applications or the ability to store files?
A: No.
Q: Can I request a team or distribution list in the alumni.ou.edu domain?
A: No.
Q: Can I add guests or external users to the alumni.ou.edu domain?
A: No.