Orientation for Students: How to get started

Step 1: RIConnect
Step 2: Campus ID Card
Step 3: Email/Network account
Step 4: WebCT

Computer Accounts
List of Lab Software Applications
Technology Connections at RIC

Step 1: RIConnect

When your paperwork at the Records Office is complete, you will be given an account on RIConnect.  RIConnect is the College's web-based administrative system which gives you access to your class schedule, Financial Aid, transfer credit report, your grades, request an official transcript and more…

How to access RIConnect:

- Click here to access RIConnect

- Login Information is provided to you by Management Information Systems
Please remember RIConnect usernames and passwords are case-sensitive.

Click here to view the Student Orientation Help Sheet

Rhode Island College Emergency Notification System

The College is developing an emergency notification system that will include the ability to communicate with members of the College community via text messaging to their cell phones.

If your cell phone has text messaging capability, and you wish to be contacted by the College in case of an emergency via your cell phone, please enter you cell phone number through your RIConnect account. Go to Self Service/Campus Personal Information, select Phone Numbers, then Add a Phone Number.  In the drop-down choose Cellular, and enter your cell phone number.

Click here for details on how to add your cell phone number in RIConnect.

Step 2: Campus ID Card

Campus ID Card
Your Campus Card identifies you as a member of the student body at RIC. You need it to access library resources, to enter secure locations, such as the dorms.  You may also use your Campus Card as a debit card for vending machines, copiers and printers, and for your meal plans at Donovan Dining Center.

- Campus Card Office is located in the Student Union (click here for link to map). They will issue your Student ID card after verifying your identity and student status at the college.

- More information on Campus Card

Step 3: RIC Email/Network account

If you haven't already been given a RIC email/network account contact the Help Desk at 456-8803 or email helpdesk@ric.edu and ask for information about your account. 

Email

To access your RIC email account on campus, simply click the link to web mail on the RIC homepage. You will be brought to a page explaining the log in process, click the link at the top. When prompted to do so type in your user id and password using the following format:

User ID: ric-acad followed by a backslash ( \ ) located directly above the Enter button (ric-acad\) then type in your first initial and full last name, an underscore, and the last four digits of your empl id (located on your student ID card). ( ex: ric-acad\jsmith_0123)

Password: the first three letters of your birth month, followed by the date, followed by the last four digits of your social security number. (ex: jan012345)

To access your RIC email off campus you follow the same procedure as above.  

https://webmail.ric.edu

Click here for instructions to sign onto your RIC e-mail.

Network and Email Accounts for entering students 2007-2008

User Support Services will issue network/email accounts to entering freshmen and transfer students shortly before Orientation begins on July 2, 2007.  Please look for an announcement on the USS web site as soon as we create the accounts for entering students at the end of June.

RIC SpamGuard

RIC SpamGuard will intercept the vast majority of your SPAM and store it in a private SPAM quarantine.  You will need to check the quarantine regularly to eliminate the possibility of false positives, emails incorrectly labeled as SPAM.  Click here for a further explanation on how you can access and configure SpamGuard.

Network account

To log onto a computer in one of the walk-in labs, Horace Mann Technology Center or Whipple 102, you will need your User ID and password. Your User ID is your first initial followed by your last name, an underscore, and the last four digits of your empl id (ex: jsmith_0123). You will also need your password (ex: jan012345).

The Network account for students pertains to the computers on campus, your RIC web mail and WebCT. When you change the password for one, you change it for all three. RIConnect is a separate account and is not affected by any changes made to the other three accounts.  

FAQ:
Can I change my account name?
Usernames (account names) cannot be modified unless your name changes legally through marriage, divorce or other legal procedures.

Can I change my email/WebCT/network account password?
Once your account has been created, you may change your password.  However, keep in mind that by changing your password for either computer access, web mail access or WebCT access, you change the password for all three. You may also change your password for RIConnect and as previously stated this account is not affected by changes to the other three and will not affect the others if changes are made to it.

Helpful Handouts on using Outlook Web Access

Sending out an email with an attachment
Adding contacts
Spell checking your email before sending it out
Using your Outlook Web Access calendar
Adding a signature to your email and changing the default fonts
Creating a task
Forwarding RIC email with Outlook Web Access
Changing your password

Summer Exchange 2007 Change
Click here to view RIC's Microsoft Exchange 2007 documentation

More information on using email at RIC 

Step 4: WebCT

WebCT is a popular Course Management System for accessing course assignments, quizzes, and handouts.  WebCT offers you many ways to communicate effectively with your Professors and classmates.

Logging on:
http://webct.ric.edu:8900/webct/public/home.pl

- WebCT ID: Same as your RIConnect ID
- Password: Same password as your RIC email/network password

- Remember ID's and Passwords in WebCT are CASE-SENSITIVE - click here for additional instructions

- If your RIConnect ID and RIC email/network ID are not the same, please contact the Help Desk at Ext. 8803. 

If you cannot log in with the password you probably need to reset your password in password station. Go to https://passwordstation.ric.edu plug in your ID and click on forgot password - it will ask you a couple of personal questions (social, birthdate etc.) and then for your new password. When you're done with that try logging into WebCT again and it should work.

If for some reason it doesn't work (gives you an error) you can go to the helpdesk at Horace Mann and they will fill out a form for you so that the administrator can change the password for you (they will also try changing it again with you there –it might help). This password change also changes the password for your RIC email account and your password to log into the computers at school as well.

Last Modified 06/18/2008