Administration

New account activation process to replace signature stations on Sept. 5

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The old method of visiting a Penn State signature station to activate a Penn State Access Account has been updated to a more convenient, online activation process. As a result, a University-wide decommissioning of signature stations will take place on Sept. 5.

A Penn State Access Account is a digital identity for students, faculty, staff members and designated affiliates (i.e., sponsored accounts) of the University. The electronic profile — represented by a unique user ID of three letters paired with a series of digits (for example, xyz5002) — enables Penn Staters to log in to check their University email, schedule courses, research services, access library resources, use eCommerce websites, view employee records, and access other protected online University resources.

In the past, signature stations were the preferred method for acquiring the physical signature needed to activate a Penn State Access Account. However, the process has now been streamlined to enable departments to request an Access Account online for new faculty or staff members.

After completing the online application form, available within the Penn State Help Request Portal, new users will be sent their unique user ID and an account activation link to their designated personal email address that will allow them to activate their Access Account electronically. The user ID of the person who submitted the request is the authorized “signature,” so there is no need for the new user to visit a signature station or sign a paper form. Once activated, a confirmation email will be sent to the new users’ personal email address. The departmental requestor will receive an email when the account has been created and can also view all requests they have made by selecting “My Service Requests” after logging in to the Help Request Portal.

Users who need to reset an expired or forgotten Penn State Access Account password after signature stations are retired can go online to Penn State Password Management if they have set security questions to re-establish their password automatically or contact the IT Service Desk for assistance.

The new online request process for new faculty and staff will remain in effect until it’s migrated to and automated through WorkLion later this year. However, departments will continue to use the online request process for their sponsored accounts.

For more information about Penn State Access Accounts, visit http://www.identity.psu.edu/services/authentication-services/access-accounts/.

Last Updated September 6, 2017