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The computer is asking for a username and password. Where do I get them?
If this is your first class at Ball State University, a BSU computer account with username and password will be automatically generated and mailed to you with cover information. If you have trouble accessing the site, first review that information before proceeding with the following suggestions.
Once you get your usename and password, students are strongly encouraged to visit www.bsu.edu/password/register and enter an alternative email address. Doing so gives you the ability to automatically reset your password if you would ever forget it.
I have taken classes at Ball State before, but this is my first online course. Will my old username and password still work?
If you used Blackboard in the past, it's security scheme changed August 2001. You no longer have a separate username and password for Blackboard. You will now log in using your BSU computer username and password (same as your Outlook account information).
Computer accounts are deactivated about 3 months after the end of the last semester attended if there is no registration for the upcoming semester. If it has been longer than that since you took a class at Ball State, your account will need to be reinstated. If you do not receive one automatically, please call the School of Extended Education at 1-800-872-0369 (8-5 M-F) or e-mail distance@bsu.edu.
I don't remember my username or password.
If you're a former student you may already have a computer account. If you've forgotten that username and/or password, do one of the following:
If you are a Nursing student, contact the Nursing Learning Resource Center at 765-285-5584 (which is open from 8-5 M-F) or send e-mail to nursingLRC@bsu.edu.
All other distance education students should contact the School of Extended Education at 1-800-872-0369 (8-5 M-F) or e-mail distance@bsu.edu.
All students may contact the UCS Help Desk at 765-285-1517, or e-mail helpdesk@bsu.edu.
Once you get your usename and password, students are strongly encouraged to visit www.bsu.edu/password/register and enter an alternative email address. Doing so gives you the ability to automatically reset your password if you would ever forget it.
I've forgotten the Blackboard web address. What is it?
The correct URL is http://my.bsu.edu.
Blackboard won't let me login - it says "Could not login. The user name or password is incorrect".
The "Could not login. The user name or password is incorrect." message indicated that an improper username or password is being used. Possible causes are:
The wrong password is being used. You should use your BSU computer username and password. This is the same as your Outlook account name and password.
The password was typed incorrectly. Passwords are case sEnSiTiVe, be sure the caps lock is off and that you only use capital letters where they are required.
The username was typed incorrectly. Be sure that the username you are using matches exactly with the one you were given, including all leading zeros. (Zeros are often mistaken for O's . . . 0 vs. O) Usernames do not include the @bsu.edu portion of your email address.
Check your spelling. Simply entering incorrect characters (a "typo") is one of the most common reasons for getting an "Could not login." response.
If you are having problems logging into Blackboard but have an Oulook account and can access it successfully, you may need to resynchronize your name and password.
If you still can't get past the login failure message, contact one of the resources listed below.
Does it matter if I type the username and password in upper or lower case?
YES! When you are issued your username and password, note whether it is listed in upper case, lower case, or a combination of upper and lower case. Be sure that you are using the correct case when typing in them. Although usernames under Blackboard are not case sensitive, passwords are.
The computer won't accept my username and password, and I've tried everything. What do I do?
If you are a Nursing student, contact the Nursing Learning Resource Center at 765-285-5584 or e-mail nursingLRC@bsu.edu.
All other distance education students can call 1-800-872-0369 (8-5 M-F) or e-mail distance@bsu.edu.
All students may contact the UCS HelpDesk at 765-285-1517 or helpdesk@bsu.edu.
I know I entered the correct web address on my browser, but it just "spins its wheels" and doesn't go anywhere. Why?
If you know that you have entered the correct web address, and you can access other web sites normally, the server at the BSU site may be down. If the server is down, the operators are aware of it and are working on it. Try it again in a short time.
I received an e-mail from my professor with an attachment, but when I open it, it looks all jumbled like hieroglyphics. What should I do?
Contact your instructor, and ask what program he/she used to create the document. Documents created in different programs are often incompatible with each other, and may require some attention to find a format that both student and professor can open. (Nursing students may contact the Nursing FRS for assistance.)
I'm having problems with file transfer (the Blackboard 'dropbox'). Who should I call?
Nursing students should call the Nursing Learning Resource Center at 765-285-5584 (which is open from 8-5 M-F) or send e-mail to nursingLRC@bsu.edu.
All other distance education students can call 1-800-872-0369 (8-5 M-F) or send e-mail to distance@bsu.edu.
All other students should contact their instructor for help.
I have a question that is not on this page. Who do I contact?
If you are a Nursing student, contact the Nursing Learning Resource Center at 765-285-5584 or nursingLRC@bsu.edu.
All other distance education students can call 1-800-872-0369 (8-5 M-F) or send e-mail to distance@bsu.edu.
All students may contact the University Computing Services HelpDesk at 765-285-1517 or helpdesk@bsu.edu.
