My UNI

Your unique account for accessing Columbia's systems and services.

Related Links

Manage My UNI (FAQ and more)
UNI Assistance for CU Alumni
Using Strong Passwords
Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Enterprise Active Directory

The University Network ID (UNI) is a unique identifier assigned to each University student, faculty, researcher, or administrator, consisting of your initials and arbitrary numbers. Your UNI is used to provide access to Columbia University's systems and services, such as LionMail, Courseworks, library resources, computer labs, employee self-service (HR and benefits information), and University business and administrative systems. Access to these services may also be dependent on your University role, based on data from Student Information Systems (SIS) for students and from People @ Columbia (PAC) for employees. Additional approvals may also be provided by authorized administrators.

Manage My UNI is a set of self-service functions, allowing you to:

  • Activate your UNI or email account

  • Change your password to a new one

  • Reset your password if you don't remember it*

    *If you are unable to complete the self-service password reset, the CUIT Service Desk can help you. Please note that you may be asked to provide your CUID card number or may be asked to do video verification of your identity by a Service Desk technician if your card number is not on file.

  • Forward your Columbia email to another address

  • Choose or remove an email alias

  • Change your email address in the online directory (will also change the address you use to send email)

  • Update your security questions and answers

  • Look up your UNI by name if you've forgotten it

If you would like to notify senders about your expiring email account with a message, please submit a ticket to the CUIT Service Desk with the date your email will expire, how long you would like to to send notifications (normally two weeks after your departure) and the message you would like sent (often refers sender to your manager or replacement).

CUIT Computer Accounts

CUIT computer accounts provide access to your UNI, as well as many other IT resources. They also can provide:

Computer Account Eligibility

New students become eligible for accounts once the Student Information Services enters them into the student database. For students starting in the fall semester, this occurs at some point during the previous summer.

New faculty and staff who do not yet appear in the PAC database can acquire a temporary account by being entered in a departmental data feed called DIA.

Staff of affiliate institutions may or may not be eligible for accounts depending on the agreement between their institution and Columbia. Please call the CUIT Service Desk at 212-854-1919 to determine your eligibility.

Casual employees who are entered into DIA are eligible for email accounts but are not authorized to access restricted online resources unless they are located physically on campus (and are using the Columbia network). This is due to legal licensing restrictions on online data.

Other CUIT Administrative System Accounts

The UNI is the first key to accessing many computer services and resources at Columbia, and is often the same as your email address and password (such as for LionMail users). However, different computer systems and services at Columbia may require different access IDs and passwords. Here is an overview of the major account types that you may encounter when using CUIT systems and services.

Central Server ID (called "Username" when you log in to Central) is the key to accessing Central services. Usually your Central Username is the same as your UNI and it is set up for you when you first subscribe to the Central Server.
 
Outlook/Exchange Mail/Calendar Username is usually the same as your Central Username and UNI. Outlook passwords do not expire. If you want to change it, go to Outlook Web App.
 
Administrative Applications IDs are assigned by either CUIT or the departmental data custodian, and authorized by each system's departmental data custodian. These IDs are used to access certain central University information systems. These systems are: Accounts Payable (APS), Financial (FAS), Financial Front End (FFE), Labor (LDS), Human Resources Management (HRMS), Purchasing (CAPS), Student Information (SIS) and Sponsored Projects Tracking for OPG/GC (SPOTS).

  • Application-specific ID is assigned and authorized by the data custodian of each application. Even though you have logged on to the application via the CUIT Administrative Application Logon Screen, some applications also require their own internal IDs and passwords (e.g., FAS), which are entered at the initial application screen. These IDs and passwords are supplied with your CUIT Administrative ID and password notification.
  • ID for desktop (client/server or Web) applications is assigned and authorized by the data custodian of each application. You log onto these applications directly, without going through the CUIT Administrative Application Logon Screen. These applications include AP/CAR, FFE, and the Data Warehouse. Usually these IDs are the same as your UNI.

Local LAN ID is assigned by your departmental LAN administrator.

If you need assistance with any ID or password, call the CUIT Service Desk at 212-854-1919.