Question

How can I add new staff who don't have an email account and non-VU staff?

Answer

Sometimes you need to grant immediate access to people such as:

• A new staff member who has not yet completed the required formalities with ITS and therefore does not have a VU email account - i.e. is not on VUSIS.

   

• A staff member at another institution who requires access but is not currently on VUSIS, or is unlikely to ever be on VUSIS in the future.

If a new staff member does not yet appear on VUSIS,  they should apply to ITS for an email account and an LDAP password before the system will recognise them. This may be difficult if a person is not currently employed at VU. In any event, the above process usually takes some time.

Here's a possible 'fix' - albeit not ideal ...

WebCT users are 'authenticated' (allowed into WebCT using their username and password) by our VU-based LDAP system. But there is a separate WebCT authentication method which allows us to set up a completely separate WebCT account with a username and password of our choice.

A WebCT administrator (ITS Helpdesk, Vyt Karazija or Lisa Curran) can create a separate 'WebCT/Blackboard' authenticated account for staff.

However, this is not only inadvisable, but contrary to preferred operating procedure. When staff do eventually get added to the VU system through normal channels, there will be duplicate WebCT accounts for them - and this can cause operational problems, inaccurate logging statistics, can impact on our WebCT licence conditions, and may even contribute to global warming ...

In summary, you can't add the non-VU or new staff member yourself. Please request an administrator to do this, be prepared to make a case for the addition of that person and to manage that person's accounts to minimise any double account problems.

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