Accounts
Primary Accounts
When someone joins CU Boulder, OIT automatically provisions them with an IdentiKey and, depending on their role, a CU Boulder email account, Microsoft 365 license, Google Workspace account and other services either automatically or upon request.*
When a user's role changes, their access to IT services is adjusted to align with their new eligibility. If their new role entitles them to fewer services than their previous one, they will typically be given a grace period before losing access.
*Eligibility for other licensed software, including Adobe Creative Cloud, ArcGIS, SPSS and MATLAB, is indicated in the Software Catalog.
Secondary Accounts
A secondary account is any IdentiKey account other than a user's primary account. This may be an EXC account for a student employee or a group account that allows multiple people to access systems and communicate on behalf of a department, unit or student group.
While student employee accounts are typically provisioned with access to IT services, secondary group accounts have limited access privileges and are primarily used to manage group email accounts.
Eligibility
Each role at CU Boulder follows a slightly different timeline for gaining and losing access to IT services. Follow the role-specific links below or in the right sidebar to learn more.
| Campus Role | Basic Services | Microsoft 365 Apps | Google Apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee (e.g., faculty, research faculty, emeritus faculty, university staff, classified staff, working retiree, person with a POI Type D designation) | IdentiKey, CU Boulder email, employee portal, Microsoft Teams Calls, phone extension, VPN service | Microsoft 365 Online, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft 365 desktop apps | Google Workspace, Google Drive |
| Student (e.g., confirmed new student,* enrolled student, student on an official leave of absence) | IdentiKey, CU Boulder email, Buff Portal, VPN service | Microsoft 365 Online, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft 365 desktop apps | Google Workspace, Google Drive |
| Limited Employee (e.g., unpaid faculty, recreational instructor, person with a POI Type C designation) | IdentiKey, CU Boulder email, employee portal, VPN service | Microsoft 365 Online, Microsoft OneDrive | Google Workspace, Google Drive |
| Alum (i.e., student who graduated from CU Boulder) | IdentiKey, CU Boulder email, Buff Portal | No Microsoft services | No Google services |
| Retiree (i.e., employee who officially retired from CU Boulder) | IdentiKey, CU Boulder email, employee portal** | No Microsoft services | No Google services |
| Former Employee or Student (i.e., person who previously worked or studied at CU Boulder and didn't retire or graduate) | IdentiKey, Buff Portal (former students only) | No Microsoft services | No Google services |
| Currently Ineligible User (e.g., applicant, trainee, person on a fellowship, person receiving a stipend, person with a POI designation other than Type C or D) | No basic services | No Microsoft services | No Google services |
*Until they confirm their intent to enroll, admitted students are only provisioned with an IdentiKey and limited Buff Portal access.
**Retirees who select their annual benefits through CU's open enrollment process will retain access to the employee portal as long as their IdentiKey credentials remain active.
License Adjustments
If you receive an email from OIT stating that your eligibility for CU Boulder Microsoft services has changed, this could be due to:
- a recent role change
- a previous role change that OIT didn't fully address at the time
- a change to OIT's eligibility policies
Although the email refers only to Microsoft services, you can expect your other IT services to be adjusted as well. To learn more, click the link for the role that matches the license you currently have, then review the "Reevaluations of your eligibility" section.
News & Updates
- May 13, 2025: "Automation of Microsoft license adjustments" (OIT news)
