STUDENT QUICKLINKS & CONTACTS

2012-2013 Academic Year

UAB Information Technology strives to provide consistent, accessible, personalized and collaborative environments to enhance the student experience. The quicklinks below provide a ‘get-started’ list of the most common services students ask about. For even more information and resources available to the student community visit uab.edu/it/students.

BlazerID and Password

Most of UAB's secured online resources require you to log in using your BlazerID and password.  You probably already have a BlazerID; however,  if you are not sure or if you need to change your password, you can visit BlazerID Central at uab.edu/blazerid.

BlazerNet

Using your BlazerID and password, log into BlazerNet, UAB's student portal - uab.edu/blazernet. From there you will be able to link to class registration, grades, financial aid and other academic resources.

E-mail

Your UAB e-mail address ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) can be forwarded to any UAB-hosted e-mail account. To check or update your e-mail preferences, visit BlazerID Central at uab.edu/blazerid. To register a UAB Microsoft Exchange Account, click “Get A UAB E-Mail Account” on the left side of the web page.

UAB Microsoft Exchange

This service, which is available at no cost to all active students, provides up to 1GB of mail storage.  You can access your Exchange account with any Microsoft Outlook client or through the web by visiting the following website: mail.ad.uab.edu. For help with client configuration, visit the FAQ link: uab.edu/it/email.

File Size & UAB Dropbox

Your mailbox has 1GB of space, and the size limit for attachments is 30MB.  Large attachments should be sent via the UAB Drop Box at uab.edu/dropbox.

Wireless Networks

Stay connected on campus by accessing the UAB WiFi network using your BlazerID and password: uab.edu/wireless.

Mobile Users

Have an Apple or Android mobile device? Download the free UAB Mobile app which provides access to class schedules, maps, Campus Directory, news and athletics, and Blackboard Mobile Learn:  uab.edu/app.

Online Classroom/Blackboard

Online courses are available via UAB’s online classroom, Blackboard (log in with your BlazerID and password at uab.edu/bb). For support, check out the Blackboard self-help options at  uab.edu/bblearn/student-support.  Students generally have access to their specific Blackboard courses on the first day of the term, but faculty may arrange for earlier or later access.

Recommended System Specifications & Computer Setup

UAB IT provides recommendations on computer specifications for Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows PC laptop and desktop systems, and guidance on how to prepare your computer for use at UAB (before you arrive on campus). Visit uab.edu/it/students and select from the available resources for more detail.

Software & Computers

UAB IT offers an extensive library of software for free or at discounted pricing, including antivirus software, Microsoft Office products and more. Through UAB's relationship with Dell, many computer products are available at a discount to students (and parents on behalf of students).  Visit uab.edu/it/students and select from the available resources for more detail.

Computer Labs

UAB maintains several student computing labs which are open to all current students with a valid BlazerID. For locations and hours, visit uab.edu/it/labs.

Campus Directory

The online directory contains contact information for students, faculty, staff and all UAB entities: uab.edu/directory.

Higher Education Opportunity Act & Digital Rights Compliance

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) includes provisions to reduce the illegal uploading and downloading of copyrighted works through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing of movies, videos, music, etc. More information, including how UAB detects and responds to illegal downloading activity, can be found at uab.edu/it/heoa.

IT Policies

Individuals who use UAB technology resources are required to read the Acceptable Use Policy in its entirety. This and other IT policies, standards and best practices can be found on the UAB IT website: uab.edu/it/policies.

Help Desk

For support with all things IT contact AskIT, UAB's IT help desk. Many self-help articles and FAQs are available on the AskIT website.  To access the FAQs, open a ticket or chat with an agent visit uab.edu/askit, or call AskIT at 205-996-5555.  Hours of operation vary and are posted on the website.

eNotify

Students can register their cell phone for various notifications from around campus.  From notifications about postings in Blackboard, to reminders about registration deadlines, to being able to reset your BlazerID password remotely (24x7)...it all starts with registering your cell phone and selecting which services you want to take advantage of. Visit uab.edu/enotify and sign up today.

Persons who are formally affiliated with UAB gain access to university-managed electronic resources by means of an officially recognized credential called a “BlazerID."  A non-UAB person who needs access to these resources is not eligible to create a BlazerID, and is thus required to obtain a guest username and password.  Guest accounts (also referred to as “XIAS” accounts) must be sponsored by a UAB employee, and are subject to an approval and setup process. 

Who is a guest?

Guest accounts can be used for many purposes at UAB.  Guests can fall into a number of categories, including but not limited to:

• A researcher accessing data stored on a UAB SharePoint site
• A colleague from another institution who needs to access a UAB file share
• A vendor that is remotely supporting a UAB-owned system via VPN
• A site visitor conducting an accreditation review who needs local network access
• A consultant who needs system access to conduct on-site installation or maintenance  
• A meeting or conference attendee who needs to access UAB WiFi
• A high school guidance counselor who needs access to Banner

FOR SPONSORS

As a Sponsor, use the links below to begin the process of setting up a guest account.  Once you have completed the underlying form(s), the sponsored user or users will receive automated emails that will guide them through the process of completing the setup.  Once the setup is complete, you will receive an email confirmation and information on next steps.

I would like to…

      Give a guest access to hardware or software that they support in your area

      Give a guest access to the UAB VPN

      Give a guest access to a SharePoint site or other Windows-based resource

      Give a guest access to connect to UAB WIFI while they are visiting the campus

FOR GUESTS

As a guest, you will receive an automated email that with instructions on how to complete the setup of your sponsored account.  You can use the link below to manage certain aspects of your account, such as a forgotten password.  Please note that as a guest you are not able to initiate the account creation process; this must be done by a valid UAB-affiliated sponsor.

       Manage my guest account

For support with Blackboard and related technology tools please visit the full Blackboard Learn site at www.uab.edu/bblearn

For support with Blackboard and related technology tools please visit the Blackboard Learn site at www.uab.edu/bblearn

UAB has three applications that will be impacted by the end of life for Oracle Java 6.  On July 3^rd, the Oracle Java automatic update service will begin upgrading Java runtime environments (JRE) to Java 7.  Faculty, students and staff that use Blackboard Learn and the portions of Banner and Oracle that are built on the "Oracle Forms" product, will need to continue to use Java 6 on their computers until further notice. 

Special adjustments to your computer systems will likely be required to maintain this Java 6 configuration.  Disabling Java Update increases the risk to malware infection and will increase the effort required to manage vulnerabilities for this software product.  UAB IT is continuing to monitor the capability of the products that are currently dependent on Java 6 and will recommend that this automatic update feature be reinstated as soon as possible.

Students: for more information on how to setup your computer see http://www.uab.edu/it/instech/blackboard/faq.html and click on your appropriate operating system.

Faculty/Staff: please contact your computer support staff to ensure that your computer is configured properly to prevent any issues with this Java change.

If you have any issues or concerns please contactAskIT at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 205-996-5555.