Student Identity Verification Policy
City University of Seattle complies with this mandate by requiring a secure login and password, requiring students enrolled in a distance learning course will be required to provide a secondary verification of identify consisting of a legal form of ID (e.g. state license, military ID, passport, university issued photo ID) as a proctored activity in the learning management system at the start of each course, requiring proctored exams where necessary, and utilizing course and curriculum design strategies that emphasize student-to-instructor interactions and project based assessments to minimize the possibility of academic dishonesty.
The secure login and pass code are used to access all CityU’s student systems, including the learning management system through which distance courses are delivered. CityU’s Information Technology Resource Code of Conduct for students states that users are accountable for all activities carried out under their account and are therefore not to divulge their account information to anyone unless approved by CityU management. Furthermore, CityU’s Academic Integrity Policy requires work submitted by students in any course to be their own. Instructional strategies and technology, such as SafeAssign, are used to identify student work of questionable integrity for review by the Academic Integrity Board.
When programs or courses require students to complete a proctored assessment, the university provides proctoring at no cost to the students and student identity is confirmed at the time of the exam via photo identification.
The institution recognizes that technology and personal accountability are not absolute in determining a student's identity. CityU courses are designed with activities and assessments that support academic integrity. Faculty are encouraged to monitor student behavior for sudden shifts in academic performance or changes to writing style or language used in communications as these may indicate academic integrity problems. Please see the accompanying procedure for more details.
Students will be notified in writing at the time of registration or enrollment of any additional current and/or projected costs associated with the university's identity verification and proctored assessment process.
Personally identifiable information collected by the university may be used as the basis for identity verification. However, all methods of verifying student identity protect the privacy of student information in accordance with the Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and any other applicable laws or regulations regarding the confidentiality of personally identifiable information.
The evolution of identity verification technologies will be monitored by CityU's Academic Integrity Board and this policy will be reviewed annually. Recommendations for improvements to CityU's method for student identity verification will be made and approved by the Academic Affairs Council.
(Policy #2300.19)
Password/MFA Policy
Most of the University’s Technology resources can be accessed by entering a password and/or a code. Passwords and codes are intended to prevent unauthorized access to information and are considered confidential information.
Passwords and codes do not confer any right of privacy upon any user. Thus, even though users may use passwords and codes for accessing Information Technology resources, users must not expect that any information maintained on the University’s technology resources, including text, electronic mail, and voicemail messages, is private.
Users must not:
- Share their passwords/codes with anyone;
- Access systems of another worker or student without express authorization by the Director of Technology or Director of Human Resources;
- Include passwords in emails or any electronic format unless the file or media is encrypted;
- Write down the password and store it in the workplace (e.g. under keyboards or on the monitor).
It is a security best practice never to use the same password for multiple work systems (laptops/desktops, software or servers). It is strongly recommended that you not use the same username and password for work systems used on your personal devices or any third-party website login pages.
This policy, the password standard operating procedures, and the internal University security controls are safeguards in place to guarantee consistency of password rules, alignment with security best practices, and application password requirements are implemented to minimize the risk of jeopardizing the University security posture.
(Policy #4200.03)