Login Help and e-Mail Issues

Find Login ID or University Directory ID - New Users and All Current Users:

Users will need to use UM Directory ID and Password to gain access to Blackboard online course system and many other UM system including MyUM portal. All users who registered a UM course will get a Directory account, no matter where you come from. To find your Directory ID:

  • Go to campus Directory system at http://directory.umd.edu/
  • Press on Search for Your University Directory Entry, it opens the "Identity Verification" page.
  • Fill out the form and Submit. You will see the Directory Information page which including Directory ID, U ID, and your real or forwarding Email address in the list, etc.
  • Note for New Directory Users: If you never activated or confirmed your Directory ID, you will see an "ID Setup" page with an assigned ID. You can active your account by either accept the Assigned ID, or check and use a different ID as you like. Follow the screen to setup your password.
  • Note for Faculty/Staff and Ph.D Students: You can also find Directory ID by following on the link of Search the University Directory by Name in the Directory system. It allows you to search by name, phone, or email.
  • Please setup Security questions as prompt, in case you may forget your password in the future.

Set/Change Password and UM Directory password Expiration Policy:  

You can set or change your password by visiting http://directory.umd.edu/. If you forgot your current Directory password and have not setup Security questions before, you will need to make a call by yourself to campus OIT Helpdesk at 301-405-1500, they can help and allow you to set a new password in http://directory.umd.edu.

All new UM Directory passwords remain valid for up to 180 days. You will need to reset the password in order to access Blackboard and many services that utilize the Directory password. You will be required to use a different password (you cannot use any of the past 20 passwords you have used in Directory system).

Set/Change Forwarding Email Address in Directory Account - Faculty/Staff/PhD Student: 

Messages posted through Blackboard courses will be send to your Directory email account   (DirectoryID@umd.edu), which is actually an alias email address. They will then be forwarded to your real or primary email address if you have one setup in your Directory account. So you will need to setup a Forwarding or real email address in your Directory account, and it is important to keep your forwarding Email address up-to-date so that you won't miss the messages you or students sent from the Blackboard system.

To set or change the forwarding Email address in your Directory account, go to ARES system at http://www.ares.umd.edu. Click "Change your official email address" on the right, type in your Directory ID and password to login. Press on "Continue" button in the "Login Successful" page, Personal Information window will be displayed. Make sure you provide a PRIMARY E-MAIL ADDRESS there so that you can receive messages sent through BB system. You can also update other personal information such as phone number, emergency contact information there.

The forwarding Email address change will take place overnight to be reflected in the Blackboard system.

Set/Change Forwarding Email Address in Directory Account - Student: 

Messages posted through Blackboard courses will be sent to your Directory email account (DirectoryID@umd.edu), which is actually just an email reflector or an alias email address. You will need to setup a valid Forwarding email address in your Directory account, and it is important to keep your forwarding Email address up-to-date so that you won't miss the messages sent from the Blackboard system.

To set or change your email address, go to Testudo system at http://testudo.umd.edu/, choose "Keep your email address up to date", then make updates of your Email address. Make sure you received the confirmation message "Your information has been successfully changed!"

For working students (i.e. TA or GA), you need to change your email address from both Testudo and ARES (as for Faculty/Staff) (as for Faculty/Staff). The email change may take a day or two to be reflected in the Blackboard system.

If you encounter login or any other issues, you can always contact the Smith IT helpdesk at Room 3520 Van Munching Hall, or call us at 301-405-2269. While the best and quickest way to get login help is to contact campus OIT helpdesk at 301-405-1500.