Complex Password Format

Complex password format is common on CUNY systems and will now be part of network and email access at York

York College will begin to enforce complex password policies common for many Centrally hosted applications like CUNYfirst on all our network and email systems starting in  2018.

You will receive additional notices in email as reminders. This will occur over a period of a few weeks once we start. When you get notice of expirations please update your password using the newly enforce complex password policy. The system reminders that pop up will also be used to remind you that the password is complex format. Links will be available to get you to the mypassword page for resetting.

The requirements for the complex password policy are listed below. This is in line with Central security practices and the need to insure consistency and compliance and it’s also a part of our security audit requirements.

In order to ease the transition from standard passwords to complex password policy we are encouraging everyone to setup their challenge questions profile in our internal identity contact management system YCDirectory (rDirectory). Login using your network credentials and click on “Edit my Profile”  from the the link below:

Faculty/Staff : https://www.york.cuny.edu/myPassword/

Setting up your challenge question profile will have the same benefit as you have with CUNYfirst in which you are able to self-service your password should you forget or have an issue allowing you to completely bypass our current Helpdesk protocol for security validation. If your profile isn’t setup or updated, you won’t be able to change or reset the password for Email, Network (campus computers), P&B, AEMS and PR/Assist (Human Resources), Parking Permits and Violations (Public Safety), VPN (Library), Lynda.com (LinkedIn Learning) and YConnect (Office of Information Technology) without IT intervention which is a tedious processing that involves approvals and validations from department heads and IT Managers, back and forth communications via emails and phone before the password can be reset because all this time is spent insuring you are who you say you are. Once you setup your challenge profile questions, you have complete control of resetting your own password.

An additional benefit can be gained if you provide an alternate email address. This is a common business practice for self-service password resets. The alternate email address completes the loop on your ability to be in the driver’s seat when needing to reset or change your password but you need IT to help you. This email address is private and will not be seen in the directory by others except for being used as part of this email password reset which will streamline your support options.

You can update contact information  and add the additional email  yourself at http://ycdirectory and

Click on “Edit Properties” at the far top right of the screen then fill in the “Additional Email” field

(login using your network credentials) for more information on rDirectory go to myDirectory

For our password policy info visit the York College web page at myPassword

Please note that if you recently changed your password the new policy will ask you to change your password again in order to be in compliance with the policy

Complex Password Requirements

A valid password must meet all of the following conditions:

Password change reminder will be sent 14 days after the last password change. Password must be between 8 characters and 13 characters Passwords longer than 13 characters will be truncated after the 13th char. Password must not be one of 4 previous passwords. Password must contain at least 1 uppercase letters and one special character. Password will expire 180 days after the last password change.  

If you have any issues during the expiration and update please contact our Service Desk at ext. 5311