Support for Online Students

Technical Requirements

Students taking online courses must have the following:

• A computer (Mac or PC); Windows 7 or greater or OSX 10.6 or greater
• Firefox or Chrome
• Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• A high-speed Internet connection

Learning Time Requirement

The New York State Education Department requires that online students spend approximately 45 hours of learning time per credit; the same amount as a traditional, on-campus course.

AU Email

Email is the official method of communication at Alfred University. To activate your account, please visit My AU and follow these instructions. To log into your email, visit My AU and click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

Activate AU Email Account Log into Email

Canvas

All online courses are taught with the Canvas Learning Management System. To access Canvas, visit My AU and click the Canvas icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Log in with your AU email address and AU password. Canvas instructions are available for all students. All technical requests related to Canvas should be sent to the ITS Helpdesk.

Log into Canvas

Banner Web/ Registration

Students use Banner Web to register for courses, perform administrative tasks, and view final grades. To log into Banner, use your AU ID (A00123456, for example) and your date of birth (in 6 digits) as your PIN. You will be required to change your PIN. Non-Matriculated students must register for online courses using the Non-Matriculated Student Registration form.

Log into Banner Web

Assistance from the ITS Helpdesk

If you need technical assistance, you should contact the ITS Helpdesk. The Helpdesk can be reached at 607-871-2222 or by emailing us. All technical requests should be sent to the ITS Helpdesk.

Pre-Course Checklist

At least one week before the course start date, online students should complete the following tasks (unless they have already been completed):

• Activate your AU email account and change your password
• Log into your AU email account
• Log into Canvas and locate your courses
• Log into Banner and change your PIN
• Read AU's Academic Dishonesty Policy
• Contact the ITS Helpdesk with any technical questions or concerns
• Email the instructor with any questions or concerns about the course

Consumer Protection

Alfred University belongs to the National Council's State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), which allows AU to provide distance education to students in other NC-SARA states. This agreement requires AU to provide distance education students residing in other NC-SARA states with the opportunity to file grievances. A student may file a grievance if they feel they have been misled, or that they did not receive the educational experience that they expected. Additional information and grievance reporting procedures are available on the Online Student Consumer Protection web page.