University of Rochester
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my.rochester.edu


Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is my.rochester.edu?

My.rochester.edu is the University's student portal. It is based on a system called Blackboard. Incoming students should have already received an email when their account was created. This email would have told them how to log in (usually NetID).

How do I get access?

Student and faculty accounts are created automatically based on registration data. The system receives course listing and enrollments periodically. These automatically generate accounts for the instructors on record for courses, and the students enrolled in those courses. If you are not enrolled in courses, you may not automatically receive an account.

What is the student's username in my.rochester.edu?

Most students will log in to the student portal with their NetID and NetID password. Some students may not be able to do this and would have account information and temporary password in that email.

Why would a student NOT use their NetID?

We are sharing the Blackboard system with the Medicial Center. They use a different authentication system for their users. If a user from their system was already in Blackboard with the same username, we cannot duplicate it. We will work with any of these students to change their NetID at a later date.

Does it matter what operating system and browser I use to connect to my.rochester.edu?

Yes. The software that runs my.rochester.edu (Blackboard) is tested and certified (or compatible) only with certain browser versions on either Windows or MacOS. Check the Browser Compatibility document for details.

What features are available in the portal?

Currently students in the College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering will see the following “tabs”.  Main, Courses, My Email, Student Access, My Accounts, Activities, Libraries.

  • My Email provides a single sign-on (for users logging in with their NetID) into their URgmail account.
  • My Accounts is currently unavailable for system upgrades. We hope to make it available again soon.
  • Student Access provides a portal to the Registrar's Access site for your registration history and grade information
  • Activities is a tab where we have provided both static and dynamic information from various local and campus activities.
  • Libraries is a tab for quick access to the River Campus Library home page.
  • Courses is used to provide access to any courses that a student is enrolled in that are made available with content.
  • Main provides a dashboard into your courses and organizations, as well as quick links to various academic and campus services.

Students at the Warner Graduate School of Education see Main, Courses, My Accounts, Student Access and Libraries.

Students at the Eastman School of Music see Main, Courses, My Email, Student Access and My Accounts.

Students at the Simon School of business see Main, Courses, My Accounts, Student Access and Libraries.

Why do some of my courses say they're "unavailable?"

The availability of courses in Blackboard is controlled by the instructor. Early in the semester, some instructors may still be building the content in their Blackboard courses, and may not make it available until they're ready. Also, there are instructors who do not use Blackboard, so their courses will not be made available.

I just registered for a new course - why don't I see the link for it in Blackboard?

The registrar's database (ISIS) and Blackboard do not have "real time" synchronization. Blackboard data is updated from ISIS three times a day Monday through Friday. If you've registered for a new course, first be sure that it shows up for you in Student Access. Once it does, it should show up as a Course link on your Blackboard Main tab within a few hours. If it shows up on the Main tab but says "Unavailable," it means that your instructor has not turned on the course yet. The instructor may not be ready to allow access to the course, or may not be using Blackboard.

I need to be added to a course as a student/TA. How do I do that?

The instructor of the course can add you. If the instructor does not know how to do this, there are instructions at http://www.rochester.edu/blackboard/manage_users.html, or they can contact Blackboard support. Please note that Blackboard support cannot add a student or TA to a course at the user's request. The request must be authorized by the instructor.

How can I see courses from a previous semester?

Course availability for students is turned off 30 days after the end of a semester. If you need access to materials from a previous semester, you will need to contact the instructor of the course and ask that it be made available again. Once the instructor re-enables the course, you will need to switch to the Course tab (instead of Main) to find the link to the course.

When I go to my BCS or NSC course in Blackboard, I can't access the syllabus tab.

Brain and Cognitive Science Department courses (including undergraduate Neuroscience courses) usually point to the course website on the BCS web server. That web server has authentication of its own, outside of your Blackboard authentication. If you can successfully access your BCS or NSC course within Blackboard, but cannot click on tab links inside the content frame, contact the BCS department for the login.

Can I check my email from within my.rochester.edu?

Yes. Students in the College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering and Eastman School of Music can check their University email account (netid@u.rochester.edu). If the student uses a local Blackboard account, they will need to log in on the My Email tab with their NetID and password, but they can still use the My Email tab. Students in other schools do not have this feature available yet.

Why do I see a blank screen when I click the My Email tab?

My Email opens in a new window, so there a couple of things that may be going on:

First, be sure you have not disabled popups. If you have, email cannot appear.
Depending on your browser settings, the email window will open either in a new window, or a new tab. Check to see if a new tab is being created in your browser window, or if there's a new window that's hidden behind other windows on your desktop.

Why am I not getting my instructor's emails?

First, check your junk mail folder. In many cases, emails coming from Blackboard seem to end up there.
Another possibility is that your email address is incorrect in Blackboard. To check, go to the My Places link in the top banner of Blackboard:

Click on My Places, then Personal Information/Edit Personal Information. Enter your preferred email address and click Submit.

My email address is wrong in Blackboard. How can I fix it?

Go to the My Places link in the top banner of Blackboard.
Click on My Places, then Personal Information/Edit Personal Information. Enter your preferred email address and click Submit.

Can I check other email accounts from within my.rochester.edu?

No, only the University email account.

Is this the only way to check my University email?

No, you can log in to your URgmail account at http://mail.u.rochester.edu, or pop your email to your personal computer. Providing access to the email through my.rochester.edu gives you yet another way to get your email. And if you are already in Blackboard working on coursework, you have immediate access to your email as well.

Is there any information about Campus services and offices available?

There are links to a number of academic and campus services available on the Main tab. These links are customized based on the school affiliation, so students at Eastman see links specific to Eastman. Additionally, some links are available on the Activities tab.

Can I check my grades from my.rochester.edu?

If your instructor uses the gradebook in Blackboard, you will be able to see grades that are posted there. Official/Final grades are posted in Student Access, which is accessible from a separate tab in Blackboard.

How do I submit an assignment in Blackboard?

If your instructor has set up online assignments in Blackboard, you will have an interface to upload a file and submit it through Blackboard. For instructions, see Submitting Assignments in Blackboard 9.

Can I add money to my meal plan?

Yes, you can go to the My Accounts tab and click on the Dining/URos tab to access your Dining and Meal Plan accounts. This will provide you with your balances and allow you to add money to your accounts using a credit card.

Can my parents add money to my meal plan?

Yes, anyone can add money to your dining/meal plan by clicking on the Guest Deposit tab at the login page for http://my.rochester.edu. Once here, the person will need your first name, last name and your student id number in order to deposit money using a credit card into your account.

Can I pay my tuition bill through my.rochester.edu?

Yes. Access to the online bill presentation and payment system is available through my.rochester.edu. Click on the UR ePAY link on the Main tab. This system is managed independently. Questions about billing and payments should be directed to the Bursar's office.

Why don't I see the link to UR ePay?

The UR ePay link appears under the QuickLinks menu in the left column of the Main tab. Depending on user roles, some users will have a long list under Quick Links - check if there's a scrollbar that you need to pull downward to find the link.

Also, sometimes if your screen resolution is set low (e.g., 800x600) it may be cutting off some of the links because the text is too large. Try temporarily setting your screen resolution higher and see if the link appears.

If not, contact your Blackboard support team.

I have questions about UR ePay (questions about my bill, setting up an Authorized Payer).

For any questions about UR ePay (other than the availability of the link) contact the Bursar's office at (585) 275-3931 or bursar@ur.rochester.edu.

Do parents have access to my.rochester.edu?

No, parents do not have accounts in my.rochester.edu. Parents can be set up to view and pay a student's tuition bill within the external system. This must be initiated and managed by the student.

I should see a tab for Student Access in Blackboard and I don't. How can I get this fixed?

If you should be seeing a tab for Student Access and you don't, contact your Blackboard support team.

I have questions about what I see on my Student Access tab.

If you see the Student Access tab, but something is not working, or you have questions about the data you receive, contact the Registrar's Office at (585) 275-8131, or registrar@rochester.edu.