What Is a Departmental/Organizational Account?
A departmental or organizational account is a non-personal account created for university departments, campus organizations, or specific functions. These accounts ensure continuity by preventing the loss of access to critical communications and data when individuals leave the university.
Common use cases include:
- Shared mailboxes for departmental or organizational communications.
- General use accounts for departmental or organizational use with Teams, OneDrive, Zoom, etc.
Each account must have a designated account owner responsible for managing access, ensuring proper use, and maintaining compliance with university policies.
Accessing a Departmental/Organizational Account
There are two primary ways to access these accounts:
1. Direct Login (Limited Use – Higher Risk)
Users log in using the account’s dedicated username and password, typically through Office 365. This method allows full control, including:
- Reading and responding to emails
- Managing forwarding rules, automatic replies, and other settings
- Resetting passwords
- Managing DUO user access
Security Consideration: Direct login increases the risk of shared credentials. It is recommended that only the designated account owner or manager use this method when necessary.
Password management and DUO enrollment are accomplished by navigating to the Password Management page, under the Departmental NetIDs header.
Knowledge Base Article: DUO User Enrollment
2. Delegated Access (Preferred Method – More Secure)
Users access the shared mailbox from within their individual Outlook client without needing the account’s password. Delegated access allows:
- Sending emails on behalf of the departmental/organizational account
- Viewing and responding to incoming messages
- Seamless access within a user’s UTHSC Outlook client
Security Advantage: Delegated access reduces the risk of credential sharing and enhances accountability by linking actions to individual users.
Delegated access is managed by navigating to the Email Account Management page.
Knowledge Base Article: Managing Delegated Access
Best Practices for Managing Departmental/Organizational Accounts
For assistance with DUO enrollment, delegation setup, or policy compliance, contact the university’s IT Service Desk.
- Use Delegated Access whenever possible to minimize security risks.
- Avoid sharing credentials. If direct login is necessary, ensure only authorized users have access, and update passwords when roles change.
- Regularly review and update account access. Remove access for individuals who no longer need it.
- Designate a backup owner to ensure continuity in case of role transitions.
- Follow university security policies for account provisioning, password management, and security compliance.